By SUSAN BLOWER
Indiana Correspondent

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — For the second year, Indiana’s Family of Farmers will host the farmers’ recipe trail at the Indiana State Fair – with a new twist. Participants who collect the recipe cards will aid food banks in the state.
“It was very successful, very well received last year. It’s not just fantastic recipes, it’s recipes from Indiana farmers, (such as) a pork dish from a pork farmer, a favorite beef recipe from a (cattle) producer,” said Jeannie Keating, manager of public relations for the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA).

On the reverse side, the farmer talks about the recipe in the context of his/her family, giving consumers a glimpse into the life of family farms. Keating said participating commodity groups collected recipes and stories from their members. About 2,500 cards were circulated last year, she said.
“We are getting the message out about Indiana farmers, who we are and what we do,” Keating said.

New this year is the concept of farmers giving back.

For every person who registers for the daily prize of a Heartland steak gift certificate, one pound of food will be donated to various food banks in Indiana. Registrants will have collected 12 recipe cards from various sites on the fairgrounds, aided by a map, available online or on the fairgrounds.
The winner of the grand prize, a Frigidaire chest freezer, will be randomly selected at the end of the fair. Winners will be notified by email. In addition, the recipient of the Habitat for Humanity home, built at the fairgrounds, will receive a Frigidaire chest freezer, filled with meat.

Indiana’s Family of Farmers will partner with Feeding Indiana’s Hungry (FiSH), a program begun by Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman to coordinate services to provide food to the food banks.

“This is a chance to feed the hungry, an opportunity to give back. Farmers are giving people,” Keating said. With so many visitors to the state fair, this effort will engage non-farmers.

“The Indiana State Fair is always an engaging event to remind the community how food impacts all of our lives every day,” said Joe Kelsay, Indiana agriculture director for the ISDA. “We look forward to another opportunity to share the perspective of Indiana farmers with consumers, and this year to also help the hungry.”

Indiana’s Family of Farmers is a coalition of 12 ag groups, who have pooled resources to promote agriculture in the state among mothers and other decision makers in the home, Keating said.

Their biggest undertaking was the “Farmers feed us” grocery give-away, from January to April 2010, in which registrants were required to watch videos about family farmers.

“(The campaign) was a springboard. We’ve grown and evolved as a group,” Keating said.

For more details, go to IndianaFamilyofFarmers.com