August 2024 Newsletter
Hello Mama!
Happy August! What farmers often call the “high season” is upon us! These are the few months out of the year when fruit and vegetable production are at their maximum! We hope that you are enjoying the variety of foods included in your totes these past few months. That’s the beauty of seasonality, or eating with the seasons: when production is in full swing, we get to enjoy a full spectrum of fruits and vegetables. It’s certainly easy to “eat the rainbow” when there are so many different fresh foods available!
We hope you enjoy this month’s food tote and all the goodies and recipes inside - from crisp green beans to hearty collards, juicy peaches to the sweetest sweet corn, and so much more! Our FarmHers have put together some of the best items for you this month and are picking each fruit and vegetable at the peak of ripeness so that each item is coming to you as fresh, flavorful, and nutrient-packed as possible. Yum! Wherever you are in your motherhood journey, it’s important to continue to eat nutritious foods both for you and for your growing child. We hope our recipes and resource card provide some inspiration for tasty, wholesome meals to put your fresh foods to good use! We’ve got your health, heart, and family in mind, Mama
Speaking of your health, did you know that you have access to your very own personal nutrition educator for free? The FarmHer to Mama program is partnered not only with Nurse-Family Partnership but with Purdue Extension Nutrition Education Program as well! The Nutrition Education Program allows you to work one-on-one or in a group, virtually or in-person, with a nutrition educator. Your educator can help you learn how to prepare different foods, become a food safety pro, improve your cooking skills, understand nutrition and how to choose nutritious recipes for you and your family, and more! Interested in participating or learning more? Ask your home-visiting nurse for more info! We hope you take advantage of this awesome program and partnership. Take care, Mama, and happy eating!
Food Justice For All,
The FarmerHer to Mama Team
Anne, Anna, Porchea, Virginia, Becca, Allyssa, & Veronica
August Goodies
Eggs from Six Day Farm (Dyer, IN) and Eden Eggs (Crown Point, IN)
Green Beans from Green Bridge Growers (Mishawaka, IN)
Collards from Shannon Farm & Homestead (Gary, IN)
Cherry Tomatoes from Rainfield Farm (New Carlisle, IN)
Zucchini Hummus from Rainfield Farm (New Carlisle, IN)
Basil from Rainfield Farm (New Carlisle, IN)
Peaches from Mick Klug Farms (St. Joseph, MI)
Sweet Corn from Kankakee Valley Homestead (Walkerton, IN) and Tuholski Produce (La Porte, IN)
Cabbage from Garwood Orchard (La Porte, IN)
Meat:
Ham steaks & Breakfast Pork Sausage from Tanglewood Acres (Mill Creek, IN)
or
Chicken Breasts from Miller Poultry (Orland, IN)
Foodie Tips
Eggs should be kept in the refrigerator.
Meat should be kept frozen. Thaw in the refrigerator before use.
Greens like cabbage, collards, kale, lettuce, and herbs should be kept in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator until ready to eat. Greens should be used within 1-2 weeks for best quality.
Herbs can be chopped and frozen for long-term storage.
Store sweet corn in the refrigerator and wait to shuck until ready to use. This will help the prevent the kernels from drying out.
Peaches should be stored in the refrigerator until ready to use to maintain peak freshness.
Ripe tomatoes are best stored at 55 degrees F. Storing in the refrigerator too long can actually result in cold damage to the tomatoes and change their taste! Store in a cool place with good air circulation or in the refrigerator short-term. Eat within a week for best flavor.
Featured FarmHer: Becca Tuholski at Tuholski Produce
Hi Mamas!
As a new mom myself (to a now 16-month-old), I feel that I am still learning, growing into, and getting the hang of motherhood! Every day is a new adventure! You may notice my face on the front of this newsletter as one of the staff of our FarmHer to Mama team! In addition to my role as Local Food Access Coordinator with the NWI Food Council, I feel so incredibly honored to also be one of your FarmHers! Growing for this program is the type of work I aspired to when I got into farming, and I love that I get to share my produce with you. Food access is so important, and everyone deserves the right to access and enjoy beautiful, fresh, wholesome food!
My husband and I started our small farm in La Porte, IN in 2018, and we’ve been growing (in more ways than one!) since then! We’re often at the Farmed & Forged market on Sundays in La Porte, where we’ve worked to help the market increase access to fresh produce for all. From SNAP, to Double Up, to WIC eFMNP, I have loved getting to work with my local market with both my farmer hat and my NWI Food Council hat on to help build a community around local food!
With the birth of our daughter in 2023, life has certainly gotten busier, but that hasn’t stopped us. I love getting to include our daughter in the work that we do (even if it’s just playing in the dirt) or having her stand on a stool in the kitchen to “help” me as I prepare a meal with our fresh fruit and veggies. I truly believe these early introductions to both the outdoors and nutritious foods - however small these moments may seem - are setting the stage for her to be as healthy and strong as she can be. At the very least, it’s been keeping her entertained so far!
Take care, Mama! You are doing amazing things just by being you!
Becca
Check out Tuholski Produce in action!
You are Amazing, Mama!
A Look Ahead
September - Eggs, lettuce mix, eggplant, slicing tomatoes, okra, apples, grapes, and more!
Join our FarmHer to Mama Facebook Group for support, recipes, tips, & community.
Questions or feedback about the program? We’d love to hear from you! Reach out to Anne (info@nwifoodcouncil.org, 219-313-8828) or Porchea (porchea@nwifoodcouncil.org, 219-316-4556).
