Learning Circles connect women farmers

American Farmland Trust and local partner organizations are inviting women who own farmland to learning circle events .

COCHRANVILLE >> American Farmland Trust and local partner organizations are inviting women who own or work farmland to learning circle events to learn about protecting their land’s natural resources at several locations in southeastern Pennsylvania this fall. Presenters from a variety of conservation and farming organizations will inform participants about available programs and assistance to help them be better conservationists where they work and live.

“We bring together women landowners and farmers on a farm and introduce them to local folks who can help them,” explains Janice Wiles, consultant for the Mid-Atlantic Women for the Land Program for American Farmland Trust.

These free events run from 8:45 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. at the following locations:

· Berks County: 10/22/19 in Fleetwood.

· Chester County: 10/23/19 in Cochranville.

· Lancaster County: 11/6/19 in Elizabethtown.

Nearly 301 million acres of U.S. land—about a third of the nation’s land in farms—are now currently farmed or co-farmed by women and at least 87-million additional acres are in the hands of women landowners. Over the next 20 years, the numbers of women farming and taking on management roles on farmland is likely to increase as current farmers retire or leave their land to the next generation.

Cohosting these free events with American Farmland Trust will be the Chester County Agricultural Development Council, Chester County Conservation District, Berks County Conservation District, Lancaster County Conservation District, and the United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA).

A free lunch and optional farm tour are included during each program. Participants are welcome to attend the full day session or just part.

To learn more and register, go to: https://farmland.salsalabs.org/midatlanticwomenfortheland/ index.html.