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THE LAND — APRIL 29/MAY 6, 2022
www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”
Women’s Ag Leadership Conference was great experience By WHITNEY NESSE The Land Correspondent CHASKA, Minn. — On April 13 at The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, around 200 women gathered for the 24th annual Women’s Agricultural Leadership Conference. The conference room was bustling with conversation and networking between high school and college students, producers, lenders, ag education supervisors, FFA and 4-H representatives, ag professionals and extension educators. The theme for this year’s conference was “Agriculture 2022: Deep Roots Strong Future;” and the lineup of speakers and breakout session topics reflected the theme well. Stacked with women excelling professionally in the agricultural industry, there was much to glean at this one-day event. Helping her students develop deep roots and strive towards a strong future, Tracy Nelson, ag teacher and FFA advisor for the Dassel-Cokato school district, has high hopes for the future of agriculture. “I brought six high school students. Girls that I have [with me], have some leadership roles in our chapter. I want to show them how to network and show them that women can have a strong role in agriculture. There is so much variety and so many different careers in agriculture,” Nelson said.
Natalie said. Natalie also said that she was looking forward to learning more about the agricultural industry while in attendance. During a panel discussion, those attending heard from Sarah Dornink, executive director of MALEC; Heather Moore, owner of Moore Family Farms and Moore Local; and Corey Scott, livestock sustainability services leader with Truterra, LLC, a division of Land O’ Lakes. When asked to comment on growing for the future, Scott responded with encouragement. “Growth is different for every person for every different season of life. Growth isn’t always bigger and better,” she said. Moore chimed Photo by Whitney Nesse in saying it is always good to analyze the worst case scenario when making business decisions. She is very hopeful when talking about the next generation of young ladies joining the agricultural If you can accept and make peace with the worst industry. “I think that they are creative and they are case, then move forward towards goals. All three of determined. They can hold their own,” Nelson stated. the panelists agreed that exploring options with an agile mindset is beneficial when making decisions Also attending the conference was Natalie and take challenges in stride. Neumann, a high school senior from Maple Lake, The Women’s Agricultural Leadership Conference Minn. Neumann and her cohorts were wearing their green blazers and representing the 4-H state ambas- is organized by women from a variety of ag backsadors. This was the first time she had attended this grounds as well as numerous ag organizations, focusconference and was looking forward to facilitating ing on the fundamental role women play in agriculround table discussions regarding the opportunities ture. By helping develop deep roots, the future of v 4-H has to offer. “This is my thirteenth year in 4-H,” women in agriculture looks bright.
Animal get-togethers have many names Sometimes, you’re such a goose. “The Social Lives of Animals” And that’s okay; a little horsing around by Ashley Ward never hurt anyone and times with friends c.2022, Basic Books are the best. You can chatter like monkeys, laugh like hyenas, get a little $30.00 squirrely, and memories are made like 373 pages that. You need your friends to get wild every now and then; and in “The Social Teamwork may Lives of Animals” by Ashley Ward, you’ll THE BOOKWORM be essential at see that flying, running, climbing, and SEZ your job, just as it crawling creatures are really no different By Terri Schlichenmeyer is with army at all. ants. One bite Anyone watching a few dogs playing in from a single a park, or a clowder of cats in a windowsill would army ant hurts like crazy but likely agree that animals can form relationships. it won’t kill you. A bunch of army But how does that matter to humans? ants, though? That’s a different matter entirely. Says Ward, being able to “trace direct... parallels Flocks of birds have influenced the making of selfbetween our own societies and those of the animals driving vehicles. Fish have taught scientists how ... [can] help us to appreciate how sociality shapes many influencers are needed to move a crowd. our lives...” Studies with rats show the effects of dense crowding on mental health, and cows are good at recognizing We love to gather in groups, for instance, and friends by their portraits. Hyenas communicate to Antarctic krill likewise hate to be alone. As it turns the pack which prey they plan to hunt for the day. out, gathering in large groups helps keep krill alive because it confounds whales, who enjoy krill for din- Whales play, and dolphins play with them. Monkeys ner. Being in groups keeps locusts alive, too. Locusts lie to get what they want. Animals innovate, reason, are can be cannibals, and the innate desire not to be have a culture, and communicate, Ward says, and eaten keeps them all moving “in the same direction.” they have a lot to tell us...
So you say that someone called you a birdbrain the other day. What a compliment, as you’ll see when you read “The Social Lives of Animals.” Chances are (especially if you’re an animal lover) you’ve already an observer of animal behavior and, if so, you’ll be happy that author Ashley Ward extends your knowledge. There are, it seems, dozens of facts on each page that will delight lovers of fin, feather, and fur, as well as new findings and fascinating anecdotes. But this book isn’t all serious bull. Ward is a lively writer who’s obviously interested in his subject — he’s a professor of Animal Behavior at the University of Sydney, after all — and his personal tales of exploration and discovery are academically lighthearted, like cocktail party banter that’ll make you chuckle. Perfect for armchair biologists and animal lovers of all kinds, this is one of those “hey, listen to this” kinds of books that you’ll want to share out loud. Start “The Social Lives of Animals” and you’ll go ape over it. The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. Terri has been reading since she was 3 years old and never goes anywhere without a book. She lives in Wisconsin with three dogs and 10,000 books. v
