In Her Boots:  Sustainable Farming For Women, By Women
A workshop series focusing on women farmers and food-based business owners

Facilitated by the Rural Women’s Project, a venture of the Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service (MOSES)

Background

Women are one of the fastest growing segments of new farmers and business owners, cultivating fresh and creative approaches to agriculture, plowing new farming and food-based business ventures and blending entrepreneurial start-ups with their passion for bringing healthy, fresh, local food to our communities.

From launching new farms to dairy operations to pizza businesses, this growing trend of women “ecopreneurs” creatively build successful businesses around their passion for conservation, community and leaving this world a better place. Some of these women traded urban roots for the rural lifestyle while others are recrafting the family farm lifestyle they grew up with. Yet they all share a passion to help educate others about the importance of healthy land, food and community connections.

After a successful launch in 2011, the “In Her Boots:  Sustainable Farming For Women, By Women,” continues in 2012 with three new sessions to provide on-farm, women-led sharing of resources, experiences and inspiration to further connect and grow this movement. These day-long, on-farm workshops provide women farmers and food-focused business owners with an inspiring blend of practical information, skill-building, farm tours, resource connections and networking opportunities to encourage and support this growing segment of organic farmers, entrepreneurs and agricultural leaders.

Drawing on the expertise and perspectives of both seasoned and beginning female farmers, participants will dive into pragmatics and practicalities of successfully running farm and food-based enterprises, including value-added enterprises, land stewardship, risk management through income diversification, and integrating children and family. The workshops also highlight the Plate to Politics initiative supporting more women in sustainable agriculture to take on leadership roles to further encourage this movement.

2012 In Her Boots Workshop Sites & Topics

In Her Boots:  Sustainable Agriculture for Women, By Women
Saturday, Aug. 11, 2012
Farm Host:  Erin Schneider, Hilltop Community Farm, S850 Heidrich Rd., La Valle, WI 53941
Time:  10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (includes lunch sponsored by Organic Valley Family of Farms)

Spend the day with an inspiring group of women farmers and educators dedicated to transforming our food system. This day-long, on-farm workshop includes a farm tour (with a focus on starting a beginning orchard and small-scale CSA start-up), lunch and a variety of break-out sessions on selling value-added under the Pickle Bill, the challenges of farming as a single woman, starting an agricultural-related non-profit and creating a farmstay B&B. With a focus on sharing experiences, stories and ideas, the “In Her Boots” format builds on the idea that women farmers learn best from each other. Bring your questions! 

Cost:  $25 (scholarships available). Space is limited and pre-registration is required.
First 15 registrants receive a free copy of Renewing the Countryside-Wisconsin ($26.95 value)

Farm Tour Description:  Erin will show you her orchard start-up, prairie restoration, packing shed renovation, ways to integrate perennials into production and advice on her experiences starting a small-scale CSA. 

Sample breakout sessions:

•  The joys, challenges and adventures of farming and starting a small CSA as a single woman (Laura Mortimore)
•  Advice on blending your educational and farming mission:  non-profit start-ups (Donna Neuwirth)
•  Adding value to your farm:  Tips on launching a farmstay B&B (Lisa Kivirist)
•  Selling value-added products under the Pickle Bill:  My Experiences (Erin Schneider)

Farm Host & Speaker:
Erin Schneider, Hilltop Community Farm
Dedicated to growing food sustainably and building community, Erin Schneider and her husband own Hilltop Community Farm, a small-scale diversified CSA and orchard where she, along with their community of soil microbes and pollinators, specialize in growing unique varietals of Midwest Fruits. Erin also works as a consultant and educator, helping further innovation and collaboration for organizations and beginning farmers and as a research gardener supporting Organic Seed Production research with UW Madison's Department of Plant Pathology.

Speakers:
Laura Mortimore, Orange Cat Community Farm
Laura Mortimore runs Organic Cat Community Farm, a small CSA located in Sauk County raising over 35 types of vegetables and herbs. Laura exemplifies the inspiring beginning, young woman farmer who can connect a variety of resources to teach herself how to farm, learning with each season. And yes, she does have an orange cat!

Donna Neuwirth, Wormfarm Institute
In 1993, Donna and her partner left the Chicago urban scene after falling in love with a Wisconsin farm outside Reedbsurg. She ran one of the first CSAs serving Chicago and founded the Wormfarm Institute, a non-profit whose mission is to integrate culture and agriculture. The Wormfarm, creates community cultural events, supports the development of local food systems and runs an Artist Residency program in conjunction with a working farm. The Wormfarm also runs the Woolen Mill Gallery in downtown Reedsburg and other recent projects include the Reedsburg Fermentation Fest: A Live Culture Convergence and the Roadside Culture Stands.

