Women in Agriculture Workshop is happening Feb. 17 in Corning

By Dana Schmelzle

Nemaha County Conservation District

A Women in Agriculture Workshop, hosted by Nemaha, Jackson, & Pottawatomie County Conservation Districts, will be Feb. 17 at the Corning Community Building in Corning, Kansas.

Registration for the “The Heart of the Farm,” begins at 8 a.m. with presentations starting at 8:30 a.m. Both men and women are welcome to attend this free and informative event.

An amazing lineup of speakers is scheduled for the day. The key note speaker will be Jolene Brown from Iowa. Often called “The Dr. Phil of Agriculture,” Brown is direct, respectful and generous with her advice and focused solutions to family business challenges. She brings humor, hope and helpful ideas to the people of agriculture and is going to blow you away with the information she is going to share with you.

Mykel Taylor, an associate professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics at Kansas State University, will have important information in regards to measuring basis risk for commodity grains, evaluation of Farm Bill commodity programs and analyzing trends in Kansas agricultural land values, rental rates and leasing arrangements. This is great information to help better the landowner/tenant relationships.

We’re all super busy with families, work, etc., so it can be difficult to still maintain healthy eating habits. Cindy Williams, Meadowlark District Extension Agent, is going to show us how to make “From the Freezer to the Field: Healthy Meals in a Hurry.” Not only will these be great tips for those busy seasons on the farm, but also just for everyday.

Lucinda Stuenkel was just a mother and housewife when her husband and his farm partner brother were killed in an accident. On her decision to continue with the farming operation, Stuenkel said, “The children in both families wanted to stay in their own house, but if we hired everything done, there would be nothing left to support our family. We had to find a way to care for the cattle and farm without our two big strong men, so we changed to a place that could be handled by women and children.” Stuenkel has an amazing story to tell that you won’t want to miss.

Marcia Conley was born and raised on a dairy farm in Pottawatomie County. Conley worked as a nurse for a little over 44 years. She enjoyed looking after the health and well-being of others and loved the idea of being able to care for herself and family on a day to day basis by using essential oils. She has integrated her knowledge of essential oils with her long career in nursing to help empower others to improve their health through the use of essential oils.

Many of us have never been in a situation where you simply can’t fight with Mother Nature. Monica Becker, her husband Royce, and their five children found themselves in a wild situation in the summer of 2013. It goes to show that you just never know when your world is going to be turned upside down. Becker will share their story of how she & her family survived and rebuilt not only their home, but also their way of life on their family farm near Corning, Kansas.

Coffee and rolls will be served in the morning and is sponsored by Heinen Brothers Agra Services. There will be a break in presentations at noon for lunch, catered by Home Cookin’ of Seneca, and is sponsored by Nemaha County Co-op. During the lunch break, attendees will have entertainment provided by Katie Patterson-Ingels and Anne Bowser. Over the past three years, they have been performing together for church and other community events, so be prepared for some great music.

In order to know how much food to prepare for the Women in Agriculture Workshop, please contact the Nemaha County Conservation District at 785-336-2186, ext. 110 or register online at https://tinyurl.com/nemaha2018 no later than Feb. 10. Hurry and register today.