The Kansas Rural Center invites women farmers or want-to-be-farmers, women landowners, and women interested in sustainable farming, food production and local food initiatives to attend a Women in Farming Workshop on Saturday, May 6, 2017. This all-day, women-only workshop and farm tour will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Walton Rural Life Center, (500 Main St., Walton, Kansas) about 8 miles from Newton, Kansas, and the nearby Morning Harvest Farm run by Paula Sims with her husband, Eric. Save the date on your calendar for this educational, hands-on learning opportunity.

Saturday’s workshop will provide useful tools and information for women farmers who are needing assistance with loans and financing, financial farm planning, how to monitor and build soil health on their farms, and ideas for how to get involved in regional and local food initiatives. Discussion with and questions from those in attendance are encouraged as part of the presentations.

The Walton Rural Life Center is a charter school with a focus on agriculture – students raise livestock and tend a garden as part of the curriculum. As part of the event’s effort to support local food education, attendees will be encouraged to bring supplies to donate to the school (participation in this supply drive is optional). A list of needed supplies can be found at the school’s website.

Following the presentations, attendees will head to nearby Morning Harvest Farm, and learn from the Sims’ methods of producing and marketing grass-fed beef, seasonal produce, and pastured pork and poultry and eggs, raised on non-GMO, soy-free supplements and grass. This year, Morning Harvest Farm is adding a unique freshwater fish operation. Attendees will have a chance to learn how the Sims run their diversified operation, including the farm’s CSA program.

Saturday’s workshop and farm tour requires an RSVP (you can do so here), and a $15 registration fee to cover lunch, the farm tour host, and materials.

If you want to attend but are coming from out-of-town, KRC has reserved a block of rooms at the Comfort Inn. Call 316-804-4866 by April 28 to reserve your room at the group rate of $84.99 (plus tax). Tell the hotel you are with the KRC Women in Farming Workshop. The hotel is located at 1205 E 1st St., Newton, Kansas, and provides free continental breakfast.
RSVP for the Saturday Workshop and Farm Tour

On Friday evening, May 5, KRC will host a roundtable discussion and social hour for workshop attendees and local women from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Community Room of the Harvey County Courthouse at 800 N. Main Street in Newton. Informal comments by experienced women growers and community organizers will be followed by open discussion and questions and conversation. Women with questions about how to start a local food policy council, how to manage direct marketing, how to think outside-the-box about ways to bring healthy food to their communities, or other ideas and questions around healthy and sustainable local food production are invited to attend this discussion. Snacks, coffee and tea will be provided.

The Friday night roundtable is free to attend. Please RSVP for the roundtable to help us provide adequate snacks, drinks and handouts.

Following the roundtable, those wishing to continue the conversation can regroup at the Comfort Inn conference room. A reservation for the workshops Saturday or a hotel room are not required to a part of Friday’s event.
RSVP for the Friday Roundtable & Social Hour