| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| ThymeForEweFarm |
Posted - Oct 26 2005 : 08:05:42 AM
http://www.farm-garden.com/robin/women_in_sustainable_agriculture
I've blogged the conference I went to last weekend. I've been home just three days but I'm ready to pack up and head off to the next conference. It's good to spend time face-to-face with women who understand why we shovel manure, get filthy dirty in the garden, and who just plain "get it." They all get it. Even the non-farmers there get it.
There were babies, toddlers, teens, young, old, men, women, farmers, non-farmers, educators, cooks, mothers.....you name it - we were all there. I need to send off an email to the cooperative extension to tell them they can count me in on the planning of my state's conference.
Robin
www.thymeforewe.com |
| 16 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| ThymeForEweFarm |
Posted - Nov 11 2005 : 05:36:01 AM
>>yes read the Edge! My son gave it to me. Take your time it possesses.
Is that the word or is it possess'? We chat whenfinish?I got some thoughts to banter with you if you can put the torch down once she lights it.
It does draw you in, doesn't it. I wish I had more time to read it. Maybe after Sunday. We're going to put down the hardwood flooring in two-thirds of the greatroom this weekend. I gave a speech on buying locally last night that took me a while to put together. When I'm not needed in the house this weekend to work on flooring I'm going to clean out the hen house. Then cut a large hole in the wall between the hen house and Gloucestershire Old Spot pig's house so that the pig can come in. Then close the hole with a door so that she can't get back out. She's elderly. She's going to have to stay in for the winter from now on. She's alone since her friend died late last winter. I don't think she can keep herself warm enough anymore. Then, some of the chickens are leaving and the rest are going to the turkey's pen, and the turkeys are going to the hen house. The turkey's pen needs to be cleaned. The goat's pen needs to be cleaned. After all this is done - I can read! Easy week next week for college classes so I should have some time.
>In Mainewater management a biggie yet with your snow runoff?
In the spring sometimes, but it's not usually too bad. A corner of my pasture floods. I'm not sure what to expect next spring. When I turned over a half acre of pasture to be garden this year we hit a natural spring I didn't know was there. That's the corner that's flooded now.
>>My greenhouse was knocked down by hurricane wilma ...we got fintstones humor down here.Do you remember the rubbles?
LOL Now I get it!
> After 2004 I said I wouldn't let Mother Nature take me to tears for things . My orchids are my babes.Lord taught me lots growing orchids.Seeing their babies crushed had mean ole me in tears.
Lots of tears in farming some times - and some years more than others.
>>Ocala is stunner! Did you farm then?
Oh goodness no. I was a very different person then.
>How you taking the getting on your farm to be part of education way?
I did a lot of farm tours for schools. I haven't done it for several years so it's probably time to start again. I also teach hands-on work. It doesn't always work out. I had one woman who wanted to become a market farmer but didn't really understand the work involved. She came in early spring to plant cool weather crops. I'd already dug the holes for broccoli transplants but the time she got there. It took her two hours to plant a dozen seedlings. They were perfectly straight and it looked lovely, but that just doesn't cut it. She decided this wasn't what she wanted to do anymore. We also do some work with low income families who want to learn to grow some of their own food, and I coordinate the school garden program to teach children to grow their own food. |
| ByHzGrace |
Posted - Nov 11 2005 : 04:29:01 AM
Robin
yes read the Edge! My son gave it to me. Take your time it possesses.
Is that the word or is it possess'? We chat whenfinish?I got some thoughts to banter with you if you can put the torch down once she lights it.I be reading Jane Goodalls Harvest for Hope. oooo I like this one too.In Mainewater management a biggie yet with your snow runoff?
My greenhouse was knocked down by hurricane wilma ...we got fintstones humor down here.Do you remember the rubbles? After 2004 I said I wouldn't let Mother Nature take me to tears for things . My orchids are my babes.Lord taught me lots growing orchids.Seeing their babies crushed had mean ole me in tears.
We got crop insurance. We are finding now with harvest the stem damage. You pluck one and ten fall. The grove was vulnerable from last year the stress has us late a couple weeks.
Most of veggies I put up myself. Wedid sell the overage eggplant and yellow peppers last year to one chef. To plant more got
o clear swamp. Pressed to spend time repair storm damage to barns, house, dock most of my planting orders more blueberries.
could you see swampo CSA?
My boys are in Gainesville.Ocala is stunner! Did you farm then?
We haven't had a freeze since 89 water on the island surrounding us and keeps temp higher then mainland.
Thanks for your insights. How you taking the getting on your farm to be part of education way? |
| connio |
Posted - Nov 10 2005 : 3:13:57 PM
Hey Farm Girls!!!!!
Christine I am so glad that you found this info about the Texas conference. Since it takes place in just a few days I will be unable to attend this year, but I do plan to contact the organizers for additional information.
If you are able to attend, I would love to hear about your experience.
Connie
cozycottage |
| ThymeForEweFarm |
Posted - Nov 10 2005 : 04:36:57 AM
>>hey Robin would women be head of farms because it is easier to get grants?
I'm sure that accounts for some of it. Women are a minority and there are grants for minorities.
>> we got acreage under grove.outbuildings:2side barn,boathousedock,had me a greenhouse with orchids(got rubbleized).
What is rubbleized?
so wanting to get ideas on what could add to the current $$ on hand. we sell honey,citrus,avacadas,mango,papaya,blueberries,orchid,bromeliads,ferns,palms.
>> my area is sand/coastal florida zone 9...pop.goes up and down with how cold a winter you be having.
