August has again been designated as New Hampshire Eat Local Month, celebrating local farmers and the bounty they produce.

A new component this year is the Passport to Local Farms weekend, with open farms held throughout the state on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 28 and 29. Visitors to participating farms can collect stamps on a passport for a prize drawing.

During a New Hampshire Growers’ Dinner to benefit the NH Food Bank on Wednesday, Aug. 25, everything on the menu will come from within the state. The dinner will be held at the Food Bank’s new warehouse facilities in Manchester and will feature a tasting with chefs stationed around the facility. Tickets are available at www.nhfoodbank.org.

The month began with Farmers’ Market week. Direct marketing through farmers markets is an important sales outlet for agricultural producers nationwide. New Hampshire has also seen tremendous growth in farmers markets, with nearly 90 markets operating this year. To learn more, visit the N.H. Farmers’ Market Association website at www.nhfma.org.

For more on Eat Local Month, visit www.nheatlocal.org.