"Female Farmers are Coming into Their Own—and Networking is Key to Their Success"

So as I was working on this piece for Civil Eats it was fascinating to hear how women are really becoming a force for sustainable farming in the upper Midwest. There's even a bit of a political movement – which is another story. Sustainable farming is still a tiny sector, but there seems to be a movement going on, particularly energized by women. That's anecdotal. The story
sticks to quotes, facts, and figures.

Who didn't make it into the final story, which was scrambling to include the latest UDSA census, was Atina Diffley, another remarkable trailblazer in sustainable farming. It was clear that a shift occurred somewhere in the early 2000's in which women started making their presence known in farming communities. This work for equal footing in the industry across the Midwest is still a work in progress. 

Left: Sylvia Burgos Toftness, Rancher, grass-fed organic advocate, radio broadcaster, and amazing woman!