July 2026 Newsletter
Hello Mama!!
It has been an exciting start to July for those of us working behind the scenes to coordinate this month's box because summer has officially arrived—and with it comes an avalanche of fresh produce!
Our phones have been buzzing and our inboxes overflowing with messages like, "All of a sudden we're drowning in cucumbers!" or "We picked 500 pounds of zucchini yesterday!" And everyone's favorite text of the season...
"THE TOMATOES ARE HERE!!"
That's usually how it goes in the farming world. For weeks, the crops seem to creep along as if they'll never arrive. Then, after just a few hot summer days… BOOM! Suddenly the fields are overflowing, harvest bins are filling faster than farmers can empty them, and we're happily scrambling to get all that goodness into your boxes.
This month's box is packed with some of summer's greatest hits—from crisp green beans and juicy cherries to vine-ripened tomatoes, plus a few extra treats like fresh sourdough bread and locally made cheese to round it all out. These are the kinds of ingredients that practically do the cooking for you, making it easy to pull together simple, fresh meals without heating up the kitchen. Be sure to check out this month's recipes for a few quick ideas!
We also hope this month's box gives you an excuse to slow down for a moment. Summer has a way of filling every calendar square with vacations, cookouts, sports, and family gatherings. Sometimes the best memories, though, are the simplest ones—a tomato sandwich eaten over the kitchen sink, little hands helping snap green beans, or sharing fresh cherries on the front porch after dinner. We hope these local foods become part of those small summer moments that you'll remember long after the season has passed. Enjoy!!!!
Food justice for all,
The FarmerHer to Mama Team
Anne, Jen, Virginia, Becca, & Sarah
June Goodies
Cucumbers and Lettuce Mix from Perkins' Good Earth Farm (Demotte, IN)
Kohlrabi from De Jong Farm (Francisville, IN)
Cabbage from Greenbridge Growers (South Bend, IN)
Sweet Cherries from Mick Klug Farms (St. Joseph, MI)
Eggs from Lee’s Edible Acres (North Liberty, IN) and Tanglewood Acres (Mill Creek, IN)
Green Beans, Tomatoes, and Zucchini from Garwood Orchards (LaPorte, IN)
Sourdough Loaves from Publican Quality Bread (Chicago, IL)
1-year Cheddar from Great American Cheese Collection (Chicago, IL)
Photos from FarmHop where participants learned about FarmHer to Mama
Foodie Corner: What the heck is Kohlrabi?
Kohlrabi is an alien-looking bulb that comes from the same family as cabbage, broccoli and radish. And what does it taste like…? Well, the texture of a radish combined with the mild flavor of cabbage and broccoli. We’ve also heard it referred to as “The Jicama of the Midwest”
Kohlrabi can be eaten raw in salads or slaws and roasted. Our personal favorite is slicing into rounds and using as a “chip” for dips.
It looks a little menacing but all you need is a good knife to peel the outer skin. Usually, the outer skin is too thick for a vegetable peeler. from there slice into rounds, sticks or grate with a box grater.
These goofy looking guys only come around once-in-awhile so enjoy!
July Pop Ups and More!
LaPorte and Michigan City Farmer’s Markets
Last month we had our annual Farm Hop tour where participants interested in local food could join us for a day visiting farms and local food distributors and learning about FarmHer to Mama. One of my favorite stops was at the NWI Food Bank in Merrillville. The passion and dedication their entire team has to supporting local farmers and getting food distributed with their many, many outlets was very inspiring. While we at the NWI Food Council have big dreams of one day having our own mobile market one day, the Food Bank is already on it and they show up in neighborhoods throughout Lake and Porter counties almost daily. Please click on the link below to view dates for July and if you see me (Sarah) joining in on the fun, say “hi”!
See the Food Bank Mobile Market Schedule
Saturday July 11th at 8a.m. Market Mamas will be setting up at the Michigan City Farmer’s Market and on Sunday July 12th at 10 a.m. we will be setting up at the LaPorte Farmer’s Market! What exactly does this mean for you? Myself and Market Mamas coordinator Jen will be sitting next to the market manager’s booth handing out $30 vouchers for moms to use on SNAP eligible products. Vouchers are first come, first serve so arrive early! See for more details. Come on out!!
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 at info@nwifoodcouncil.org / 219-313-8828
Becca at becca@nwifoodcouncil.org / 219-928-3225
Sarahat sarah@nwifoodcouncil.org / 503-964-7813
