So I’m way behind the bandwagon on this one. I’ve been blogging for almost six years and just managed to join the Indianapolis Bloggers Network.
What can I say? I’m a follower, but a slow one. Eventually I get there. 😉
Excited to have another way to reach out and meet other local peeps in this vast WWW.
I’ve taken to calling myself the Reluctant Hoosier because when I first moved here my freshman year of high school I loudly proclaimed then, and for years to follow, that I would never ever be a Hoosier.
In my old(er) age I’m softening to the Hoosier State. With every new thing I learn about the state, the more I come to love it.
Like the sheer number of food and livestock grown and produced right here in Indiana. It’s staggering, and it makes me proud that so many farmers are working hard to keep our nation fed with healthy meat and produce.
DigIN is a great way to meet some of the farmers, and many of the local businesses that not only run locally, but buy locally.
Indiana Family of Farmers is playing chef at the event and wants to give you TWO tickets to come see (and taste) the Heartland on August 26, 2012 at White River State Park.
I’m going to make it even easier than usual to win, just two ways to enter.
That’s it!
Giveaway ends on Tuesday, August 14 at 10:59PM. Winner will be contacted first thing August 15th & will have 24 hours to reply or I will pick another winner.
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*Disclaimer: As an Indiana Family of Farmers Ambassador I received two free tickets to DigIN. As always, all opinions and reluctance to be called a Hoosier are all mine.
It’s safe to say that I’ve mentioned a few times before how much I love my neighborhood. It reminds me of a neighborhood I grew up in when I lived in Buffalo. We all know each other, our kids all know each other, we watch out for each others families and homes. There isn’t a weekend that goes by that you can’t find a group of neighbors gathered at someones house. This stands true through spring, summer, fall, and into the mildest of winter weather.
One surefire way to get a group over your house is to get out the grill. Usually when we plan on cooking out, we expect to end up inviting at least two of our neighbors to join in the fun. Hot dogs, hamburgers, steaks, chicken – you name it we grill it. Someone is bound to bring mac & cheese (because you can’t have any food gathering without that) – and of course type of salad. Before you know it, our deck table is absolutely overflowing with food and our deck is overflowing with neighbors.
Usually after the kids settle for ice pops. You know, the stick-pops of juice you get at the local supermarket on the cheap. Every freezer in the neighborhood is jammed full of them.
This year I’m bringing something new and fun to the party.
A [amazon_link id=”B003U9ZCRO” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Quick Pop[/amazon_link] bar. Make a base of their yummy vanilla yogurt pop and lay out the fruits and chocolate shell. In minutes the kids can have a yummy popsicle they made themselves – and it’s not just sugar water. Fruit’s involved which helps with the healthy points.
Yup, this year my Quick Pops will bring all the neighbors to the yard 😉
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This post was written as part of Indiana Family of Farmers Table Talk series. As a Table Talk contributor I received products. All opinions and stories in the post are my own truth.
I love the Fair.
But I never go.
Most of the time it’s a heat thing…or a money thing…or a distance thing. Seriously, we live in the outermost suburb & it’s a haul to get anywhere in Indy.
Two years ago Erik & I made the trek, but we went to see Jeff Dunham (who was amazing), and left. We got no fair food, and didn’t do much wandering.
This year we hope to change that by going twice (at least). There are so many amazing things to see and do – and we won’t go broke if I can control my urge to buy deep fried everything and anything.
One of the main reasons I want to go this year is because it’s the year of the Cow. I used to have a slight obsession and still have a box of cow decorations in my garage (for real).
Okay, the box of cow stuff is real, but my reasons for wanting to go are not. Why I really want to go is to help feed hungry families.
There are days when money is tight here and we wonder how we are going to feed the family for a full week – but when we face ourselves in reality there is always food in the cabinets and the fridge. We are not in so deep that our kids don’t think they will have to wait for school to start to get a square meal.
But there are thousands of families that are that bad off. Children and families going hungry.
