Published: March 13, 2008 11:13 am            

The Back Porch: Annie’s Project reveals importance of all levels of involvement

Originally published in the March 7, 2008, print edition.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Mike asked.

“Yep. It’s my idea and I want to do it,” I said.

“You’re going to hate it,” he said.

“I’m going with a good attitude,” I answered.

“It would be like me going to a writer’s class,” Mike said. “You don’t need to do this.”

Not many things surprise my husband, but this one blindsided him. In December I signed up for Annie’s Project, a farm management training for women. Promoted in a November 2007 article in The Land, the project is designed to help farm women better understand the management end of running a farm, while also establishing networks with neighboring professionals.

Six Monday nights in January and February I and about 15 other women gathered from 5:30-9 p.m. at Ridgewater College in Willmar to learn about Farm Service Agency programs, the Finpack business plan, marketing, farm-related spreadsheets and software tools, farm transfer/estate planning, insurances and more.

In the introductory comments made during Commodity Marketing 101, we were told there are three kinds of farm women:

• Actively involved — participates in the process and/or management of the farming operation or in parts of the farming operation.
• Passively involved — has an understanding of at least parts of the farming operation, but may only help occasionally or not at all.
• Mushrooms — the farm wives who are in the dark.

Bret Oelke, our energetic instructor for the marketing course, then asked each one of the women to share her name, tell a little bit about ourselves and what farmwife description best described her. A couple of the ladies up front were admitted mushrooms. Ahh, I was feeling the solidarity of the sisterhood, right up to the point when the women ahead of me shared their farm operation roles.

The five women sitting in front of me were actively involved planting, combining, hauling loads and managing the bulk of the farm operation’s paperwork and finances. Bret was impressed. I was sunk.

What was I to say? I can’t compete with “real” farm women. He pointed to me and I went for what I know — authentic. I said, “My name is Lenae Bulthuis. I grew up on a dairy farm and vowed that I would never marry a farmer.” That brought laughter and resonated with at least one other woman in the group who had made and broke the same promise.

I continued on, “My role on the farm is to make the best lunches that I can, be the farm go-fer, and to listen and encourage my hubby. I’m hoping that after Annie’s Project I’ll be able to contribute more to the conversation than, ‘Yes, uh huh, I don’t know ...’”

Much to my surprise, Bret respected this answer (maybe it was pity, but it seemed genuine) and talked about the importance of wives being listeners and cheerleaders for their husbands in an occupation that can sometimes be cheerless, and is often solitary.

It was the highlight of my evening. Managing price risk, understanding the value of futures contracts and ensuring contract performance may be beyond this mushroom, but I can listen and encourage, and Bret seems to think that’s a value-added characteristic for all farmwives.

There are indeed different types of farm women; in this unique classroom setting, I met some of the best. To the ladies and instructors at Annie’s Project, it was a joy to get to know you. Your passion for your farm operations inspires me. Although we shared a few laughs about how our home remodeling projects are sitting in our husband’s shops in the form of a combine, the pride you have in your family farms was evident. Farm life is indeed the best place to raise a family.

To fellow mushrooms (and ex-mushrooms) everywhere, if the opportunity comes your way, sign up for Annie’s Project. If nothing else, you’ll meet some great farm women and have a greater appreciation for the decisions and farm management that falls on your husband’s plate.

Finally, to my favorite farmer and hubby, you were right — I didn’t need to do this but, contrary to what you originally thought possible, I’m so glad I did. Thank you for wisely choosing to keep me off the farm equipment and being grateful that this mushroom has a place on Bulthuis Farms.

        

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