Farm to School: July 2025 Newsletter
July Harvest: Celebrating Summer Sweetness
Welcome to the July edition of our Farm to School newsletter!
As the days grow long and the sun shines bright, our local farms are bursting with the vibrant flavors of summer. This month is a fantastic time to celebrate the incredible bounty that our community's farmers work so hard to cultivate. From juicy berries to crisp greens, the harvest is truly underway! In this issue, we'll highlight delicious seasonal recipes, and we encourage your schools and families to connect directly with local farmers by visiting nearby farmers markets.
Get ready to savor the taste of summer and dig into all the goodness local farms have to offer this July!
Summer Berry Bonanza at Region Roots Food Hub
Get ready to taste the true essence of summer! Region Roots Food Hub is brimming with an incredible selection of local berries. From vibrant cherries and plump blueberries to ripe strawberries and delicate red raspberries, our offerings capture the best of the season. We also have a fantastic array of frozen berries so you can enjoy that taste of summer long after the fresh harvest has passed. These delicious treasures are here for a limited time, so check out Region Roots Food Hub's selection before they're gone!
Start the day off right with this protein-packed breakfast parfait. The nutritious grains of InHarvest Sunrise Blend with Quinoa Flakes paired with yummy berries and creamy yogurt, give this meal a great mix of flavors and textures.
Components: Fruit, Grains, Meat/Meat Alternate
Servings: 28
This sweet and simple cherry crisp is great for any occasion! This dessert has a crispy layer that creates the perfect texture to go with warm cherries.
Components: Fruit
Servings: 50
Looking Ahead to August: Peaches on the horizon!
Mark your calendars for August because peaches are coming! The true star of the show will be our delightful donut peaches. These are absolutely perfect for kids, thanks to their sweet flavor and easy-to-hold, flat shape. Remember, these unique peaches will only be available for a short period, so keep an eye out and get ready to enjoy this sweet, seasonal treat!
Schools across our region can provide nutritious, locally grown food to their students throughout the entire school year! By partnering with Region Roots Food Hub, your school can access a consistent supply of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other local products, even beyond peak growing seasons thanks to offerings like frozen berries. This not only provides healthier options for students but also supports our local farmers and strengthens our community's food system.
We're here to help you connect your students with the best of what our local farms have to offer!
School Food Service Recipe Development Workshop
In June, twenty food service directors from across the state embarked on a culinary adventure at the Recipe Development Workshop, proudly sponsored by the Indiana Department of Education. Led by Chef Nick Alessandri, Food Service Director at River Forest Community School Corporation, participants not only learned how to seamlessly incorporate local food products—purchased through the Region Roots Local Farm & Food Hub—and create exciting new recipes, but also gained valuable knowledge on crediting these recipes for their school meals. They walked away with 10 innovative recipes ready to be incorporated into their cafeterias, including the much-anticipated Elote Pizza, slated to be a featured dish for Indiana Food Day!
Welcome our new wholesale partnerships coordinator!
We're thrilled to introduce a new face who will be instrumental in helping schools with ordering delicious local food: Ashley Barry! Please give her a very warm welcome. Ashley is passionate about protecting Earth's ecosystems, producing food sustainably, and creating a just food system for all involved. Her love for ecology and agriculture was cultivated at Northern Illinois University, where she earned a B.S. in Environmental Science and a certification in Sustainable Food Systems. She started her career in the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a Conservation Planner, where she provided support to farmers seeking funding for on-farm conservation projects. Now, she has joined the NWI Food Council team as our Wholesale Partnerships Coordinator. Ashley is dedicated to advocating for each farmer’s unique needs and developing productive partnerships between buyers, sellers, and community institutions. Join us in welcoming Ashley to the team – we know she'll be a fantastic resource for schools and farmers alike.
Grant Funding
The Lake Michigan School Food System Innovation Hub funds community driven collaborations that reimagine school meals.
Applications for the 2025 Spark and Innovation Collaboration Awards are expected to open in late 2025. We will provide updates as soon as possible. Additional grant cycles will continue through 2028.
RESOURCES
Farm to School Office Hours
Join Farm to School Coordinators from the Indiana Grown for Schools Network and other farm to school and early care stakeholders each month to discuss and find answers to your questions related to local foods. Farm to school office hours are on the third Wednesday of each month from 3:30 - 4:30 PM ET. You can request a monthly calendar hold by emailing Brianna Goode at bgoode@health.in.gov
Questions or feedback about the program?
Would love to hear from you!
Reach out to Veronica Jalomo, Farm-to-School Coordinator,
veronica@nwifoodcouncil.org, (765) 412-6136
