Queen Bee Sessions

Queen Bee Session 11: Heidi Hankley

The Queen Bee Sessions are monthly-ish conversations with Wisconsin Women in Conservation (WiWiC), a collaboration between four Wisconsin agricultural organizations who are seeking to connect more women landowners and farmers with conservation resources and funding. The podcast is hosted by WiWiC Communications Specialist Kriss Marion. In July, Kriss chatted with Heidi Hankley, a prairie property owner in rural Green County. Heidi won the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources "State Natural Areas Volunteer Stewards of the Year Award in 2022 for a decade of efforts to preserve and enhance the York Prairie State Natural Areas, a 145-acre public prairie down the road from her. In this Session, we talk about State Natural Areas that protect "little gems," the best times for collecting native seed from prairies and roadsides, balancing volunteerism with family, combining art and land stewardship and how it all started with salamanders and cousins. Listen in!

Queen Bee Session 10: Patty Schevers

The Queen Bee Sessions are monthly(ish) conversations with Wisconsin Women in Conservation, a collaboration between four Wisconsin agricultural organization seeking to connect more women landowners and farmers with conservation resource and funding. This podcast is hosted by WiWiC Communications Specialist Kriss Marion. In July, Kriss talks with Patti Schevers of Our Thunder Moon, a fourth generation land steward on her family's Century Farm in Oneida, WI. Patti, her family, and her partner Brad took the family's 100 acres through a conservation transformation in 2020. With the help of Pheasants Forever and federal conservation programs, they were able to plant 10,000 trees and shrubs, plant 90 acres of native prairie wildflowers and grasses and create three wildlife "scrapes" or ponds. Patti talks about how the project was funded, how the plan evolved, and what her hope is for this incredible property.

Queen Bee Session 9: Lauren Langworthy

In May 2023, we're talking with Lauren Langworthy of Blue Ox Farm in Wheeler.  Lauren calls herself a grass farmer and explores her farm history from organic veggies to grazing diverse livestock. She's also the director of Special Projects with Wisconsin Farmers Union and discusses the importance of mentorship and support in the farm community.    The Queen Bee Sessions feature Wisconsin women farmers, landowners and conservationists who are making strides to protect soil, water, and wildlife in our fair state. The Sessions are hosted by Wisconsin Women in Conservation communications lead Kriss Marion, who practices managed grazing with sheep and hosts farmstay guests at Circle M Market Farm in SW Wisconsin.   For more information on Wisconsin Women in Conservation events and to receive The Buzz monthly e-newsletter, visit WiWiC.org.

Queen Bee Session 8: Joy Miller

This month we're talking with Joy Miller of Keewaydin Farms in Viola, Wisconsin, and the Executive Director of Driftless Curiosity, a land-based non-profit that seeks to foster the public's connection to conservation and land.    Miller helps run the farm's CSA and hosts 30 experiential events on the farm each season. Follow her Driftless Curiosity Journal on instagram and Facebook. Read the Journal and sign up for events at Drifltesscuriosity.org.    For more information on Wisconsin Women in Conservation events and to receive The Buzz monthly e-newsletter, visit WiWiC.org.

Queen Bee Session 7: Una VanDuvall & Ife Olatunji

The Queen Bee Sessions feature Wisconsin women farmers, landowners and conservationists who are making strides to protect soil, water, and wildlife in our fair state. The Sessions are hosted by Wisconsin Women in Conservation communications lead Kriss Marion, who practices managed grazing with sheep and hosts farmstay guests at Circle M Market Farm in SW Wisconsin. She kicks off Women's History Month 2023 by talking with history makers Una VanDuvall of Milwaukee, a community organizer with Michael Fields Agricultural Institute [https://www.michaelfields.org/], and her talented daughter Ife Olatunji, visual anthropologist and founder of Freedom Lover Films [https://www.freedomloverfilms.com/]. These women have deep and enduring roots in Nicodemus [https://www.nicodemushistoricalsociety.org/], Kansas, the frontier community established by African Americans at the end of the Civil War that still survives today. The family continues to support and organize the famous Nicodemus Homecoming [https://www.nicodemushomecoming.org/] every July. 2023 will be the 145th Emancipation Celebration in Nicodemus! Listen in as they explore the power and promise of history, family, community and hope. Check out the links, and follow Freedom Lover Films and Michael Fields Agricultural Institute on Facebook.