Agriculture – 25th Anniversary March Recap
Our 25th anniversary celebrations have been fun and educational, and March was no exception. Agriculture was the theme of the month, and NH agriculture organizations did not disappoint! We continued with our interview series, hosted more virtual programs, and began our new certification and customer experience trainings.
NHGSA kicked off the month with a lecture from Nate Bernitz, Home Horticulture Outreach Program Manager at UNH Cooperative Extension. Nate shared with us background information about the UNH Cooperative Extension, what they do, and the ways in which they contribute to agriculture in NH. Check out the recording and some feedback from our GSAs.
Next, we started a new series called Learn from a GSA, with Nick W.’s presentation on beekeeping. Nick taught us about bees and the equipment he uses for beekeeping. He shared with us the basics of beekeeping, what getting started entails, zoning, and some examples of beekeeping courses. Nick has participated in beekeeping for 9 years and enjoys it – check out the recording!
Another important component of agriculture is horticulture. John Forti, Executive Director of Bedrock Garden in Lee, provided us with a presentation on horticulture in NH, entitled From the Ground Up ~ Horticulture, Agritourism & the Greening of NH. Listen to the recording of this illustrated talk that celebrates the role of gardens in fostering communities (plant, animal and human) that preserve habitat and important intersections for outdoor, place-based learning and kinship with the natural environments of New Hampshire. This presentation explores the ways in which gardens, farms and open space are helping to foster a sense of place, vibrant local economies, and healthier environments.
For our final program in March, we wanted to learn about something that is an integral part of agriculture at this time of year: maple syrup! Nigel Manley, director of North Country Properties and The Rocks, shared a presentation on Maple Sugaring at The Rocks. The program begins with a video that he would normally show in the sugarhouse. He also talks about why drilling holes in trees isn’t good for the trees and how they mitigate it, along with the maple syrup grading system. Listen to the recording here.
Our Conversations with Emily series focused on agriculture this month. In March, we recorded interviews with the Division of Agricultural Development, Granite State Dairy Promotion, NH Maple Producers Association, and The Rocks. We also interviewed Loon Mountain Resort. We have also been conducting interviews with our Center Managers, which can be found on our Visitor Center Information page.
Organizations Featured in our weekly Newsletter
Each week, we feature a new topic in our newsletter: NH Rail Trail Coalition, NH Agriculture, NH State Parks, and NH Arts/History/Culture. In March, we featured agriculture every week as well. The NH Rail Trails Coalition focused on the Ammonoosuc Rail Trail. NH State Parks featured Cardigan Mountain State Park and Moose Brook State Park, while NH History focused on the NH Historical Society. Agriculture features throughout the month included Farm & Forest Expo and UNH Cooperative Extension, Granite State Dairy Promotion and The Mindful Homestead, and NH Farm Bureau – Young Farmer Takeover and Maple Sugaring in NH.
Trainings
We are offering our GSA training in April as a virtual training. Any current or past GSAs are encouraged to participate to recertify, and we enjoyed welcoming our new class on March 30th. For more information, visit our Certification page.
Granite State Ambassadors is pleased to continue a new partnership with the world-renowned customer service expert, Dennis Snow. As the industry leader in customer experience and information services, it is important that NHGSA lead the charge during our state’s recovery of the pandemic. We are so very proud to have been offered this opportunity, and we strongly encourage Granite State Ambassadors and industry members to participate. The courses in the Dennis Snow Virtual Training are designed for people experienced in assisting customers, as well as those new to the role. Learn more about the training here.
Upcoming Programs
We already have several programs scheduled for April, our Great North Woods month, and we’re looking forward to hosting them! On April 13th, at 3 pm, we will host a presentation focused on the Great North Woods: Exploring the NH Great North Woods and Beyond. We are excited to have the chambers in the greater Great North Woods region featured in this session. They will share with us an overview of their region, including outdoor recreation, attractions, hidden gems, and more.
On April 28th at 3 pm, we will host our second presentation in our Learn from a GSA series: Foraging for Spring Mushrooms with GSA Roz L. Roz will talk about mushrooms in general, how to identify deadly mushrooms, and what could be found locally in the spring and early season.
We have several interviews lined up – Storyland – Living Shores Aquarium, Santa’s Village, Team O’Neil, and The Balsams! Join us as we celebrate the Great North Woods!
About New Hampshire Granite State Ambassadors
New Hampshire Granite State Ambassadors add value to state agencies, local businesses, and individuals through a training and service support network that sustains and enhances the New Hampshire experience. As a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable organization, NHGSA serves hundreds of travel and tourism-related businesses.
Find out more about NHGSA, Inc. at https://nhgranitestateambassadors.org/ Our key partners are the NH Division of Travel and Tourism and the Manchester-Boston Regional Airport.
