January 2024 Newsletter
Hello Mama!
It’s a brand new year! Here’s to 2024 and all that awaits us. We are so thankful to be part of your motherhood journey as we enter this new season. Whether you are still expecting, are a brand new mom, or are several months postpartum with your bundle of joy, we are here to support you and cheer you on with some of the best locally grown and made goodies from our FarmHers. Be sure to check out this month’s “From Our FarmHers” page included in your tote to learn more about FarmHer Hakenah Hulitt and her farm, Hulitt Homestead. We’ll continue to highlight our FarmHers in the upcoming months through stories, updates, tips, and FarmHer-favorite recipes!
We hope you enjoy this month’s tote and highlighted recipes. We had breakfast on our mind! If you are new to Swiss chard, the included Swiss Chard and Red Potato Hash recipe is a great introduction as an oh-so-yummy and colorful dish that highlights the flavors of several items in your tote. Pair it with some breakfast sausage and apple cider for an amazing meal. FarmHer Julie Perkins from Perkins Good Earth Farm is sharing her Creamy Tomato Soup with you! Julie crafts scratch made soups with ingredients grown on their farm. The tomatoes were frozen at peak freshness in the summer and the broth for the soup is made from local chicken bones and organic vegetables from their farm. We hope it warms you and your little one!
Do you have a favorite meal that you’ve made with FarmHer to Mama ingredients? We’d love to see or hear about it! If you haven’t yet, be sure to join our FarmHer to Mama Connections Facebook community (QR code on the back of this page) to share, learn, ask, connect, and just be! This group is open to all Mamas, our FarmHers, Nurse-Family Partnership Nurses, and our Purdue Extension Nutrition Education Program Educators, and we hope to provide a supportive and nurturing space for all. Through meaningful connections, we seek to celebrate the shared experiences that unite us!
On that note, we hope that’s what this coming year brings for us all: meaningful connections. We - your FarmHer to Mama team - are all Mamas ourselves, and we know the trials and challenges that come with being a first-time mom. We know the beauty and joy too! This time is so special, and we are grateful for the opportunity to connect and share with you, today and throughout the coming year.
Happy New Year, Mama!
Food Justice For All,
The FarmerHer to Mama Team
Anne, Anna, Porchea, Virginia, Becca, Dominique, Allyssa, & Veronica
January Goodies
Swiss Chard from Green Bridge Growers (Mishawaka, IN)
Eggs from Tanglewood Acres and Winding Lane Farm (LaPorte, IN)
Microgreens from Baby Greens Family Farm (Merrillville, IN)
Creamy Tomato Soup from Perkins Good Earth Farm (Demotte, IN)
Breakfast Sausage from Tanglewood Acres (LaPorte, IN)
Red Potatoes from Kankakee Valley Homestead (Walkerton, IN)
Dried Cranberry Beans from Kankakee Valley Homestead (Walkerton, IN)
Apple Cider from Mick Klug Farm (St. Joseph, MI)
Handmade Soap from Market Soaps (Gary, IN)
Foodie Tips
Your farm-fresh eggs have been washed, so make sure to store them in the fridge until ready to use!
Store potatoes in a cool, dark place. Give a quick scrub with water and soft, clean brush when ready to use.
Store beans at room temperature in a dry place. They can last for up to 2-3 years!
Microgreens should be eaten quickly after you receive them - they are delicate but so delicious!
Keep breakfast sausage frozen in the freezer. Thaw in the refrigerator before use.
Keep soup packaged in the fridge and eat within 3-5 days for freshness and best taste!
Featured FarmHer: Hakenah Hulitt at Hulitt Homestead
As the outside temperatures drop we shift our focus to our indoor hydroponic grow room. Hydroponics is a method used to grow plants in a water based nutrient solution instead of soil. Our hydroponic systems allow us to extend our growing season without the need to endure the outdoor freezing temperatures. My absolute favorite part of the indoor grow area is my little sitting space. I like to cozy up with a nice cup of warm (home grown) tea and appreciate the beauty of plant life. While indoors we predominantly grow leafy greens such as kale and lettuce, cooking herbs, micro-dwarf tomato plants and pepper plants.
We also utilize the winter months to draw up plans for the upcoming outdoor growing seasons. Planning is a significant tool to having a successful harvest. We find the winter months to be the best time to strategize, organize and prepare our business operations. While we cannot account for every potential hardship, we believe that proper planning makes for better execution. Be sure to bundle up but don't forget to eat fresh!
— Hakenah Hulitt
Check out the Hulitt Homestead in action!
Happy New Year, Mama!
“Take a leap of faith and begin this wondrous new year by believing.” — Sarah Ban Breathnach
Believing that…
You are enough!
You are worthy!
You are an incredible mama!
You are so very loved!
You have a community of support that you can reach out to!
A Look Ahead
February: baby bok choy, mixed greens, apples, beef, spinach, potatoes, and cheese!
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).
