Summer 2024 Newsletter - Autumnal Equinox
Greetings Friends,
As we welcome the fall autumnal equinox today, it’s hard to believe that summer is coming to a close. This summer has been a doozy, with sweltering heat, tornadoes coming through our region in July, drought like conditions, and even “corn sweat” in August. For many, the equinox symbolizes transition and balance, with equal amounts of daylight and evening. For farmers and those of us who work with them, the transition from summer to autumn represents balance as well. We’re still enjoying the bounty and tastes of summer harvest season- with beautiful tomatoes, peppers, and the last of the sweet corn, but also welcoming the return of root veggies, pears, and an assortment of apples.
As the high season for produce begins to wind down, we’re working hard to support school food distributions to our partner K-12 schools through the Local Food for Schools program. Our FarmHer to Mama program is in full swing, and we just hosted our second on-farm event for mamas, their babies, and the nurses at Nurse Family Partnership this past Friday! Our team was joined by the mamas we serve, farmhers, and our partners at NFP for an evening at Hickory Hills Flower Farm to build community by sharing a meal together and picking flowers to take home. Mamas also enjoyed mini photo sessions with their babies, thanks to the amazing Amelia Kowalisyn Photography. Earlier this summer, Farmher to Mama participants joined us for a tour at Perkins Good Earth Farm, where they learned tips for storing fresh produce and meal planning with the food they have on hand.
We’re also looking to the future, with long and short range planning underway to keep our programming responsive and to continue cultivating a more robust regional food system that serves farmers and eaters alike. We’re collecting feedback from the community to support the development of our NW Indiana Regional Food Plan and the statewide Indiana Food Vision. (Read more about how you can be involved in these efforts in the policy section below.) We’re also deepening partnerships to continue building the capacity of Region Roots Local Farm and Food Hub, so that we can continue to expand our work with schools, universities, and healthcare partners. Working with these partners is near and dear to our goal of equally valuing farm viability and food sovereignty for our communities, with particular attention paid to our most vulnerable community members.
As we work to launch our capital campaign for a permanent home for the Council and the Hub, we’re also excited to announce that our board is planning our first ever fundraising event! Save the date (Nov 21st) for Gather, Give, Grow, a Farm to Feast Fundraiser for the NWI Food Council! This evening will be an opportunity to celebrate our regional food system and the farmers who contribute to it, while learning more about our programs and goals. Please reach out if you’re interested in learning more about sponsorship opportunities!
Cheers,
Virginia Pleasant
Vice President
NWI Food Council
Region Roots: Summer Update
Region Roots has been super busy this summer, working to improve farm viability for our farmers. Our staff has spent time visiting and learning from other food hubs to help us grow our capacity with improved processes that serve our farmers as well. We’ve been working with our friends at the Food Bank of NWI to curate locally grown food selections for their Senior Food Box distribution, and some of their other distribution programs. FarmHer to Mama has been running all summer, with expanded opportunities for gatherings and nutrition education, as well as more totes going out to moms each month. And earlier this month, we restarted our school food distributions for the Local Food for Schools Programs. As we continue to grow, it warms our hearts that we are able to help so much of the incredible food being grown in our region reach the hands and mouths of some of our most vulnerable community members- senior citizens, new moms, and kiddos. As the summer season winds down, be sure to check out this recipe for a fresh tomato and corn salad, one of the featured recipes in our July FarmHer to Mama distributions.
DIRECTIONS
Shuck fresh corn, and blanch whole ears in a boiling pot of water for 4 minutes. Remove, and place in ice water or run under cold water to stop cooking process. Once cool, shave kernels off cob into a medium-sized bowl.
Wash tomatoes, remove leaves, and cut into bite-sized pieces or slices. Tear basil leaves into small pieces. Combine the tomato and basil with the corn in a bowl.
Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, to taste. Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Stir.
Let chill for 1 hour for maximum flavor, or serve immediately for freshest presentation.
Stir before serving.
Policy Updates
Regional/ State:
The NWI Food Council, along with our community partners, is gathering input for our NWI Community Food Plan and in support of statewide Indiana Food Vision efforts. This is an exciting opportunity to drive strategy and investment around our regional food system and unify efforts across the state- and will be a much needed update to the Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission’s 2012 Food Study!
The Indiana Food Vision and the NWI Community Food System Plan will create a shared understanding of challenges and opportunities in our food system. Together, we can build something great, but first we need to hear from you! Your input will help us:
Inform decision makers at the local, regional, and state levels
Help communities, businesses, and organizations get funding
Identify what’s already working in our food systems
Foster innovation and collaboration across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors
Support local efforts with statewide data and information
How to be involved:
Take the survey– your voice will count twice!
Share the survey with everyone you know
Eaters, community groups, professional circles
Attend or host a focus group to share your experiences
Keep in touch by signing up for our email list.
Share and repost on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn
Farm Bill:
On September 30, the extension which enabled Farm Bill programs to continue operating while we wait for a new Farm Bill will expire. The 2018 Farm Bill expired last year, and is set to expire again when the extension runs out. But what does this mean for all of the critical programs that are funded by the Farm Bill (ranging from beginning farmer support, to conservation, and childhood nutrition programs)? Though it’s unlikely that the house and senate will approve a Farm Bill before the end of the month, it is possible for another extension to be signed (last year’s extension was signed into effect in November). In fact, prolonged Farm Bill negotiations are becoming more common, with three of the last four Farm Bills being passed well after the expiration of the previous version. For a quick overview of what the Farm Bill is, why it matters, and how it is developed, check out this overview from the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition.
Partner Work
A big congratulations to the Coffee Creek Farmers Market for being voted as Indiana’s Ultimate Farmers Market 2024! Sponsored by Indiana Grown and the Indiana Farmers Market Community of Practice, this annual competitions celebrates the contributions of markets to their communities. Read more here.
Grant Opportunities
Dairy Business Builder Grant Program
This grant aims to encourage small- to medium-sized dairy farmers, entrepreneurs, and processors in the Midwest to pursue projects such as dairy farm diversification, on-farm processing, value-added product creation, and efforts to market dairy products for export. Applications due October 23, 2024.
SARE Farmer Rancher Grant
NCR-SARE’s Farmer Rancher Grant Program is a competitive grants program for farmers and ranchers who want to explore sustainable solutions to problems through on-farm research, demonstration, and education projects. Applications due December 5, 2024.
EQIP Program
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers and non-industrial forest managers. Applications for conservation practices and systems that will result in greater environmental benefits for national, state, and/or local natural resource priorities will receive a higher score and higher priority to receive an offer for a financial assistance contract. Applications due December 6, 2024.
Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops Program
The FSCSC program provides financial assistance for specialty crop operations that incur eligible on-farm food safety program expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification. This program helps offset costs to comply with regulatory requirements and market-driven food safety certification requirements. Applications due by January 31, 2025 for costs incurred in 2024.
Support NWI Food Council
All funds raised go toward programming and outreach to support Northwest Indiana's local food system. We're a a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and donations are tax-deductible.
Donate by Card
You can easily pay by debit or credit card right now using PayPal.
Donate by Check
Please make checks payable to “NWI Food Council” and mail to:
PO Box 530
Crown Point, IN 46308