I remember! I used to live outside of Ocala. I remember some almost freezing mornings.
>>farm related needs would be horticultural for new building, restaurants, fruit-veggie feeding the islanders and visitors?
There you go - do you have space to grow vegetables for restaurants and to add to the fruits you already sell? |
| ThymeForEweFarm |
Posted - Nov 10 2005 : 04:28:55 AM
I'm still reading - a little at a time. Have you read it? It's an eye opener.
Education education education. A lot of conversations were centered on how to inform people. Getting them onto farms was a big factor. If we can get people to our farms they learn a lot. Reading is great and seeing is believing. One CSA farmer had 960 or 980 shares this year. That's amazing! They started out as customers of another CSA while living in a suburb. After a couple of months of being customers they realized "we can do this!" They figured out what they'd need to earn to replace their incomes, bought land, quit their jobs and moved, and started farming. They eventually had to rent land near them because their CSA has grown so much. Word got around. They have almost a thousand members AND a waiting list. It was being educated as a consumer that made the difference for this family. |
| ByHzGrace |
Posted - Nov 10 2005 : 03:18:59 AM
We have women in ag orgs too it has been all theories of april showers bring may flowers.
I need raw doable data to motivate the scrappin and fight for every thing I got.
Robin did you finish Democracy’sEdge yet? Diet for the small planet is what got me started decades ago.What rang out to you from conference in how we farmers can get our communities to be partners in conservation, nutrition, economic and social changes? |
| kydeere40744 |
Posted - Nov 02 2005 : 6:36:43 PM
Christine...you mentioned The Women In Ag in Texas...we have our own Kentucky Women in Agriculture group here in KY. Here is the website: www.kywomeninag.com Their conference is extremely informative and I wish I had thought about posting up the info of this year's conference as it is this weekend. I won't be able to go due to going out of town next week. However, I went last year and it has very good sessions and you meet others that are just like you and supporting agriculture.
Jessica~Miss Wilma's Niece
|
| HomesteadHerbs |
Posted - Oct 31 2005 : 10:18:37 AM
I did an internet search for Women in Agriculture in Texas and found this. And very timely! The conference is Nov 15 in Hereford, TX.
http://www.agr.state.tx.us/eco/rural_eco_devo/economic_development/docs/WomenInAgRegistration.pdf#search= women%20in%20agriculture%20texas
I'm going to try to do a little more research on it. Sounds interesting!
Christine
Growing, using, and learning about herbs. Living a Godly simple life! |
| ByHzGrace |
Posted - Oct 30 2005 : 12:58:08 PM
hey Robin would women be head of farms because it is easier to get grants? we got acreage under grove.outbuildings:2side barn,boathousedock,had me a greenhouse with orchids(got rubbleized). so wanting to get ideas on what could add to the current $$ on hand. we sell honey,citrus,avacadas,mango,papaya,blueberries,orchid,bromeliads,ferns,palms.don't understand totally, my area? like people,geography,$$$,or zone? my area is sand/coastal florida zone 9...pop.goes up and down with how cold a winter you be having. farm related needs would be horticultural for new building, restaurants, fruit-veggie feeding the islanders and visitors? |
| ThymeForEweFarm |
Posted - Oct 30 2005 : 07:45:00 AM
Ellen, what do you have to work with (land or out buildings for example)? What's your area like? What are the farm related needs in your community? And what are your interests?
Women are entering agriculture at a faster pace then men now. According to what Pamela Kingfisher told us, it looks like this is leading toward a trend in nurturing the environment with healthy ways of growing (sustainable) instead of the dominating way of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides that leave behind dead soil that washes and blows away.
Robin
www.thymeforewe.com |
| ByHzGrace |
Posted - Oct 30 2005 : 06:48:34 AM
What a lucky dog Robin! I'm jealous!
Ok now that fed me like an appetizer, bring on another dish
I'm hungry for more!!!
Did you get any cash flow ideas? |
| Eileen |
Posted - Oct 27 2005 : 5:36:25 PM
Thank you Robin. We need a WAgN here for sure.
Eileen
Songbird; singing joy to the earth |
| ThymeForEweFarm |
Posted - Oct 27 2005 : 12:10:38 PM
I'm not sure, Eileen. The cooperative extension and WAgN put this together. I know there are several states that have WAgN but don't think WA is one of them. I'd start with the cooperative extension office and see what they're interested in.
http://www.uvm.edu/wagn/womeninag.html This should be helpful in putting ideas down on paper when they get started.
Mary Peabody is the founder of WAgN. I don't have her contact info off the top of my head. It's in my notes some where and I'll find it. This might be useful: http://www.uvm.edu/wagn/
Robin
www.thymeforewe.com |
| Eileen |
Posted - Oct 27 2005 : 09:35:21 AM
Robin,
Several of the Farm Girls I know locally that I forwarded the conference notes to have asked me when they will be doing one here in Washington. Any ideas how to find out?
Eileen
Songbird; singing joy to the earth |
| ThymeForEweFarm |
Posted - Oct 26 2005 : 12:24:59 PM
Thanks Eileen! I hope there's something in the ezine that she finds useful. She sounds like a very busy woman (and someone I'd like a lot)!
Robin
www.thymeforewe.com |
| Eileen |
Posted - Oct 26 2005 : 09:01:57 AM
Thank you Robin,
 I will be forwarding this to my neighbor who has a big organic vegie business and is a single mom and grandma. She does not have time for our forum but loves getting all the info I gather for us.
 I have also joined to get the e-mail updates.
Eileen
Songbird; singing joy to the earth |
