“My advice is never be afraid to change direction and see where it takes you. I am old enough to have been called the Farmer’s Wife even though I was the only farmer on the farm while husband worked off farm and today everyone is the farmer as it should be. In fact that is how I greet other farmers- “Hello Farmer”!“

Q: Tell us about your agricultural operation, your background and how you got started in agriculture. 

After 25 years as a military family, we moved to the Adirondacks taking over Ben Wever’s Family farm (cir 1828). Everything we knew about Agriculture came from books until we got Ben. My biggest regret is that I didn’t jot down all the Ben-isms (nuggets of knowledge) that he shared with us before he passed away. We started off as diversified livestock but with an eye on the future generations, we concentrate on cattle, horses, and conservation efforts including grassland birds, salmon, & forest management

Q: What does working in agriculture, and specifically being a woman in agriculture, mean to you?

Being able to be on the land everyday a blessing that most people never experience or even have the chance to wonder how a farm makes a difference in a small community. Today it is a lifestyle and never a job. I treat our farm like a living laboratory, where I can see the impact our family has made on the land and in our community. Some changes happen quickly but most changes occur in slow, incremental steps that would go unnoticed unless you are the steward. My advice is never be afraid to change direction and see where it takes you. I am old enough to have been called the Farmer’s Wife even though I was the only farmer on the farm while husband worked off farm and today everyone is the farmer as it should be. In fact that is how I greet other farmers- “Hello Farmer”!

Q: What do you wish the next generation of women in agriculture would know about your work? What advice would you give them?

Clock is ticking and pace better quicken. Embrace change, take chances, love deeply, time is short. I knew I wanted to be a farmer since I was 10 years old but did not come from a farm family. However all of my life experiences put me in a great position when the opportunity arrived.

Q: Have you had access to formal education or informal training programs to help you grow your operation?

I always mention the best kept secret- Extension services. Wherever we lived in the nation, the entire family took classes through the local land grant universities. First as educational experience participants in nutrition education, food safety/canning, agriculture, 4-H, then as volunteers in the Master Gardener Volunteer program, 4-H leaders and then as staff for Cornell Cooperative Extension.

Q: What would make it easier for women in agriculture to access the capital they need?

Developing relationships with all of the ag service providers is intrinsic to anyone’s success especially in banking and finance. Money issues are very personal and are difficult to discuss but even that becomes easier in time. Keep trying to find allies. Knowing how to write a business plan and refer to it and change it as needed. The more you work on it the easier it becomes. January first has always been the Farm Review Day for us. Its the day that we ask where are we going, who is going with us and what are we leaving behind?

Q: What technologies or innovations have made the biggest difference on your farm? How do you stay informed about best practices, weather, markets, or new technologies?

We gained an engineer as a son in law and its been great to see the farm through his eyes. We have adopted all kinds of technology to improve our performance. We embrace all of it even if there are some days I feel like the anchor holding everyone down again practice, practice, practice.

Q: Describe a specific challenge you faced and how you overcame it. 

A few years back I was involved in an accident that resulted in a back injury with a long term recovery. Initially, I relied on family & friends to shoulder my share of the farm chores. But those type of burdens need to be decisively dealt with, It was a painful decision but my poultry and sheep flocks had to be sold to cut down on everyone’s work day. I kept a very small flock of sheep for the retired livestock guardian dogs and just enough hens for the house.

Q: Has your state department of agriculture helped you advance your operation? How?

It has been helpful to be able to call on our State veterinarian and field technician to ask questions and get solid answers. Recently the farm had questions about RFID cattle tags and  help was a phone away. We have a on-site farm stand that is inspected every year, and the inspector comes yearly and the major benefit is to have those human relationships built on years of trust.