Indiana farmers will help celebrate at annual wine festival

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (May 24, 2012) — Indiana grape growers will not be the only farmers represented at this year’s Vintage Indiana Wine and Food Festival, on June 2.  Indiana’s Family of Farmers, including beef, corn, pork, poultry, dairy, and soybean farmers, will also be present at Military Park this year.  They’ll share information about today’s agriculture with the wide array of consumers who visit the annual wine festival.

“We as dairy farmers are proud to be represented at Vintage Indiana this year,” said Sarah Wagler, a dairy farmer from Morgantown, Ind. “We think this is a great opportunity to inform Hoosiers about the positive impact agriculture has on our state.  Not to mention that everyone loves cheese with their wine!”

Along with giving away free cheese and wine glass tags, Indiana’s Family of Farmers will have a booth space featuring the fun and educational Wheel of Agriculture.  Vintage attendees can spin the interactive wheel, answer a question about farming and win prizes that include grill brushes, cheese boards and other fun items.  Vintage attendees can also have their photos taken with farming mascots like Porkchop the Pig, Bennie the Bean, Buttercup the Dairy Cow and Hannah the Hen.

Speaking of mascots, don’t miss out on the social media contest with the mascots. Here’s how it works. While you are at Vintage Indiana, upload a picture of you with a mascot to Twitter with the hashtag #IFOFmascot.  One lucky winner will win a special prize. 

The 13th annual Vintage Indiana Wine & Food Festival will feature nearly 30 Indiana wineries, over a dozen food vendors, and more than 20 art vendors. For more information on Vintage Indiana, visit http://www.vintageindiana.com/.

For more information about Indiana’s Family of Farmers, visit www.indianafamilyoffarmers.com.

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Contact Michelle Plummer at plummer@winnersdrinkmilk.com or 317-842-3060.

About Indiana’s Family of Farmers
Indiana’s Family of Farmers works to raise awareness that Indiana’s farmers are among the top producers of the 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. Visit www.indianafamilyoffarmers.com for more information.

Table Talk: Memorial Day Recipes & Traditions

Memorial Day is a of remembrance of all those who have served our country and died in its service. And, it is the freedom that those servicemen fought to protect that offers so many Americans--and specifically Hoosiers-- the opportunity to take a few days over the holiday weekend to celebrate food, family and fun!

Whether we are anxiously waiting to finally watch the Indy 500 winner drink milk or we are cutting into our very own Hoosier Cream Pie, Indiana's Memorial Day Weekend is sure to be steeped in tradition.

That got us thinking... what are the the Hoosier traditions out there? So we turn to a great bunch of bloggers and asked them...

"What are your Memorial Day traditions, tips and recipes?"

With a son in the military, April over at Angel's Homestead  is no stranger to the meaning of the holiday. She and her family celebrate the weekend as the "unofficial kick-off" to summer complete with  2012 Memorial Day Menu and boy does it look good! Cowboy Burgers anyone? YUM!

Jackie over at WritRams encourages Hoosiers to spend less time in the kitchen and more time making memories with her mouth-watering Easy Barbecued Chicken and Easy Grilled Vegetables recipe.

Katy over at Indianapolis with Kids shares her childhood memories of camping with her family and how her family now spends the weekend-- celebrating with at least one big backyard BBQ. This year her tradition will include a trip to the track with a friend... wave hello to farmers and official 2012 Indy 500 Milkmen Dave and Duane for us Katy!

Heather over at Basilmomma is celebrating a "break from it all" while she and her family do a "whole lotta nothin'" this weekend! She also shares how she worked up enough courage to ask her grandmother for the recipe to her "sainted" Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie recipe and she then shares it with us. Doesn't it look divine?

Last but not least, Ann-Marie over at Chaos is Bliss shares some food safety tips and another traditional  Hoosier dessert that is sure to please the kiddos as much as the adults- Dirt Cake.

Thanks so much for sharing your food, family and fun with us ladies!

Do you have a special recipe or tradition around this holiday? We'd love to hear about it. Comment here  , on Facebook or on Twitter using the #TableTalk hashtag.

Take me out to the Ball Park

Summer is right around the corner and Indiana’s Family of Farmers are “on deck” for a great summer with the Indianapolis Indians. Plan on family fun for all ages at the ball park this summer.

Every Sunday home game will host a BUILD A BURGER contest right on the field sponsored by Indiana’s Family of Farmers! Two lucky fans will compete to win a fun gift pack including a $10 Tribe Token (to be used at Victory Field), recipes and some great cooking tools!

Looking for a real “home run” when taking in an Indians game this summer? Members of the Indiana’s Family of Farmers team will be on hand before the games on Friday, July 13, Monday, July 30 and Friday, August 24 with chances to win fun prizes including a $50 grocery gift card. While there, be sure to chat with us about food and farming.

What’s more, IFOF will once again be hosting a blogger Family Night at the Ball Park with the Indians. This special event will include not only an exciting ball game for the entire family to enjoy, but also a picnic and fun and fellowship for Indiana’s blogging community and some of their lucky readers. Stay tuned in to your favorite Indiana bloggers and IFOF's facebook page and Twitter stream for links to their giveaways to this special event!

Want more ways to be a part of this fun summer tradition? We will have game tickets up for grabs throughout the summer good for any game of your choice! Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for further details as well as your chance to win!

And you didn't think we'd leave you without a chance to enter a set right now did you?

See the box below for several ways to enter!

Summertime is Smoothie Time!

By Deb Osza of Winners Drink Milk


Smoothies are quick, delicious and easy to make.  During the summer ease your busy schedule and cool off with a smoothie from your own kitchen. Try these recipes or create your own from the ingredients you have on hand.  Got milk?  Have yogurt or some fruit you need to use up?  Pop them together in the blender give them a whirl and enjoy a delicious and powerful punch of nutrients.  These recipes are great for breakfast, desserts or snacks.


Berry Blast Smoothie

Ingredients
 •1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
 •2 (6-ounce) containers fat-free blueberry yogurt
 •1/2 cup fat-free milk
 •1 tablespoon unsalted, natural almond butter
 •1 tablespoon honey

In a blender, add frozen raspberries, yogurt, milk, almond butter and honey. Cover and puree until smooth. Pour into two tall glasses and serve.

(Recipe courtesy of the American Dairy Association & Dairy Council)



Fresh Picked Peach Smoothie

Ingredients
• 3 medium or 2 large fresh peaches with skin, seed removed, sliced
• 2/3 cup low-fat milk
• 1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
• 2 tsp honey
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a single layer on a plate, freeze the sliced peaches for at least 1 hour (or overnight). Add the frozen peach slices, milk, yogurt, honey and vanilla extract to a blender container. Cover and puree until smooth. Pour into 2 chilled glasses.

Note: Freeze any leftover smoothie in popsicle molds for frozen treats anytime.

Recipe by Jackie Newgent, RD, award-winning author of The All-Natural Diabetes Cookbook



Mango Yogurt Smoothie

Ingredients
•4-7 ice cubes
•1 cup (8 ounces) plain fat-free yogurt
•3/4 cup mango slices in extra light syrup,* drained
•1 teaspoon sugar substitute (optional)
•mango slices for garnish (optional)

Place ice in bottom of blender. Add yogurt, mango and sugar substitute, if desired. Blend ingredients until smooth.

Pour into a tall glass and garnish with mango slices, if desired.

Serve immediately.

*Mango slices can be found in jars in your grocery store’s produce section.

Recipe created by 3-Every-Day™ of Dairy

Thanks for a Great Earth Day, Indiana!