Heart of the Farm Conference

Hello there friend I am so sorry about not talking to you lately! Please come in and have a seat,  talk with me and let me know what is going on in your  world. I am running short on tea but there should be enough to share between us friends!

I went to a great Conference called Heart of the Farm on Sat Feb 4 in Birchwood, WI. It is the second time I have been privileged to go to the conference, they are geared towards Women Farmers, its held in different areas throughout Wisconsin, teachs you a ton- so if you see it advertised ( you can get info on the Spooner Ag website that is under my favorites on my home page) and you are a Woman and into farming I would say "GO"!!!! I have to say the information that I got from the speakers was well worth the drive! 
I will be implementing the worksheets the speaker gave us and really thinking about my farming plan and what I want to grow, teach my customer, friends and family and what I want to learn and where to get that information. She had us work on a great exercise- What do you want people to say and know about you when you are gone? We were to implement our beliefs, interests, volunteering, our stewardship beliefs- anything that makes you YOU! It was a little hard in the beginning because you feel like you are puffing yourself up and making it so grand about what you do.  I soon got over that though- and wrote some of the things that I would like people to know about me - NOW and when I am gone. I would like people to know I am a loving, caring, generous person. One that likes to volunteer and make things for charity. I LOVE to garden, Quilt, can different food, drink coffee and tea, read, listen to music from all parts of the world. I love animals, especially farm animals- can't make it without seeing my various poultry ever morning! I would love people to know that I will help you out anyway I can, keep a good secret, am a shoulder to cry on and love you! So that in mind I like to garden as "natural" as I can, no pesticides, herbicides- I want to grow/raise as much of my own food as I possibly  can, as humane as I can!  I compost and recycle. I want to leave the earth better than I found it and to really be conscious of the footprints I leave behind for the next generation to deal with. I am going forward to write out an in depth business plan on what we will raise and how to do it the best way possible. How to create a farm that Mikhaila and I can be proud of and really benefit from!

We also got to hear from a speaker that dealt with the whole issue of how to talk and really communicate between the generations. We have needed this at our place as I am an X'er and I am raising a Millennial! After having the charts up for the Boomers, Xers and other generations it made me realize that I am not crazy when I am frustrated with my Millennial daughter- we speak different languages! It really was an interesting topic and if they offer the full session (3+ hours long instead  of only 1 hour) at some point through the extension office I would so take it! It sure opened my eyes and gave me some new ideas when dealing with my daughter.

It was a great time spent with great women, and the few men that were there were helpful as well! Thanks for all the people that put it together, spent alot of time organizing it, the door prizes were awesome! Mikhaila won a beautiful basket of goat milk bath products from Serendipity Springs (www.raisingkidsfarms.com). Rebecca does a great job making wonderful products from her personal goats milk! Go checkout the website and get  someone you love some foot cream, lotion or a lovely bar of soap! She has her products in some local stores but I am sure she could send your order to you. 

Until we talk again have a great week. Pray for someone, bake a treat for a neighbor, call someone on the phone just to say hi.

I will leave you with these great tree pictures that I snapped on Sun. We have been having warm weather, but it must have gotten cooler over night and the trees were beautifully frosted.