02/17/2026
Register Now for the Women Gaining Ground Conference
Women, Land & Legacy of Southwest Iowa is planning its 11th annual conference! This one-day event is designed to be fun, educational, and empowering for women celebrating rural lifestyles. The conference is scheduled for Saturday, March 7 , 2026, at the Lakin Community Center in Malvern, Iowa. Complimentary breakfast will be available starting at 8:30 AM.
The program will feature sessions on farm succession planning, soil health, and innovative ways producers are diversifying their operations. Tim Christensen, Farm Management Specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, will open the event with a session on succession planning. Christensen will share practical strategies to help farm families prepare for long term stability, protect their legacy, and reduce stress for the next generation. Representatives from LIFE 5b (Local Iowa Food Empowerment 5b), a nonprofit working to strengthen food security across Fremont, Page, and Pottawattamie counties, will discuss their efforts to connect local producers with consumers through fresh produce distribution, a mobile pantry, and community education. Soil health will take center stage as Casey Gathje, NRCS State Outreach Coordinator, and Laura Ferguson, District Conservationist for West Pottawattamie NRCS, lead a hands on session demonstrating conservation practices that support productive and sustainable farming.
The event will also feature a panel on developing second income streams. Panelists include Kathleen Jones of A 1 Nursery, who will share her family’s success with wholesale peony production; Shad Swanson of LIFE 5b; Todd and Lu Peverill of Hillsdale Lily Garden, a multigenerational daylily farm near Glenwood; and Jessa Bears of Sycamore Ridge Farm in Farragut, known for its you pick flowers, fresh produce, and on farm experiences. This event offers producers and community members a chance to learn, connect, and explore new opportunities that strengthen both farm operations and the broader local economy.
Besides outstanding speakers and engaging breakout sessions, participants will enjoy a delicious yogurt bar and donut holes for breakfast, as well as a fabulous lunch catered by Classic Café of Malvern. There will also be swag bags for each participant, a variety of local vendors on hand for shopping and educational resources, exciting door prizes, and the opportunity to connect with 100+ women who share a passion for rural lifestyles.
To keep the registration fee affordable for attendees, financial support from sponsors is sought each year. If your company celebrates the ag industry, and the culture that goes with it, Women, Land & Legacy of Southwest Iowa would love to partner with you!
Vendor applications are currently being accepted. Interested parties are encouraged to email Sadie Lindgren at [email protected].
To register for this exciting event, visit https://go.iastate.edu/CWKGSJ. The fee is $35 per person and includes breakfast, lunch, and a day filled with educational opportunities. Registration will close at midnight on Friday, February 20.
For more information, please contact Fremont County ISU Extension at (712) 374-2351, Mills County ISU Extension at (712) 624-8616, Montgomery County ISU Extension at (712) 623-2592, or Page County ISU Extension at (712) 542-5171. For updates and current information, visit the group’s page by searching Women, Land and Legacy of SW Iowa.
Women, Land & Legacy (WLL) is an education and outreach program designed to educate and empower women. Three to four programs are presented each year to bring relevant information and resources to local women to help them affect positive changes in their communities. WLL of Southwest Iowa serves the counties of Fremont, Mills, Montgomery, and Page. The programs are available to all.
