South Shore Local Foods Connections e-Newsletter

Whether you live in northern Indiana or not, the South Shore Local Foods Connections e-newsletter is one of the best reads around.

Written by Kris Parker, Economic & Community Development Educator, Purdue Extension, Porter County the newsletter is full of information about local food issues, grants, educational programs and other information that would be useful to any local food lover or Indiana producer. Check out this month's issue below:

South Shore Local Foods Connections

Issue 45, January 2011

This e-newsletter is designed to strengthen local foods connections in Northwest Indiana. Please submit items to Kris Parker at parkerkj@purdue.edu

Past issues of SSLF Connections can be viewed at www.ag.purdue.edu/counties/porter/pages/southshorelocalfoods.aspx

Local Foods

The FamilyFarmed EXPO has grown to become the national Good Food Festival & Conference – Chicago. Save the date! March 15-17 at UIC. http://goodfoodfestivals.com/chicago/

Hoosier Farmer?  Emerging Food Systems in Indiana, a new study commissioned by the Indiana State Department of Health, is available. The work was written by Ken Meter of Crossroads Resource Center, who has produced food system assessments in 79 regions in 30 states and one Canadian province. http://www.crcworks.org/infood.pdf.

Grant Opportunities

The Frontera Farmer Foundation will award grants for capital improvements of up to $12,000 to individually owned small farms and medium-size farms that sell their local food products to customers in the Chicago area. Due February 28, 2012. http://www.rickbayless.com/foundation/downloadapp.html

USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Program offers grants and loans to upgrade community child nutrition facilities and purchase equipment that could improve access to healthy, locally, or regionally grown products: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/HCF_CF.html.

Educational Opportunities

Midwest Women in Agriculture Conferencewill take place in Shipshewana on Feb 29 –March 1. www.agriculture.purdue.edu/wia/

Community Gardening 101online Purdue Extension workshop, recording available: https://gomeet.itap.purdue.edu/p14173603/

The Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) Organic Farming Conference is the largest organic farming conference in the U.S. Organized by the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES). It will be held February 23-25 in LaCrosse, WI. www.mosesorganic.org/conference.html

Beginning Farmeronline courses: http://nebeginningfarmers.org/online-courses

Market Readyworkshop for producers interested in improving their marketing and sales to restaurants, retailers, and institutions will be held in LaPorte on March 2. For more details, contact Amanda Chraca achraca@purdue.edu 219-324-9407.

To subscribe send Kris an email at parkerkj@purdue.edu