Agriculture
Welcome Gayle, a farm wife who is determined to help put a face to agriculture and connect consumers with the farmers who produce their food.
Hi, my name is Gayle Anderson and I am married to a 4th generation farmer in North Idaho.
I began my passion for being an ?Agra-diva? back in 2009 when I attended a Women?s Leadership conference in beautiful North Carolina which was sponsored by Syngenta and the National Assoc. of Wheat Growers. From there, one of the most important messages that I took back with me was that women in Ag can reach consumers like no one else. Women tend to have better communication skills and as they put it, ?are more believable? when we tell our story. After all, who is going to argue with a farm-mom?
So I started blogging about our farm to put a face on the family farmer as a way to ?tell our story, our way?. I also use my blog as a tool to interact with consumers and at the end of my blog; I always post my email address for questions.
My husband and I also started our ?Dinner on the Farm? where the consumer guest comes out to the farm, we have about an hour farm tour of crop/equipment, then we all head to the farmhouse for a hearty meal and great conversation. This is our fourth year of doing it and this year, Farm Journal magazine is coming to do a story on it. Our dinner is a free event, but it is by application or invite only to keep the numbers small and manageable so people have a small intimate group where they can freely ask questions and almost have a one on one visit with the farmer (we usually have 8 guests and 4 farm hosts).
Our local state grain associations also have us host ?trade teams? that come to Idaho, so they can meet the actual growers. So far we have hosted the Philippine Bakers & Millers trade team as well as the Japan Trade team in our home. The international guests marvel at being invited to a grower?s home, having a dinner and the rapport it builds between growers and buyers.
- Missouri Farm Girl Deena Aaron
Today we welcome Deena Aaron from Lipstick, Camouflage and Farm Life as she shares with us her adventures of Missouri farm life! My story is about being a Missouri farm girl and loving every minute of it. My husband Richard takes care of the family...
- Farmer Bright's Dairy
Today we welcome Ryan Bright, a.k.a. "Farmer Bright" as he shares with us his story of how he came to work full time on a dairy farm alongside his father and un When people ask me how long I've been farming I always have a hard time answering them....
- Tales From A Kansas Farm Mom
Today we welcome Nicole Small from Kansas! She is passionate about farming and teaching the next generation about where their food comes from! Hi my name is Nicole Small. My husband, Randy, and I farm together in Southeast Kansas. We are both the 5thgeneration...
- Weckerly Farms
Meet Tessa and Chad Weckerly members of a multi-generational grain farm located in central North Dakota! Ours is a multi-generational grain farm including my husband and I, my husband's grandparents, parents, and brother and sister-in-law....
- Kris And Carla Wardin
Meet Kris and Carla Wardin. They were just a couple of farm kids working in the corporate world who found their way back to the farm. They now own and operate a dairy farm in Michigan Here is their story... After college, my husband Kris and I were...
Agriculture
Gayle Anderson
Welcome Gayle, a farm wife who is determined to help put a face to agriculture and connect consumers with the farmers who produce their food.
Hi, my name is Gayle Anderson and I am married to a 4th generation farmer in North Idaho.
I began my passion for being an ?Agra-diva? back in 2009 when I attended a Women?s Leadership conference in beautiful North Carolina which was sponsored by Syngenta and the National Assoc. of Wheat Growers. From there, one of the most important messages that I took back with me was that women in Ag can reach consumers like no one else. Women tend to have better communication skills and as they put it, ?are more believable? when we tell our story. After all, who is going to argue with a farm-mom?
So I started blogging about our farm to put a face on the family farmer as a way to ?tell our story, our way?. I also use my blog as a tool to interact with consumers and at the end of my blog; I always post my email address for questions.
My husband and I also started our ?Dinner on the Farm? where the consumer guest comes out to the farm, we have about an hour farm tour of crop/equipment, then we all head to the farmhouse for a hearty meal and great conversation. This is our fourth year of doing it and this year, Farm Journal magazine is coming to do a story on it. Our dinner is a free event, but it is by application or invite only to keep the numbers small and manageable so people have a small intimate group where they can freely ask questions and almost have a one on one visit with the farmer (we usually have 8 guests and 4 farm hosts).
A video from one of last year?s dinners is included below. I took this video with me back to Chicago when I presented at the first Agriculture Women?s Executive conference on my role of using outreach efforts to help bridge the gap between consumer and those of us who grow what we all eat. Our Dinner on the Farm is during our garbanzo harvest, which is less hectic than the wheat harvest and the guests love this event.
Our local state grain associations also have us host ?trade teams? that come to Idaho, so they can meet the actual growers. So far we have hosted the Philippine Bakers & Millers trade team as well as the Japan Trade team in our home. The international guests marvel at being invited to a grower?s home, having a dinner and the rapport it builds between growers and buyers.
Thanks so much Gayle for sharing your story and for being such a great voice for agriculture!
Be sure you watch the video of the Anderson's Dinner on the Farm, visit Gayle at her blog, and follow her on twitter! If you or someone you know should be featured as a Face of Agriculture, please contact us, we need to share your story!
- Missouri Farm Girl Deena Aaron
Today we welcome Deena Aaron from Lipstick, Camouflage and Farm Life as she shares with us her adventures of Missouri farm life! My story is about being a Missouri farm girl and loving every minute of it. My husband Richard takes care of the family...
- Farmer Bright's Dairy
Today we welcome Ryan Bright, a.k.a. "Farmer Bright" as he shares with us his story of how he came to work full time on a dairy farm alongside his father and un When people ask me how long I've been farming I always have a hard time answering them....
- Tales From A Kansas Farm Mom
Today we welcome Nicole Small from Kansas! She is passionate about farming and teaching the next generation about where their food comes from! Hi my name is Nicole Small. My husband, Randy, and I farm together in Southeast Kansas. We are both the 5thgeneration...
- Weckerly Farms
Meet Tessa and Chad Weckerly members of a multi-generational grain farm located in central North Dakota! Ours is a multi-generational grain farm including my husband and I, my husband's grandparents, parents, and brother and sister-in-law....
- Kris And Carla Wardin
Meet Kris and Carla Wardin. They were just a couple of farm kids working in the corporate world who found their way back to the farm. They now own and operate a dairy farm in Michigan Here is their story... After college, my husband Kris and I were...