Locally made items abound at The Rocks

This weekend marks the annual Granite State-wide New Hampshire Open Doors event, where shops and businesses throughout the state celebrate the bounty of goodies made, grown, and produced in New Hampshire. The Rocks is proud to participate in NH Open Doors, and even prouder to offer an array of locally-made items in our shops EVERY day!

Name our snowpeople... and win one!

There’s no better time to browse through the offerings at The Rocks Marketplace and Farm Store than NOW, when our shelves are brimming with holiday gifts and decorations.

One of our favorite locally-made items this season is our NEW three-tiered wooden snowpeople. They come in various shapes, sizes, and attire… but we need your help to give them a good name! When you visit The Rocks Marketplace between now and December 8, please jot down a clever name and slip it into the box near the checkout counter. We’ll announce the winning name December 8th, and the person who comes up with the best name will win one of these whimsical, handcrafted snowpeople!

Here’s a taste of some of the other NH-made items you’ll find at The Rocks:

* Delicious jams and jellies from White Mountains Canning in Lancaster, NH.

* Serenely sweet chocolate goodies – from caramel cups and s’mores sticks to moose- and bear-shaped pops – from RHD Candy, also of Lancaster.

* The Worlds Greatest Cheddar Cheese from Harman’s Cheese and Country Store, just up the road in Sugar Hill.

* Pancake mixes from the widely famous Polly’s Pancake Parlor in Sugar Hill. 

* Intricately lovely glass tree ornaments made by Bouquette Jones, and angel ornaments by Melissa Jones, all made right here in Bethlehem, NH.

* Jewelry from Colorful Creations in Dover, NH. 

* Hand-made, hand-painted pottery – as attractive as it is useful – by former Olympic ski racer Joan Hannah, of Sugar Hill.

* Savory granola from Sharon’s Granola of Derry, NH, in gluten free flavors like caramel pear and maple walnut.

* Our very own Rocks Estate Maple Syrup, made right here at The Rocks!

So c’mon in to The Rocks to get your festive on and cross a few names off your holiday gift list. Our shops are open daily from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and we open for choose-and-cut Christmas Tree sales November 23.

The NH Maple Experience returns in March!

The New Hampshire Maple Experience will return to The Rocks Estate this spring, bringing with it all the tradition, sweetness, and fun of maple sugaring season! Dates for this year's Maple Experience are March 16, 23-24, 30- 31, and April 6.

The Experience includes an interactive step-by-step demonstration of crafting maple syrup – complete with a visit to the onsite sugar house – as well as a horse-drawn carriage ride through the historic Rocks Estate and a syrup tasting with the traditional pairing of sour pickle and homemade donut.

“Parents looking for kid-friendly events often bring their children to the Maple Experience, and inevitably the whole family ends up learning a lot about maple sugaring – and everyone has a great time,” said Nigel Manley, longtime Rocks Estate manager. “We keep the Maple Experience fresh by adding new features each season.”

Other highlights of the Maple Experience include a visit to the interactive maple museum and education center; the "Taste of New Hampshire Maple," featuring local chefs demonstrating how to make their favorite maple recipes; a relay race where participants are timed on how long it takes to fill a 10-gallon container (enough sugar maple sap to make one quart of syrup); and tasty treats from Kingdom Kernels Kettle Corn.

Reservations for the Maple Experience tours are highly recommended, but walk-ins are welcome on a space available basis. For more details, please visit our online calendar. To learn how to turn your Maple Experience into a weekend-long adventure, complete with a stay at one of our partnering inns or hotels, check out our Maple Experience Vacation Package.

See you this spring at The Rocks!