“Beyond the gate … changing horizons” is the theme for the 18th annual Manitoba Farm Women’s Conference to be held Nov. 7-9 in Portage la Prairie.
“We’re looking at the PMU contracts that have been lost, BSE, drought and now with the harvest that’s out there that was gorgeous and now can’t be taken off the field due to the mud,” said publicity chair Lesley Barott.
“Basically they reflect the changing horizons and so we’re looking beyond the gate to overcome them. The information we had from the last generation won’t necessarily work, so we need to regroup and think of new ways of overcoming the problems that we are having.”
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Keynote speaker Leigh Quesnel, who has more than 20 years experience in organizational consulting, will talk about managing surprise.
A volunteer steering committee made up of farm women and representatives from Manitoba Agriculture decides what topics will be presented at the conference based on surveys done with past attendees.
“We are somewhat all encompassing in that we sometimes choose the hard-core production as we have this time, and sometimes it’s more strategy on stress and how to fix yourself so you can handle the problems you encounter as a farm woman,” said Barott.
This year’s subjects will range from the ABC’s of cattle production to a session with life coach Benita Stafford-Smith. Along with topics featured on a regular basis at the conference, such as family farm transfer and marketing plans, there will be less common topics. New to the 2004 conference is a session on xeriscaping, an approach to gardening that saves water, time, energy and chemicals by using plants that grow naturally in the Prairies.
“We do try to educate, inform and support the farm woman with our choices of speakers,” said Barott.
There will also be a tour of the Food Development Centre, a panel discussion and a mini-market where female rural entrepreneurs can showcase their wares.
Though the Portage la Prairie location for the conference has attracted as many as 250 in the past, Barott expects 200 women to attend this year because of the late, poor harvest. She said those who want to attend only the ABC’s of cattle production session on Monday could do so for $5.
Registration extended
Conference registration forms are available at Manitoba Agriculture offices and the late registration fee has been waived to give everyone an opportunity to attend at the reduced rate.
“Basically, because women are so valuable to the farming operation. We’re not necessarily good at treating ourselves but those of us who have gone have realized this is more than a treat,” said Barott.
“It’s a learning experience, it’s the networking that you get out of it, a real important part of our continued education as farm women.”
