Story and photos by Karen Lee

Nearly 100 women left their families and farms to fend for themselves while they attended an event geared just for them. Chick Day is an expedition organized by Vita Plus Corporation that allows its female clients an opportunity to come together for a day of learning and socializing. Traveling by bus and car from Michigan and Wisconsin, they arrived at Dutch Dairy on Aug. 21. There they were welcomed by the Penterman family, which began farming in Thorp, Wisconsin, in 2002 after selling their farm in the Netherlands.

The women were treated to lunch, a farm and farmstead creamery tour, and workshops on sharing your story with consumers and balancing families and finances before going to dinner at a nearby restaurant. Eliz Greene, the featured dinner speaker, shared her personal experience of delivering twins and having heart bypass surgery in the same day. An author and nationally known speaker, she discussed how women juggle many responsibilities and encouraged the audience not to leave their own health up in the air.

Not only did the dairy women learn something from Greene, but she learned a little about farming from them. At www.embraceyourheart.com/blog/2009/08/27/the-soul-of-farming-busy-womans-guide-to-eating-better/ Greene shares how her one day on the farm altered her consumer perspective of the industry, which brought to life the event’s theme – Sharing Stories, Making a Difference. PD

Above: Marieke Penterman shares how she learned to make Gouda cheese while giving a tour of the on-farm cheese store which has windows to the cheese plant.

Above: Laura Daniels, Heartwood Farm and Vita Plus, (left) and Liz Doornick, Jon-De Farm and AFACT national co-chair, (right) led a workshop on sharing your farm’s story with consumers.