Thursday, July 25, 2013

Table Talk: Picnics, Potlucks and Pitch-ins


As summer is quickly passing us by, this month our Table Talk Contributors are still getting the last bit of fun out of their summers by sharing all about their favorite summer memories and pitch-in recipes and tips!


Beth at IN Good Cents is whipping up her Oven Fried Picnic Potato Chips


Sara at Solid Gold Eats is sharing her Lemon and Herb Pasta Salad.


Ann Marie over on Chaos is Bliss is baking up an Easy as Blueberry Pie Recipe.


Heather is sharing how the Cosmo Moms take Pitch-ins to the next level!


And last but not least, Heather over on 3 Kids and Lots of Pigs shares about her summer of coming "home" along with her recipe for Beef and Noodles.

How about you? Have you and yours enjoyed this summer? What foods remind you of summer picnics and potlucks?



Feed the Hungry and Your Family!

Indiana’s Family of Farmers Recipe Trail offers daily giveaways and a chance to give back

INDIANAPOLIS (July 25, 2013) — Indiana’s Family of Farmers (IFoF) will again offer a fun challenge for Indiana State Fair attendees this year, while also giving them a chance to help feed the hungry.

For each fairgoer who finishes the IFoF Recipe Trail, one pound of food is donated to food banks across the state through a partnership between IFoF and Feeding Indiana’s Hungry. Recipe trail travelers helped donate more than 3,000 pounds of food last year. This year’s goal is 3,500 pounds, or 3,500 recipe trail travelers.

“One in six Hoosiers is at risk of hunger, and for children the numbers are just one in every four that does not know from where their next meal will come,” said Emily Weikert Bryant, executive director of Feeding Indiana’s Hungry. “Our member food banks distribute millions of pounds of food across the state, and we are truly grateful for the help of Indiana’s farmers who not just grow and raise the food we eat, but are generous in sharing their harvests with our food banks and our neighbors in need.”

Participants collect recipe cards from the 10 locations around the fairgrounds and bring them to the IFoF booth at the DuPont Food Pavilion where they will receive a prize for participating and get counted as a donor of a pound of food. The booth also features a chance to register for a daily popcorn giveaway and the grand prize of a chest freezer.

Following are the 10 recipe card locations:
  • Exposition Hall (Rose Acre Farms, booths 526 & 527 on the southwest side of the building)
  • Ball State Ag/Hort Building (World’s Largest Popcorn Ball)
  • DuPont Food Pavilion (3 stops: Indiana Wines/Purdue Wine Grape Team, Indiana Dairy, Purdue)
  • Habitat for Humanity Ag House
  • Indiana Farm Bureau Building
  • Glass Barn
  • Normandy Barn
  • Pathway to Water Quality
Final stop/recipe redemption point: IFoF booth at DuPont food pavilion

The IFoF recipe cards feature recipes from real farmers around Indiana and highlight Indiana’s commodities such as pork, beef, poultry, soybeans, corn and dairy along with an Indiana wine pairing. On the reverse side, fairgoers will meet the farmer and read a personal story from his or her family. 

IFoF is proud to be part of the Dupont Food Pavilion all 17 days of the Indiana State Fair. Along with the recipe trail, different agricultural groups will be featured and provide food samples at the IFoF booth.

IFoF is also partnering with Habitat for Humanity. The Habitat home build on the state fairgrounds will be a stop on this year’s trail. As part of our partnership, Indiana’s Family of Farmers will donate a freezer and food donations to fill the freezer to the new homeowner.

The World’s Largest Popcorn Ball, a 5,000-pound, 9-foot popcorn delicacy sponsored by IFoF and featured at the Ball State Ag/Horticulture Building, will be unveiled on Aug. 3 at 10 a.m.  This will also be a stop on the 2013 IFoF recipe trail. After the fair, the popcorn will be fed to Indiana livestock.

To learn more about Indiana’s Family of Farmers and our activities at this year’s Indiana State Fair, visitwww.indianafamilyoffarmers.com.

