November 2025 Newsletter

Written By NWI Food Council

Hello Mama!

Can you feel it? Can you smell it? That crisp and brisk morning feeling followed by warm afternoons? Hands down, fall was the season made for the senses. As I type this, I think I can finally answer “what is your favorite season?”. Summer and her heat strokes are absolutely out although in our humid climate, our skin looks pretty incredible. Winter in our region can always be grumbled about those first few snow days...magical. Spring is always a beauty but she’s very temperamental and unreliable and way too short. So yeah, that settles it...fall is hands down the best season. I mean, you can eat soup/stew/chili every night! And coffee and warm drinks hit differently. And layers!!!! All the cozy layers. And obviously the fleeting change of the leaves and their warm colors giving us a generous “goodbye” from nature before she falls asleep. I could go on but I’ll save it in case there’s any fall “despise-rs” in the audience but if you love fall the most, too, please add what is your favorite in our Facebook group!! We want to hear from YOU!!

Here at the hub we wrapped up the most wild (wildly good, that is) September! We were awarded the most generous grant that we get to put towards our Farmher to Mama and Market Mamas programs next year!! At the award ceremony we mixed and mingled with several organizations that are very excited to work with us and YOU so that was a lovely bonus. A few days following, there was FarmHop. One of our farmhers, Glenda, was featured in this article. Her micro greens will be appearing in all of the winter boxes. Then we had our U-pick/Flower Bar event where so many of you and your adorable babies came out. When that photography comes back I’m sure there won’t be a dry eye in the house. Then to wrap it up, last week we set up at Lubeznik Center an art gallery in Michigan City. The art installation was made up of all women artists and we were able to introduce our program via a performance play. Once again, so many new people were thrilled to learn about our program and how they could get involved.

With all of this activity and interest, FarmHer to Mama will be ending the year on a high as we will be going in to ‘26 with a TON of momentum!

So as we crunch into fall (literally and figuratively!), we’re feeling so grateful for the energy, enthusiasm, and heart this community brings. You’ve helped turn ideas into action and action into impact. We can’t wait to carry this momentum straight into 2026—with all of you right there beside us!

Food Justice For All,

The FarmerHer to Mama Team

Anne, Anna, Virginia, Becca T, Allyssa, Veronica, Alyssa, Sarah, and Becca K

November Goodies

Foodie Tips

  • Purple Top Turnips - The turnip has a checkered past but has experienced a recent revival, of sorts. For me, I absolutely love them. Cubing them, toss with a bit of oil and salt and roast them at about 425 until softened they turn sweet with just a hint of “mustard”. Get more bang for your buck by sauteing the greens to eat on the side or in any way you would prepare kale or other greens. Another idea is a quick soup using onion, turnips and their greens and potatoes. Top off w/ croutons made from your sourdough loaves!

  • Sourdough Loaf - Oh man what a treat!! I can recall the last time we had a loaf of bead in the boxes because most bakers have very strict ordering times so we got very luck when Allyssa w/ Love of Bread joined as a producer. A mom herself, she used to operate out of her home but recently opened her brick and mortar. Enjoy!!

  • Wheat Berries - Eaten as a grain, wheat berries are the whole wheat kernal without the husk. They are chewy and easily take on any flavor you want. Replace rice with wheat berries and try a quick and easy “fried rice” variation with kale or turnip greens, onion and scrambled egg. Very hearty and filling!

That’s Becca our fearless Food Access Team leader dishing out the goods at our Laporte Market Mamas in September

Margaret Farissey does double duty as a FarmHer and repping NFP Laporte

Meet the Beet!

Earthy, sweet, and glowing like rubies from the soil — beets have been loved for centuries!

A Little History

Beets trace their roots (pun intended!) back to ancient Mediterranean coasts, where early civilizations prized their leafy greens long before the sweet red root we know today. The ancient Greeks and Romans used beets as medicine, and by the 16th century, beets had spread across Europe — coloring soups, sweets, and even inks!

In the 1800s, beets became a valuable crop for sugar production, and farmers began selecting the sweetest varieties — paving the way for the vibrant garden beets we enjoy now.

How to Make the Most Delicious Beets

Roasting brings out their natural sweetness — here’s how to make magic happen:

Trim greens (save them! they’re like spinach) and scrub beets clean.

Toss whole beets in a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Wrap them in foil or place in a covered dish.

Roast at 400°F for 40–50 minutes, until tender when pierced with a fork.

Cool slightly, then rub off the skins with a paper towel.

✨ Try tossing roasted beets with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, a handful of feta, and chopped herbs — it’s simple, colorful, and completely crave-worthy.

🌈 Bonus Tip

Beet juice stains — wear an apron and embrace the pink fingers. It’s part of the fun!

Beet Wisdom & Fun Quotes

“The beet is the most intense of vegetables. The radish, admittedly, is more feverish, but the fire of the radish is a cold fire… The beet is the ancient ancestor of the viscera.”

— Tom Robbins, Jitterbug Perfume

“You can’t beat a beet.”

— Everyone’s Grandma, probably

“When life gives you beets, make them roasted.”

— Kitchen wisdom worth repeating

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

Sarah at sarah@nwifoodcouncil.org / 503-964-7813

 
NWI Food Council
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October 2025 Newsletter