Soil Sisters Wins Award, New Bus Farm Tour Option

This summer, meet Wisconsin’s inspiring— and now award-winning—community of women farmers at Soil Sisters, the largest women-farmer-led event of its kind in the nation. Soil Sisters: A Celebration of Wisconsin Farms and Rural Life invites you to come tour, taste, learn and play in this multi-faceted on-farm weekend involving more than 20 women-owned farms in and around Monroe, Brodhead, New Glarus and Blanchardville in south-central Wisconsin, from August 2 to 4, 2019.

Since its launch in 2012, the Soil Sisters event champions the growing role Wisconsin women play in our state’s agricultural scene. That increase is now quantified in the latest Census of Agriculture: The number of female producers on Wisconsin farms increased by a hefty 16 percent between 2012 and 2017.

New for Soil Sisters in 2019 are two options for a ticketed Bus Tour of Farms that will provide an intimate “behind-the-scenes” experience on three farms per tour. Also new this year are day-long workshops that give detailed learning opportunities in areas such as operating a pasture-based livestock ranch, launching a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm, running a farm- stay bed and breakfast, or powering your home or farm completely with renewable energy. These are in addition to the regular lineup of “green acres” immersive on-farm workshops covering topics from preserving the harvest to cheesemaking, plus several opportunities to experience what it would be like to run your own farm.

Dining events featuring items raised by the Soil Sisters include the Taste of Place at Cow & Quince restaurant, Farm to Table Dinner at Dorothy’s Range, and a Pizza on the Farm fundraiser benefiting Soil Sisters held at Inn Serendipity Farm and Bed & Breakfast.

Recently, Soil Sisters received a 2019 Top Rural Development Initiative Award from Wisconsin Rural Partners. This honor recognizes grassroots projects that have made a positive impact on their rural areas through collaboration and sheer grit. The Soil Sisters weekend event grew out of a vibrant Green County Women in Sustainable Agriculture network, providing inspiring support and connections for area female farmers and rural entrepreneurs. Soil Sisters also won an Edible Madison Local Hero Award in 2018. Soil Sisters is a venture of the Wisconsin Farmers Union Foundation, Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) and Renewing the Countryside.