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For more information contact:
Mindy Reef
Indiana Farm Bureau
mreef@infarmbureau.org
317-692-7822 or 765-426-1498

The rules for the Recipe Trail contest, Aug. 2-18:
·         Start at any location and travel to the 10 destinations to collect recipe cards.
·         Visit the IFoF booth in the DuPont Food Pavilion with your recipes to pick up your prize, be counted as a food donor and sign up for prizes.
·         Winners of the daily giveaway are selected by a random drawing at the close of each day of the fair.
·         One winner of the chest freezer will be selected by a random drawing on the last day of the fair.
·         Winners will be notified by email or phone.

About Indiana’s Family of Farmers
Indiana’s Family of Farmers was formed in 2009 to raise awareness that Indiana’s farmers are among the top producers of grains, produce and meats you eat every day.  We believe that quality farming means quality food that is good for you, your families and the environment. That’s our promise: Food for your family, from our family. 

The participating Indiana’s Family of Farmers groups include the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana Pork Producers, Indiana Beef Council, Milk Promotion Services of Indiana, Indiana Corn Marketing Council, Indiana State Poultry Association, Indiana Wines/Purdue Wine Grape Team,  Indiana Farm Bureau, Indiana Veterinary Medical Association, Indiana Professional Dairy Producers, Indiana Beekeepers Association, Indiana Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, Indiana 4-H Foundation, Inc., Indiana State Board of Animal Health, Purdue Agriculture and USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Learn more at www.indianafamilyoffarmers.com.

Other Information:
Indiana’s Family of Farmers

Feeding Indiana’s Hungry

Habitat for Humanity


About Feeding Indiana’s Hungry
Feeding Indiana’s Hungry, Inc. is the statewide association of Feeding America affiliated food banks (formerly America’s Second Harvest).  Our eleven member food banks serve more than 1,700 agencies in all 92 counties, providing emergency food assistance to Hoosiers in need. For more information on Feeding Indiana’s Hungry, Inc. contact Emily Weikert Bryant at 317/396-9355 or ewbryant@feedingindianashungry.org, or view our website atwww.feedingindianashungry.org. 

Feeding Indiana’s Hungry, Inc. food banks statewide include:
Food Bank of Northwest Indiana, Gary
Food Bank of Northern Indiana, South Bend
Food Finders Food Bank, Inc., Lafayette
Community Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Indiana, Ft. Wayne
Second Harvest Food Bank of East Central Indiana, Inc., Muncie
Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Indianapolis
Terre Haute Catholic Charities Foodbank, Terre Haute
Hoosier Hills Food Bank, Bloomington
Tri-State Food Bank, Inc., Evansville
Dare to Care Food Bank, Louisville, KY
Freestore Foodbank, Cincinnati, OH

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Pigging Out at the Indiana State Fair

By Sarah Correll



There’s nothing quite like an Indiana State Fair Pork Tent BBQ sandwich… Except maybe their pork chop sandwich…. Or their pork burger…. Who am I kidding? It’s all good!



Indiana’s pork farmers will be presenting their Pork Tents once again at the Indiana State Fair. You can’t miss their three blue and white tents or the delicious smell of their food. Stop by to receive friendly service and a complete meal at a competitive price, and stay for a while in their seating area with friends and family. You can feel good about eating there, too. Every dollar spent goes toward programs that support Indiana’s pork farmers, helping them to continue to do what they do best- take care of their pigs and serve up great pork!


 Want an even better deal? Order your meal tickets online and save a dollar per meal!

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

A Clear Look at the Indiana Farming Experience

By Sarah Correll

Indiana soybean farmers are sharing about their lifestyle and livelihoods in an all-new exhibit building- the Glass Barn!



Open from 9-9 each day of the fair, the innovative building on the fairgrounds’ north side offers air conditioning and 4,500 square feet of fun interactive exhibits that are sure to make it one of the coolest places on the grounds! So what’s inside?



weGROW – Have your questions answered with live chats to Indiana dairy, pork, and soybean farms.



uFARM - Grow your own crops and compete with others in this interactive game.



pictureU – Share your experience with e-cards of you and your friends and family in fun farm places!


uEAT - Connect the food you eat to the farmers who grow it through this game.


 Did you know fabric can be made out of soy? Check out some of the other uses for the bean and meet some of the people who grow them at the Indiana Soybean Alliance booth!


