Conference

The Women in Sustainable Agriculture Conference was one of the first times I have seen women from throughout the sustainable agriculture movement come together to craft the future of women in agriculture. There were producers, academics, extension educators, local food system organizers, children and mothers, anti-CAFO activists, and students. The diversity of women from all over the country that participated in the Vermont conference really demonstrated the deep strength of the Sustainable Agriculture movement, and encourages me that we will continue to gain ground.

Attending the Women in Sustainable Agriculture Conference was an empowering experience for me. We typically follow a hierarchical model in agriculture which is not how women share information. I found the information exchanged at meals and other informal gatherings to be as valuable as the workshops. I feel strongly that women transfer their knowledge more sociably than men do and in perhaps a less intimidating manner. It becomes important to seek networks of other farmers in my community who can inspire and support each other in non-competitive ways. Working in isolation is counterproductive.

The women who gathered were amazingly young—giving me hope that we are actually seeing in person many of the women who are moving into farming. The women who gathered were simply amazing! Incredible creativity, intelligence, savvy, professionalism, passion and compassion for work that is rooted in deeply felt convictions. This is much more than “farm work”. This is “life work” in the greatest definition of the term . . . I come away with an intriguing phrase from Frances Moore Lappe’s address: “It’s not possible to know what’s possible.” The phrase resonates in my mind. Often various other news and situations in my own community present a less than optimistic future. I pause and hear the phrase ring in my memory and know that we must continue to hold onto visions of holistic and healthy families, lands and communities...it might yet be possible... in spite of everything around in the immediate.

The conference was a wonderful opportunity to meet and engage with like-minded women from around the country and globe. I was amazed at how well attended the conference was. It was very inspiring to share a room with so many women who are passionate about sustainable agriculture. It was also very refreshing to attend conference organized by and targeted at women. Women and men often have very different perceptions of the world and accordingly, different strategies for tackling issues. Sometimes I think a lot of time is spent explaining and defending our rationales for doing things the way we do. There was very little need for that at this conference, and I think we were more productive for it.

What a marvelous event. I hope you feel great about what you are creating — empowering so many dynamic, committed women.

Being in the presence of hardworking incredible women made me feel not so
alone in the quest for women’s recognition in agriculture. There were a good
number of children there‹that gave me optimism for the future.

I found the most fascinating outcome of the event was meeting all these women, hearing their stories and interacting with one another. The seminars themselves were like stories. I was most taken by Pam Kingfisher’s closing speech. It drew tears to my eyes. Her stories were so graphic, so real, and to bring it back home that- all these people running non-sustainable, inhumane, and unhealthy businesses and organizations evolved from someone, from us- where were their mothers? What did their mothers teach them? It is our responsibility to raise our children and provide them with sustainable, humane, and healthy values and with a conscience.

The conference has influenced my thinking for the future in empowering me to realize that we are the mothers right now. Our opportunity is now- we are IT for this generation: to teach, influence and shape the values of our children, and our children’s friends. It is up to us, now. Otherwise we will be sitting in that same conference room thirty years from now and Pam Kingfisher’s daughter will be at the podium, saying “where were their mothers?” and we will look at each other shamefully knowing we were their mothers.

It was inspirational to be with so many women farmers—from all ages, experiences, backgrounds—and each with a passion for working with the land. Frequently at agricultural conferences, men dominate as attendees and as presenters. It was a rare gathering, and provided precious motivation. Thank you!

Thank you so much for the opportunity of being part of the conference. I learned a great deal about organic farming and the power we have when we come together and share our successes and what we have learned from our failures. I am new to agriculture and I am thankful for these conferences. I was able to come home with a lot of references.

At the conference, I received a half piece of paper and heard speaker mention a Call to Solidarity with struggling organic farmers (indigenous) in Southern Mexico. They were devastated by hurricane Stan on Oct. 3, 2005.

A couple of weeks later our farm put on a benefit dinner for a small farm half destroyed by hurricane Katrina with a restaurant we sell to in San Francisco. It took us several weeks to organize, promote and then finally execute this dinner. But we managed to raise $1,000 for our chosen small farm we connected to through Slow Food.

By the time we put on the dinner, this farm was already more than half back on it’s feet, crops in the ground, sales flowing somewhat again, and spirits bouyed. So, at the dinner I talked to the diners while introducing the chef and her menu and asked if I had their permission/blessing to send half of the money raised to the hurricane Stan vicitims in Chiapas. They applauded! So we sent half to the Katrina farm asking them to use or share the money as they saw fit, and then sent $500 to the Chiapas organization.

All because of a small connection I made at the conference. Thanks again, it was great fun to meet so many interesting and fired up women, and to see a little corner of Vermont too!

There were so many valuable pieces to the conference that it is hard to pinpoint one or two. Both the keynote address and the ending address were highly inspirational, meaningful, and extremely pertinent and timely for women in sustainable agriculture. Having so many women presenters reminded me of how often men are the speakers at meetings about agriculture. It was affirming to hear women role models and see women using their power.

I was fortunate enough to attend the the workshop “Fast Food From from the Farm” with Jessica Prentice. Jessica is the new wave of chefs, gone a bit farther. She is not just buying local, organic products for a restaurant, although that is certainly an important step that chefs are taking. She is living a conscious life, in relationship with food, and helping others see how it can be done. Attending her workshop alone was worth going to the conference. Can you bring her to the state for a full weekend workshop?

I have been influenced by the conference to continue thinking deeply about women in sustainable agriculture, exploring some of these questions: How will women shape the future of agriculture? How do men and women work in partnership to care for our Mother, the Earth? How do we in sustainable agriculture help educate others about the effects of conventional farming on the environment? How do we educate people about the fact they haave a relationship with food, and that this is related to our health, our well-being, the well-being of all plants and animals and Earth herself? How do I express my own relationship with Earth, with food, with the practices of agriculture?

The highlight of the conference for me was connecting with so many women from across the country who are passionate about building a just, sustainable world. It was especially exciting to see so many young women in attendance‹I definitely got the sense that our movement will have strong leadership in the decades to come.

“We are flying high on the vision imparted and would be excited to share it. Thanks for the wonderful women and time to talk and share! We are on the road to being sustainable!”

“It was fabulous—different energy than other ag conferences I’ve attended. Everyone really was interested in what others were doing and shared willingly and honestly.”

These are some unsolicited comments from some of the farmers we supported with travel funds to the conference. They say better than I can how this event has inspired, energized and uplifted them. It was a truly wonderful experience, unlike any other conference I’ve attended. The energy was intense, but relaxed, and always joyful, hopeful and peaceful.

WAgN
Women's Agricultural Network
617 Comstock Rd., Suite 5
Berlin, VT 05602
(802)223-2389
or wagn@zoo.uvm.edu

University of Vermont Extension and U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating, offer education and employment to everyone without regard to race, color, notional orgin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or familial status.