Have you heard? The Women Food & Ag Network’s annual conference is coming to Nebraska for the first time this year in November. You won’t want to miss out on this important opportunity to gather women in one place to learn more about permaculture, this year’s conference theme. From the press release:
Women and Permaculture: Making a Living in Harmony with the Land is the theme of the 2016 WFAN annual conference, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 4 to 5, at Lied Lodge & Conference Center, Nebraska City, Neb. Join 200 colleagues from all across the U.S. to network, learn and enjoy the best locally grown foods Midwest women farmers have to offer.
Our keynote speaker is Karryn Olson-Ramanujan, who began studying permaculture in 1997 and is a lead permaculture teacher and founding board member for the Finger Lakes (NY) Permaculture Institute. She also teaches sustainability-related courses at Ithaca College and is dedicated to supporting women and other historically marginalized populations in their vital roles as leaders.
Field tours will visit women-owned farms near Lincoln, urban ag projects in Omaha, and the Arbor Day farm and Kimmel Orchard in Nebraska City. Friday afternoon intensives will focus on permaculture, and eco-feminism & women’s leadership. A Friday night film and discussion will be offered. Nine Saturday workshops will cover production, marketing, conservation and advocacy topics. Taste local wines and ciders, enjoy delicious food and lots of networking!
Women are already raving about the workshop topics ranging from online marketing to diversification to seed saving, and expertise from the middle years of farming to transitioning the farm. I’m especially excited about the conference as the Center wraps up the first year of Women’s Learning Circles in eastern Nebraska.
The permaculture theme fits in well with the women I have gotten to know through gathering together at the circles. As I’ve learned more about the way they are farming, I see how they constantly work to improve their farms, seek out resources, and manage their farms as ecosystems. These women are in tune with their farms’ systems! The learning circles have been a way to create a meaningful network focused solely on the unique priorities and vision women farmers have.
The WFAN conference will provide another avenue for these women farmers and others like them to continue to access great resources for success.
Early registration ends Oct. 13 at Midnight. For registration and details visit www.wfan.org/2016-wfan-annual-conference/ or email conference@wfan.org for more info. Limited exhibitor spaces still available.
If you’re a past or present women’s learning circle participant and have questions about attending the conference, please contact me at sandrar@cfra.org.
