October 2026 Newsletter

Written By NWI Food Council

Happy Fall, friends!

If you’re new here, every fall we gather moms from our FarmHer to Mama group, their babes, home visitors, and FarmHers for an evening celebrating the turn of the season with food, laughter, and community.

This year’s gathering is being held at The Friendship Botanic Gardens in Michigan City. Our favorite photographer from last year’s U-Pick Flower event will be back to capture family photos of you and your loved ones, with the beautiful gardens as a backdrop.

Dinner will be served, pumpkins will be decorated, and golf cart garden rides will be enjoyed! We hope to see you there, but be sure to RSVP by the end of the day this Friday, 10/2. (Event now closed.)

Food justice for all,

The FarmerHer to Mama Team
Anne, Jen, Virginia, Becca, & Sarah

P.S. Get up to date information on events , resources, recipes, newsletters, etc at the FarmHer to Mama Facebook page!

October Goodies

It was a late packing day but looking out at the barn, the view was beautiful!

Foodie Corner

Root Vegetables, Apples & Winter Squash — It’s Fall in a Box!

Man, do I love the first transitional produce letting us know the season is about to turn! Cozy meals with cooler temps after a long summer are salve to a farmer’s soul and hopefully a mama’s too!

Super-duper bonus about cool-weather produce is the heartiness. They are called storage crops for a reason: they’ll hang out in a dark pantry for weeks or months. Keep them away from onions, apples, and high humidity, and they’ll be great if you cannot get to them immediately.

Another fun bonus is “if it grows together, it goes together,” meaning you can mix and match all the items sans a recipe and you have a delicious, grounding meal.

If you’re unsure of how to prepare and cook root veg, check out page 3 for helpful tips.

Root Veggie 101 🌱

Three easy ways to turn this week’s produce into something delicious.

Beets

  • Scrub well and trim the ends. No need to peel!

  • Cut into wedges or small cubes.

  • Toss with a little oil, salt, and pepper.

  • Roast at 400°F for 35–45 minutes, until fork-tender.

  • Shortcut: Roast them whole, wrapped in foil, then slip the skins off once cool.

Acorn Squash

  • Keep the skin on! It’s edible and saves you the hassle of peeling.

  • Cut in half and scoop out the seeds.

  • Slice into wedges or cut into cubes.

  • Brush with oil and sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic, cinnamon, or whatever sounds good.

  • Roast at 400°F for 25–35 minutes, until tender and golden.

Rutabaga

  • Peel with a vegetable peeler or sharp knife.

  • Cut into cubes or wedges.

  • Toss with oil, salt, and pepper.

  • Roast at 400°F for 30–40 minutes, until tender.

  • Easy mash: Boil until soft, then mash with butter or olive oil, salt, and pepper.

If It Grows Together, It Goes Together!

Don’t overthink it! Toss your beets, squash, rutabaga, potatoes, carrots, onions, or whatever else you have on hand onto a sheet pan. Add oil, salt, pepper, and a favorite seasoning, and roast until everything is tender. No recipe required. ❤️

Let’s Meet Some New (to the Program) Farmers!

At just 14 years old, Nathan started growing produce on his family’s land. Today, with the help of his wife, Emily, they continue to expand their farm, growing a diverse variety of fruits, vegetables, and proteins. They use regenerative growing practices with a focus on building healthy soil and caring for the land.

This year, we’re thrilled to welcome them to the FarmHer to Mama program, and you’ll be seeing a lot more of their offerings throughout the winter!

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

NWI Food Council
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September 2026 Newsletter