OTTAWA, OH (WLIO) - The Ohio State University Extension of Putnam County and the Putnam Soil and Water Conservation District are holding a series of roundtables called “Women for the Land."
Now more than ever, women like Traci Bultemeier are taking on bigger roles on the farm than just helping out, from driving the tractors all the way to managing thousands of chickens. While stories like hers are increasingly common, some people still underestimate women in agriculture.
"I’ve had a lot of people think that I am not capable of lifting a lot. My favorite thing is to go to a feed store or pick up a piece of equipment and the salesman will say ‘let me have somebody help us load that,’ and I say, ‘I’m pretty sure I can load it myself or help you load it,’ and then they’re very surprised that I can pick up my half of whatever it is we’re loading. So don’t ever take women for granted about how strong they are," said Bultemeier, who runs her own farm and is the territory manager for Pioneer Hybrid.
The "Women for the Land" series aims to connect women in the industry to learn about the challenges and experiences of others and use that information to help themselves and the next generation of agricultural professionals.
“I would like to see myself being a mentor to others too in the industry, also seek mentorship and still be teachable and set goals. Going forward, just stay involved in the local agriculture community,” says Bekah Meller, a genetic and reproductive advisor at COBA/Select Sires.
Traci shared a story with the group about one woman who was a seed salesperson many years ago, and how men often refused to purchase seed from a female. She says nowadays that attitude is much more rare, and she expects that the mentoring and collaboration of women today will create a very different tomorrow for their daughters.
“Hopefully in 20 years we don’t have to have women in ag support groups or women in ag mentorships, we have people in agriculture, we have learning how to grow better chickens, learning how to make more milk from our dairy cows," she said.
At the end of the day, any job on the farm is hard work and these ladies aren't expecting anything to be handed to them.
“As long as we’re willing to go out there, be respectful, work hard, be teachable and understanding, I mean, the door is open for us out there in agriculture,” Bekah Meller said.
"Women for the Land" sessions are held on a different topic in agriculture every month. To learn more, visit the website: Putnam SWCD, Putnam Soil & Water Conservation District - Ottawa, OH
