028 | White House Conference on Hunger and the Food Compass: Candid Conversations with Natalie Kovarik and Tara Vander Dussen
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It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for a Candid Conversation! In these episodes, we’ll cover life updates from the ranch (Natalie) and the farm (Tara), things we are currently obsessed with, community recipes, or industry news. In this episode of Candid Conversations: White House Conference on Hunger and the Food Compass we cover:
Life updates from both Natalie and Tara
Tara is currently coveting her favorite store in New Mexico, Turquoise by the Water
A candid conversation about the upcoming Conference on Hunger and the Food Compass
Community Recipe: Tater Tot Hotdish
Farm and Ranch Updates
Tara kicks off the farm and ranch updates by letting us know that all of the cows on the dairy received new vaccine protocols. Daniel, her husband went through all of the old protocols to see what needed to be updated for every cow on the farm regardless of what stage they are in. She mentions how important it is to their operation to have such a great veterinarian on hand to help with ongoing care for her dairy cattle. In addition, Tara goes on to mention that she is having a heck of a time finding dairy cattle ear tags, which is where Nat jumped in to offer some of hers for twice the price of normal ones. Natalie’s update is pretty straightforward this week, as she mentioned that she is stoked for the upcoming Elevate Summit taking place in Texas. This is the first Summit hosted by Natalie and Tara, if you’re interested in future events, make sure to join the email list!
Currently Coveting: Turquoise by the Water
Tara’s currently coveting, Turquoise by the Water, a storefront in Logan, New Mexico which offers Authentic Southwest Jewelry and New Mexico wares that is loved by both Natalie and Tara. She recently learned via social media to not use a metal spoon for her sourdough starters so she bought a little olive wood spoon from the store to help manage her starter. You can check them out via their website or follow them on Instagram.
Industry News: White House Conference on Hunger and the Food Compass
Taking place in September, the White House is going to have a conference on nutrition, so in today’s industry news, Natalie and Tara are discussing the topics that will be discussed and what it means to the general public. The largest concern is a recent list that came out about food that is good to consume and foods that should be consumed less. Natalie makes a note that the very worst thing on the list is ground beef, with cheddar cheese and an egg fried in butter right above it. The concern is the narrative that is being pushed out saying that Mini-Wheats and Lucky Charms are a healthier choice than ground meat and cheese. The man who created this list will be at the conference and it is going to be interesting to see what will be proposed at this conference. It’s been 50 years since the last conference on food, so decisions made at this event could potentially affect the country for the next 50 years.
Source: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-022-00568-x
Community Recipe: Tater Tot Hotdish
This recipe was submitted by Elly Noelfke, from Rural Soul. This Minnesota Classic Tater Tot Hotdish is not only a crowd pleaser but can also feed a crowd. If you’re looking for something easy to throw in the oven, then this is the recipe for you. Make sure to visit Rural Soul for the full recipe and her notes through each step. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 yellow onion, chopped
Seasoned salt & black pepper, to taste
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 empty soup can milk
1 bag of frozen mixed veggies
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese (*shred your own cheese – you won’t be disappointed)
1 bag frozen tator tots
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large skillet, brown the hamburger with onion and seasoned salt and pepper (to your liking).
Once the hamburger is cooked, drain off grease if necessary. Then, add cream of mushroom soup, milk, frozen mixed veggies, and ½ cup of the shredded cheese. Stir together over low heat to combine.
In the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 baking dish, place one layer of tator tots (straight lines or throw ‘em in – whatever floats your boat) so the bottom of the pan is covered.
Pour meat mixture evenly over tots. Then top with remaining cheese and tots.
Bake for about 50-60 minutes, until the cheese is nice and bubbly.
Enjoy!
Credit to the Rural Soul
Resources and links mentioned in this episode:
Check out Nina Teicholz Book, “Big Fat Surprise” on Amazon
Download the Instagram Tool Kit for Auditing Your Online Presence
Join our monthly Book Club
Visit our website, Elevate Ag
More about Elevate the Podcast
Where can I find tools and strategies to confidently and effectively share my story online? How do I monetize my brand? Where can I find community among women in agriculture and business? Can I cultivate my passion while also making money?
Welcome to Elevate the Podcast where we will answer ALL of these questions and so much more! Hosts Tara Vander Dussen and Natalie Kovarik, along with their guests, will bring you tangible advice, useful tools, and bold strategies that you can implement to drive your business forward and elevate the voice of agriculture. This business interview and storytelling podcast serves agriculture, western and rural entrepreneurs who want to excel in the social space and make their dreams a reality. Tune in every week to dig into entrepreneurs’ stories as they share the problems they encountered and opportunities they created as a way to educate, inspire and encourage the dreamer inside of all of us.
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