Procurement News Notice |
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| PNN | 2542 |
| Work Detail | Cindy Christensen hopped on her John Deere Gator and headed out along a hilly path to check on the 73 heifers on the family farm near Sherrill. The farm is owned by her brother, Dave, but Cindy lives on the property with her mother, Opal, 92, and rents 100 of the 160 acres. “I was never big on housework,” said Christensen, 56, who grew up on the farm with seven siblings. “There’s a lot of stuff to do. I’ve learned how to fix fences and repair farm buildings. I’ve done lots of conservation work here.” Christensen is in the minority, according to Colleen Siefken, conservation assistant with the Dubuque Soil & Water Conservation District. But the district is there to assist women who need a hand, she said. “We still deal with only a couple handfuls, but those handfuls are very active,” Siefken said. “Everyone has dreams and concerns for their land. We recognize that men are dying and the widows need to learn what to do when that happens. As more women start owning land, they’re going to need more outreach.” The district will host a pair of outreach sessions called “Women, Land and Legacy Project” next month. Kathy Bahl is widowed. She was an instrumental partner in the Bahl Family Farm business until her husband, Doug, died in 2011 after a long battle with cancer. Since then, she has managed the downsized farm with help from her youngest son, Joseph. “I’m a perfect example of why I believe we could use this conservation project” to assist other women in her shoes, Bahl said. “I may be a little more comfortable in this position than some women because I’ve been involved all along, but I think there are a lot of women spread around the county who have the same concerns.” Bahl, also the director of Dubuque Homebuilders & Associates, has had to make many decisions since Doug passed away. Some deal with land values and cash-renting values. “You have to decide what it’s worth and how much you want to charge for rent,” said Bahl, who rents out about 85 of their 172 acres. Joseph Bahl, a senior at Dubuque Hempstead High School, hopes to follow in his father’s footsteps and become the seventh generation on the farm that was settled in the mid-1800s. Kathy Bahl said some women aren’t as lucky. They are on their own and might be dealing with the books, the chores or other agricultural land challenges. “They don’t always get the information they want or know where to go for it,” she said. “(The project) is a way for women to let the committee know their needs. |
| Country | United States , Northern America |
| Industry | Food & Agriculture |
| Entry Date | 03 Sep 2016 |
| Source | http://www.thonline.com/farming/article_25b9505f-e2ea-5a67-9917-cb11b67d550a.html |