The soybean farmers have planned a ton of fun for this exhibit, and you won’t want to miss it!  Find out more here

Monday, July 15, 2013

Wonder as You Wander the Indiana State Fair

By Sarah Correll

The Indiana State Fair is full of the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of summer.  Indiana Farm Bureau wants to help you make the most of your experience.


If you’re bringing kids to the fair, the Wonder Trail is a great way to see the grounds!  You can pick up a kit at any of the magnifying glass stations. The kit includes a map that will guide your family to some of the most exciting exhibits on the grounds and get you talking about agriculture in Indiana.  You can return to the building before you leave the fair to check your answers and receive a free prize!

via Going Jane 

It’s the Year of Popcorn at the Indiana State Fair, and Farm Bureau is no stranger to popcorn! You can grab a cup of free popcorn in their building, enjoy some film in the Grain Bin Theater, or catch a book reading and giveaway, all in air-conditioned comfort! The building is also staffed by farmers, making it a great place to ask your questions.


Planning to visit the livestock barns? This site or the free app that goes with it will tell you what you need to know about the animals inside! The self-guided barn tours allow you to see the animals at your own pace.


 Indiana Farm Bureau is a longtime supporter and part of the Indiana State Fair.  They hope to help make this year one of the best yet!

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Sweet Facts About Ice Cream

By Jenni of Winners Drink Milk

July is National Ice Cream Month and Indiana has every right to celebrate. Ice Cream Month was designated by Ronald Reagan in 1984. The Hoosier State is ranked second in production of regular and low-fat ice cream.  Not only does that 'sweeten up' the state but that contributes a signficant about to the State's economy and provides jobs. Who doesn't love trivia? Lets celebrate Ice Cream Month with fun facts about America's favorite treat. 
ice cream 2
Did you know....
  • It takes about 50 licks to finish one scoop of ice cream.
  • An average dairy cow can produce enough milk in her lifetime to make a little over 9,000 gallons of ice cream
  •  America's favorite flavors are vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, chocolate chip and butter pecan.
  • It takes about 12 pounds of milk to make 1 gallon of ice cream.
  • More than 90% of American families purchase ice cream.
  • The U.S. enjoys an average of 48 pints of ice cream per person, per year, more than any other country.
  • One of the most important ingredients in ice cream is air. Without it, ice cream would be as hard as a rock.
Ice cream cone with childThe skinny on the ice cream....
  • In the U.S., all ice cream needs to have a minimum of 10% milk fat if it is to be labeled "ice cream". 
  • This includes custard based (French Style) ice creams.
  • Reduced fat, has at least 25% less total fat than regular ice cream.
  • Light, has at least 50% less fat and 33% fewer calories than regular.
  • Low-fat, can't have more than 3 grams of fat per serving.
  • Nonfat, has less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving.
Ice cream is good for you... Ice cream provides great nutrition. Its base ingredient is milk, which is loaded with healthy vitamins and minerals. It is a source of calcium that satisfies your sweet tooth and helps build strong bones. It is also great paired with nutrient rich foods such as strawberries, bananas and nuts.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

State Fair is Going to be a Ball!

By Sarah Correll
2013 State Fair

 The Indiana State Fair is August 2 through the 18, and Indiana’s Family of Farmers can’t wait for it to be here!  We have several activities for everyone to come out and see!

Free Samples in the Food Pavilion



Stop by our booth in the DuPont Food Pavilion to try some Indiana products and talk to some Indiana farmers! A different group will be in the booth each day, so come over often!

The Recipe Trail



You can help us to reach our goal of donating 3,500 pounds of food to Feeding Indiana’s Hungry by collecting recipe cards as you travel around the fairgrounds.  The recipes are pretty great and all come from Indiana farm families.  Bring the cards back to our booth in the DuPont Food Pavilion and we’ll give you a prize and enter you to win a chest freezer!  We get to donate a pound of food for each person who completes the trail, so we hope to see you!

World’s Largest Popcorn Ball



The state fair is celebrating the Year of the Popcorn, and we’re bringing the World’s Largest Popcorn Ball to the fair! The corny monstrosity will be on display in the Marsh Blue Ribbon Pavilion and will be fed to livestock after the fair.

The Indiana State Fair is always a highlight of the summer!  What are you most looking forward to at the fair?