Women interested or involved in the profession of managing livestock can learn more about the industry Jan. 19 at Apple Creek Golf Course north of Airdrie, at the 2019 Ladies Livestock Lessons.
“[The event] was developed with the goals of encouraging and educating women, and also giving them the opportunity to network,” said Lorelee Grattidge, sustainable agriculture specialist with Mountain View County.
The event has been hosted annually since 2007, Grattidge said, organized by Red-Bow Agricultural Partnership in conjunction with several Alberta municipalities and organizations including Rocky View County, Mountain View County, Foothills Forage and Grazing Association and Alberta Agriculture and Forestry.
According to Grattidge, the event includes classroom sessions and hands-on activities to give women an opportunity to learn and socialize. This year’s keynote speaker is Maggie Van Camp, who Grattidge said will discuss how succession planning can help build family businesses.
“Otherwise, we have Stina Nagel with the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association speaking to social media and how to use that when promoting your farm business,” Grattidge said. “Also, Donna Lawrence is going to be covering poisonous plant [identification], when you’re looking at your grazing management.”
Other sessions will focus on teaching youth about agriculture, Alberta farm animal care 101, hybrid vigor scoring and solar waterer care and fencing.
“A big highlight every year for the ladies is the networking, too,” Grattidge said. “You know, being able to talk to each other, learn from each other and have that comfortable setting where you can ask any sort of question.”
The event costs $50, which Grattidge said includes lunch, coffee, snacks and a registration package. Capacity for this year’s event is 125 women, as Grattidge said organizers prefer to keep the event small enough to encourage interaction between attendees.
Sign-in on the day of the event will begin at 8:30 a.m., with the program starting at 9 a.m. and ending at 4:30 p.m. Grattidge said spots need to be reserved ahead of time through eventbrite.ca
Online registration was scheduled to close Jan. 14, but Grattidge said it would be extended if spots were still available for the event, and encouraged anyone interested in the Ladies Livestock Lessons to check the event page.
“This year, registrations have been coming in slower than we’re used to,” she said. “Usually, we sell out early and are having to turn people away, but I’d say [as of Jan. 10] we’re only at about 50 per cent full, so there’s definitely still room.”
More information about the event can also be found at redbowag.com