Lisa Kivirist, MOSES Rural Women’s Project, Inn Serendipity Farm and B&B
Lisa and her family run Inn Serendipity Farm and Bed & Breakfast outside Monroe, completely powered by renewable energy and considered among the “Top Ten Eco-Destinations” in North America.  She is the co-author of Farmstead Chef, ECOpreneuring and Rural Renaissance and directs the Rural Women’s Project for MOSES.

In Her Boots:  Sustainable Agriculture for Women, By Women
Sunday, Sept. 9, 2012
Farm Hosts:  Lindsey Morris Carpenter & Gail Carpenter, Grassroots Farm, N4596 Dutch Hollow Road, Monroe, WI 53566
Time:  10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (includes lunch sponsored by Organic Valley Family of Farms)

Spend the day with an inspiring group of women farmers and educators dedicated to transforming our food system. This day-long, on-farm workshop includes a farm tour (with a focus on starting a beginning orchard and small-scale CSA start-up), lunch and a variety of break-out sessions on farming as a single woman, starting a farm business post-retirement, diversifying through teaching workshops, adding value through farmstays/B&Bs.  With a focus on sharing experiences, stories and ideas, the “In Her Boots” format builds on the idea that women farmers learn best from each other.  Bring your questions! This Boots session will include a unique focus on technology for women growers: The "T" Word: How technology can help you plant, grow, and harvest your business.

Cost:  $25 (scholarships available). Space is limited and pre-registration is required.
First 15 registrants receive a free copy of Renewing the Countryside-Wisconsin ($26.95 value)

Farm Tour Description:  Lindsey will show you her diversified produce operation, vegetable processing shed, high tunnel greenhouse, livestock operation, beginning hops and orchard and share her experiences starting a small-scale CSA. 

Sample Breakout Sessions:

•  The joys, challenges and adventures of farming and starting a small CSA as a single woman (Andy Hazzard)

•  Teach what you know:  Diversifying your farm income through workshops (Kriss Marion)

•  Farming Your Next Life Chapter:  My experiences transitioning into farming post-retirement (Gail Carpenter)

• Social Media: Building sustainable connections (Kristi Waits)

•  Adding value to your farm:  Tips on launching a farmstay B&B (Lisa Kivirist)

Farm Host & Speakers:
Lindsey Morris Carpenter & Gail Carpenter, Grassroots Farm
 A mother-daughter team, Lindsey and Gail raise over 75 varietals of certified organic vegetable, fruit and herbs, along with eggs and all natural pork and poultry outside Monroe, selling through a CSA and direct sales.  Lindsey received the first John Kinsman Beginning Farmer Food Sovereignty award for her inspiring accomplishments as a beginning, young farmer with a passion for transforming our food system.

Speakers:
Andy Hazzard, Hazzard Free Farm & CSA
Returning to her family farming roots, Andy runs a farm in Pecatonica, IL. She is strongly committed to food as a means for education and change, is a member of the Winnebago County Local Foods Workgroup, she writes and blogs for local publications and works with urban youth through several gardening programs. Her farm is highly diversified, and she recently added grains to list of crops the farm offers. 

Kriss Marion, Circle M Farm
After 20 years as urban Chicago dwellers (and Kriss confesses:  reading maybe too much Wendell Berry), she and her family moved to their farm outside Blanchardville.  She grows for a 100 member CSA in addition to a variety of meat and poultry. Kriss is a prolific, leading rural blogger, sharing her inspiring farm story with the CSA members and beyond. She channeled her artistic talents into a fiber business (Maidmarion Cottage Industries) and teaches various workshops on spinning and fiber arts.

Kristi Waits, Femmium Ronomy Group, Karma Write-Off
After working 15 years as a data analyst, Kristi recently left to pursue a career as an entrepreneur. Since leaving, Kristi has started three separate businesses, each taking less than a month and $500 to set up. Kristi is devoted to helping people, especially women, navigate the technology jungle. This includes providing time- and cost-effective ways to set up their website, email, cloud computing, social media, videos, marketing, and accounting software.

Lisa Kivirist, MOSES Rural Women’s Project, Inn Serendipity Farm and B&B
Lisa and her family run Inn Serendipity Farm and Bed & Breakfast outside Monroe, completely powered by renewable energy and considered among the “Top Ten Eco-Destinations” in North America.  She is the co-author of Farmstead Chef, ECOpreneuring and Rural Renaissance and directs the Rural Women’s Project for MOSES.