WOMEN FARMERS

MOSES in her boots is the culmination of women working their farms themselves without a husband or other male assist (another hard job to take on) under the guidelines and support of the Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service more widely known as the M.O.S.E.S. organization.

A few short years ago there was a nationwide search for a new spokesperson who could motivate members and build the numbers of participants in organic farming. It was a year following a planting season troubled by drought, flooding and tornadoes. There needed to be someone who could lift morale, was good at mingling among strangers in the farm scenario, and was knowledgeable in the field of agribusiness. The selected party needed to be personable, knowledgeable in the wise of agriculture and the business of agriculture without the input of chemical supplements. Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service Farmers experience a heavy responsibility for home, local and regional production of their given discipline on any given year. That responsibility can and does result in pressure which leads to stress and at times, mental crisis. When it does push the limit beyond bearable measures, the local community and local farm bureau are there for support. While most women farmers spoken to seem to take the "alone" very hard, almost to the quitting point; in Illinois, the ILLINOIS FARM BUREAU recommends knowing the path to keeping well... to keeping a healthy you. Take a break. "As farmers, we are great at taking care of our land and livestock, but not always great at taking care of ourselves. It’s time to put yourself first. A healthy farm is nothing without a healthy YOU. There are routes for doing that... starting with a mental health provider.

I included this as conversation, due to the tendency to fall under strain from the pressure of the job at hand. Because women... on the farm and off... are also susceptible to the extreme pressure of farm life. Running a farm alone in addition to managing a household and family with it demands intervention via alternation of roles on the farm or if possible a break away from the farm duties themselves if only for attending community information or education programs, conferences or seminars. Each of these are like a mini-vacation that would provide a moment to wind down from the constant rush of chasing livestock or trying to mentally rush the growth of crop systems. Affiliating with the MOSES organization offers them this opportunity, a break away from mental pressure with the added opportunity for networking to resolve common problems with operating a farm. The one basic requirement for participation here is that the given farm must be organic as industry defined.

I might like to add that the Moses organization also includes sections for the safety of children on the farm Not only is this a much-needed focus for the adult but beginner training for any young person growing up in the throes of agricultural lifestyle. This safety education along with what 4H and later, Future Farmers of America (FFA) has to offer pulls that next generation into formation from a calm berth and onward with more interest and anxiety for a fruitful involvement in and of their own efforts.

Address the mental strain of needing a successful outcome from crops and livestock, needing peaceful cooperation of all hands involved and available, and knowing that those too small to be of any real benefit can be coaxed along to some degree of comprehensible appreciation. They can do that much to help ease mental stress.

MOSES In Her Boots - Rural Women’s Project sponsored by Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service established a women-focused section launched in 2009, as the MOSES Rural Women’s Project specifically to provide training, outreach, and a voice for women in organic and sustainable agriculture, both in the Midwest and nationally.

In Her Boots encompasses a variety of programs to facilitate collaboration and support the growing number of women starting farms and food-based businesses, strengthening local food systems and building committed, engaged partnerships with other non-profits and agencies such as the Wisconsin Farmers Union and the Women, Food and Agriculture Network (WFAN) The group can be followed on their Facebook website or within the MOSES organization entity as a whole nationwide.