Good News in New Hampshire Newsletter #10 - Farm Future

Plus: greener homes, new farmers, Monadnock's art economy, outdoor education, augmented communication, saving skateparks, Gilded Age mansions, and more!

Hello! Welcome to the Good News in New Hampshire Newsletter, part of Granite Goodness.

We share stories of progress and positivity in New Hampshire.

My name is Andy DeMeo. I’ve lived in NH all my life. Granite Goodness is my love letter to this extraordinary state.

At Granite Goodness we believe that being aware of positivity and progress leaves people more inspired to create their own. Optimism, kindness, and the will to solve complex problems are infectious qualities.

Also, being an optimist is just more fun.

As a general rule, this newsletter aims to include stories that fit the following criteria:

• The story is in or about New Hampshire

• The story is about something bigger than singular acts of kindness

• The story is about something good— people building, creating, or doing things that improve the world and reduce suffering

Just think- as long as it’s good and New Hampshire sized, it belongs here! If you have any story tips, let us know at hello@granitegoodness.com.

For more personal stories about progress in New Hampshire, make sure to check our podcast, Granite Goodness, available anywhere.

Enjoy!

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GRANITE GREENERY - Sustainability & Environment

“Amherst’s Post Road Forest”, JimLaBelle, Amherst Land Trust, courtesy photo

• 68 acre conservation project completed in Amherst, NH

  • Over the course of 5 years, the Amherst Land Trust worked with the town to acquire the land and place it into a conservation easement. - Union Leader

• NH Housing Finance Authority launches “Greener Homes” program

  • The program will help property owners assess energy usage, conduct audits, and finance energy-saving upgrades and solar installations, reducing both costs and emissions. - NH Housing

• NH passes law to combat cyanobacteria blooms by wide margin in both chambers

  • HB 1293 aims to limit the amount of phosphorous making its way into storm drains, helping to reduce the downstream effect of bacterial blooms in water bodies. It passed the House 232-99 and the Senate 22-1. - NHPR

GRANITE GRIT - Building & Infrastructure

“Sugar house”, by Rick Kloeppel, licensed under CC BY 2.0

• NH towns proactively solving housing issues

  • Communities in Cheshire County are implementing zoning changes and approving new developments to meet growing demand as part of a regional push for a more accessible housing market. - Keene Sentinel

• Gilded age mansion renovated into affordable senior housing in Rochester

  • The Gafney Home features 19 units, including two in the fully restored carriage house. - Alliance NH

• NH DBEA announces housing growth program for municipalities

  • Administered by the NH Department of Business & Economic Affairs, the Housing Champion program enables unique funding opportunities for municipalities promoting workforce housing, improved walkability and public transport, and other pro-growth measures. - NH DBEA

GRANITE GROWTH - Economy & Workforce

"Art Walk, Keene, NH", by Lorianne DiSabato, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

• Study shows Monadnock art and culture generates millions in economic activity

  • 90% of nonlocal survey respondents said their reason for visiting the region was to attend an artistic or cultural event, bringing some ~$25 million and supporting hundreds of jobs. - Keene Sentinel

• Report indicates higher-ed sector produces billions in economic activity to NH

  • A recent report from the New England Board of Education estimates the 2023 economic footprint of NH’s higher-ed system— including jobs created, federal tax, and university system spending — to be ~$1.4 billion. - Business NH Magazine

• Cooperative Extension Community & Economic Development Team receives national recognition for work

  • The team was awarded for their work on NH’s Digital Equity Plan, the “Developing Interconnections for Regional Trails” collaborative, and the Housing Academy, where they helped promote education on expanding housing opportunities to NH communities. - UNH Cooperative Extension

GRANITE GADGETS - Science & Innovation

“Franconia Ridge”, by Jeff P, licensed under CC BY 2.0

• UNH researchers publish research showing positive benefits of STEM learning in outdoor education settings

  • A recently published paper suggests exposing youth in rural communities to science and the outdoors can make STEM careers in the outdoor recreation sector more accessible to them, expanding growth opportunities for rural communities and enhancing the talent pipeline for a critically important economic sector for NH. - UNH

• UNH professor recognized for chemistry education impact

  • Dr. Christopher Bauer was given the “Achievement in Research for the Teaching and Learning of Chemistry” award by the American Chemical Society for a career of and innovation and success in chemistry education. His “investigative” method of teaching critical thinking to students around chemistry principles has infectiously spread to other parts of the university. - UNH Today

• UNH researcher awarded ~$572,000 NIH grant to study augmented communication

  • Dr. Kay Chen received an award to help improve data collection and analysis for clinicians using augmentative and alternative communication systems, often used to assist individuals with autism, down syndrome, aphasia, or ALS. - UNH

GRANITE GIVING- Nonprofits & Philanthropy

"University of New Hampshire" by drocpsu, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

• UNH raises ~$50 million from alumni community

  • UNH’s 2023-2024 annual giving report showed a total of ~$50.8 million in fundraising commitments, including 22,426 individual donors, about half of whom contributed during the 603 Challenge. - UNH

  New ROC formed by residents with an assist from NH Community Loan Fund

  • The NH Community Loan Fund assisted homeowners at the Pleasant Pond Cooperative in collectively buying the lot for their manufactured-home park, now NH’s 151st resident owned community (ROC). - Manchester Inklink

• Hopkington begins community effort to save skate park

  • Community organizers and the select board are working together to fundraise $200,000 for repairs to Hopkington Spirit Skate Park. - Concord Monitor

GRANITE GREATNESS: Human Interest & Our Favorite Stories

“Large dairy farm complex near Waterford, New Hampshire”, by Carol M. Highsmith, licensed under PDM 1.0

• Innovative programs across NH help new farmers get their start

  • New England land prices can throttle opportunities for new and young farmers to begin their careers. In response, innovative partnerships relying on relational networks and novel loan structures are springing up across the state. One such example is the NH Farm Future Fund, a collaboration between the Cheshire Conservation District and the organization Land for Good, which helps reduce the cost of land for new farmers via conservation easements. Check out the full story from one of our favorite Granite-Do-Gooders, Caroline Tremblay. - Daily Yonder.

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That’s it for this edition of the Good News in New Hampshire Newsletter. This newsletter is free and shareable to anyone anywhere. We also post on Instagram and Linkedin.

If you are hungry for good news beyond the borders of the Granite State, I encourage you to check out our friends at Fix the News or the Progress Network.

Thanks for reading!

-Andy