Alumni Tale: Erin Tooch ’12

I was working as a chef at Wentworth By the Sea: SALT Kitchen and Bar in New Castle, NH and Three Chimneys Inn in Durham, New Hampshire.

What are you doing now?

Managing a local food hub, Three River Farmers Alliance. I work with over 20 local producers to market, aggregate, and distribute exclusively locally produced products to wholesale accounts.

Did you have an international experience (study, research, internship or volunteer abroad) while at UNH?

I took a Spanish course that prepared us for a 2-week service trip to Nicaragua. Living with host families, we worked on an organic coffee farm, set up biogas systems, volunteered at the school of the deaf, and worked with Women in Action – a group of women organizing health, education, and income-generating programs for the poorest settlement of La Primavera.

How do you feel your time at UNH has had an impact on where you are today?

UNH gave me the opportunity to discover and develop my passion for sustainable food systems. The faculty, staff, and students all encouraged me to make a difference in the community.