How We BeganPiedmont Women In Agriculture developed earlier this year at the statewide Women in Agritourism workshop held in March 2017. At this workshop in the Piedmont Group, we learned about the role of Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture (BRWIA) in the NC High Country. In June 2017, we made a site visit to Boone to meet with Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture to learn more about how they started and what they were able to accomplish on behalf of women in agriculture. Their programs were started to share knowledge, encourage business development and profitability, galvanize resources and increase community markets for local food throughout their Blue Ridge service area.
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The chief recommendation from BRWIA was to bring/gather Piedmont growers together to learn what is possible in creating, building upon and garnering resources for women, their families and their communities. A two-day gathering event in February 2018 in Winston-Salem (Forsyth County) for Piedmont Women in Agriculture will serve as a vehicle of learning, creating and sharing of knowledge. The parable of "If you teach a woman to farm, she will teach and the whole village will eat" is so true. We believe that by bringing women in agriculture together in the Piedmont area will create and generate a similar model of success as BRWIA has experienced in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Women in agriculture face challenges in balancing the demands of the farm and family. Women who farm in NC represent over 19,645 women (27% of farmers); 1,965,507 acres of farmland, and $677.8 million in economic impact. Women farmers are the fastest growing population owning and operating small farms and the number of farms owned by women has increased by 90%. Characteristics of woman owned farms are more holistic, easy on the land and committed to safer and more sustainable growing practices. Women are more interested in being alternative and specialty crops and venues to create year round viability to support the farm.
Women in agriculture face challenges in balancing the demands of the farm and family. Women who farm in NC represent over 19,645 women (27% of farmers); 1,965,507 acres of farmland, and $677.8 million in economic impact. Women farmers are the fastest growing population owning and operating small farms and the number of farms owned by women has increased by 90%. Characteristics of woman owned farms are more holistic, easy on the land and committed to safer and more sustainable growing practices. Women are more interested in being alternative and specialty crops and venues to create year round viability to support the farm.
There are many concerns that are unique to women farmers that limit or restrain ongoing efficiency and economic viability such as: lack of mentoring and experience, training and skills, lack of resources and materials; unequal access to capital (financial and labor), few opportunities for leadership in rural or urban farm communities, and a strong sense of isolation. Also, there is the age issue, most woman farmers are mid to over 50 years of age and there is no one to transfer the farm business and land.
The goal of the Piedmont Women In Agriculture Gathering & Conference is to bring women together in a grassroots manner to build upon experiences, learn about and develop resources, create a stronger community of women in agriculture. We will be able to draw upon the lessons learned from Blue Women In Agriculture in its grassroots development and to create a sister agency in the Piedmont. |
In addition, based on feedback from the women farmers, we will tailor future gatherings to meet the most requested needs of women farmers and we will foster the development of additional workshops, cooperatives and information sharing through networks as the developed by BRWIA to increase community assets.
We look forward to you joining with us in the future! To stay in touch, please visit our Facebook page, here.
We look forward to you joining with us in the future! To stay in touch, please visit our Facebook page, here.