NHCC's Conservation Leadership Corps [CLC] began the year with a visit to the Nelson Farm in Strafford, NH. Each year, these high school students volunteer in exchange for fresh produce, helping the farm become more productive and geared to education, as well as generating great fresh food for the NHCC summer season. Farm operator Shawn Stimpson said, "I like working with SCA because it gives me an opportunity to learn how to teach farming, and it gives the volunteers a chance to learn how to farm."
NHCC Corps members Alexandra Bacha and Scott Shepard led CLC members on a tour of the farm, where they learned about starting seeds, how the greenhouse heating system works and how a small family farm operates. The Stimpsons have been heating their greenhouse with waste oil since 2002, and Shawn is proud of the fact that his crops are not only organic, but require no fossil fuels to heat during cold New Hampshire winters.
The Manchester CLC program is in its third year with members drawn from Central, West and Memorial. In the past, the members have participated in beach and urban pond cleanups, hosted environmental education events, cleared a section of the Manchester Rail Trail and volunteered at the annual Earth Day Celebration in Veteran's Park. This year, we plan to begin research and development of a sustainable green roof on a public building in Manchester.
For more information on the Manchester CLC, please visit www.thesca.org/manchester [1]
For information on green roofs, visit http://extension.unh.edu/news/2007/09/a_green_roof_grows_in_manchest_1.html [2]