The Indiana Family of Farmers is working with Feeding Indiana’s Hungry (FIsH) to provide food to the hungry here in Indiana. For each person that finished the “Recipe Trail”, IFOF donates 1 pound of food to FIsH. Last year they managed to donate 2,000 pounds! This year, IFOF really increased its goal. They want to get 3,000 visitors to follow the simple recipe trail, pick up the cards and stop by the IFOF booth. You’ll not come out of it with nothing – you get a prize for finishing the trail and entered in both a daily giveaway and a grand prize of a Frigidaire® Chest Freezer.
It takes no time, and you can just sing in as you walk around the fair. Here’s an easy map for you to follow: Recipe Trail Map. All you have to do is make a stop at 8 points through the fair, and bring the recipe cards to the IFOF booth at the DuPont Pavilion.
To make it easier for you to help feed hungry families, you can win 2 tickets to the State Fair. Not just tickets to the fair, but a set of Dairy Coupons (2 milkshakes, 2 grilled cheese, & 2 kids meals). All thanks to Indiana Family of Farmers! Awesome, I know!
Entering is super easy (and for kicks I’ll give you multiple chance’s to win…but your first entry is super simple).
Easy entry:
Just leave a comment below telling me your favorite part of the fair. Is it the concerts? The animals? The FRIED stuff? Or maybe a demo-derby?
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Extra entries:
That’s it! The contest will end at 11:59 PM on the 25th. The winner will have 24 hours to respond or I will pick another winner.
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Other State Fair Giveaways:
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Disclaimer: I am an IFOF Ambassador and therefore this is a sponsored post. I’ll get the same Fair tickets and Dairy coupons as the winner does. However, while I do blog for cheese, milkshakes and fair tickets – I don’t sell my opinions. All thoughts and opinions expressed in the post are my own.
[flickr id=”7604254726″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”]Ever since the Super Bowl back in January all anyone in Indiana can talk about is the zip line. I never stepped one foot in Super Bowl Village – but I wished I had just for the zip line.
About two months ago I found out about Go Ape! Right in my own backyard here on the West Side, inside Eagle Creek Park, is a place where you can zip line, do Tarzan Swings, and just climb through the trees like a monkey. You can really Go Ape!
So I rounded up some friends, my husband, a few of their husbands, and we swallowed our fears, strapped on a harness, and climbed.
Did I say fear? Yeah, fear.
After the “bunny hill” courses that are only a few feet off the ground – you climb and climb. High up off the ground you make your way through 5 courses of increasing difficulty – and as a bonus every course ends with the zip line.
I admittedly screamed at every one.
Out of pure joy.
[flickr id=”7604174320″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”right”] The last three courses have options for your routes. You can do “moderate” or “difficult” on course 3 – and on courses 4 & 5 you have your option of “Difficult” or “Extreme”.
I chose the difficult routes because I wanted to challenge myself. After all, I am wiping this sucker off my 45X45 list (“Do something daring”) – because it scared me. Holy cow am I glad I did. Knowing that I challenged myself, conquered my fear, and took the leap (literally on the Tarzan Swing) makes me feel strong and empowered.
[flickr id=”7604240872″ thumbnail=”small” overlay=”true” size=”small” group=”” align=”left”] The whole course left us feeling strong and empowered. Even my husband – who is terrified of heights, bridges, and couldn’t do the last Tarzan Swing (seriously, frightening stuff there) made his way through the course and felt so proud of himself for it – not that he’d do it again. ;).
It was a great ‘day date’ activity for us. It is an amazing team building activity too. Spending our time encouraging each other and cheering each other on (or is that daring each other?) to get through these courses cementing our bond of friendship.
[flickrset id=”72157630653559754″ thumbnail=”square” photos=”” overlay=”false” size=”small”]
We all left swearing to do it again.
After all, it’s in our own backyard and a combination of fun, adrenaline pumping, and an intense workout. Best of all? It’s $55 a person – and it takes you at least three hours to get through the full course. For teens it’s only $35, but you are responsible for them and limited to how many you can chaperone (Age limit of 10, height limit of 55″).
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*Disclaimer: Me & 10 of my friends were given free tickets for the day by Go Ape. All the fun I had and my opinions are all my own.