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MACOUPIN COUNTY
Soil & Water Conservation
District
Women Caring for the Land: Free Conservation Discussion and Field Tour
Macoupin County Extension, Carlinville, IL
July 17, 2015
Women who own or manage farmland in Macoupin and surrounding counties are invited to
participate in a free conservation discussion and field tour on July 17 in Carlinville. The program
is called Women Caring for the LandSM – a women only peer-to-peer, informal discussion about
individual land stewardship goals and sharing information with one another.
The meeting will be held Friday July 17 at the Macoupin County Extension Office, #60
Carlinville Plaza, Carlinville, IL 62626. The meeting starts at 9:00 am with registration
starting at 8:30. We will provide a continental breakfast, lunch and an optional afternoon field
tour which will allow participants to view farmland conservation practices in the area. The
program will end at the Extension Office with refreshments at 3 pm.
Estimates indicate that women now own or co-own nearly half the farmland in the Midwestern
Corn Belt and are increasingly managing farmland on their own as they inherit it from their
spouses or parents. Many women wonder whether they are doing all they can to improve soil
and water quality while maintaining high agricultural productivity. In this workshop, we’ll discuss
individual land stewardship goals, some basic principles of healthy soil and share information
with one another. Women conservationists will help facilitate the discussion and share
resources that can help you reach your conservation goals, such as USDA cost-share programs
and other tools.
The afternoon field tour will be focused on soil health practices. We will not be straying far from
the road, but please bring sturdy shoes and sun protection. We will provide bus transportation
for the tour.
Space is limited for this unique opportunity so please RSVP by 5:00 p.m. Monday, July 13
to the Macoupin County Soil & Water Conservation District by emailing
Rhonda.koehne@IL.nacdnet.net or calling (217) 854-2626, extension 3. If you need
accommodation please notify us when you RSVP. Feel free to invite a friend or family member
– just let us know when you call!
This session of Women Caring for the LandSM is sponsored by American Farmland Trust in
partnership with the Women, Food and Agriculture Network, and the Macoupin County Soil and
Water Conservation District. Staff from these organizations as well as USDA NRCS will be on
hand to answer your questions. More information can be found at:
http://womencaringfortheland.org/illinois/
We promise to make it a fun and interesting day, and hope you can join us!