Amanda Walter returned to Georgia one year ago with a background in computer science and virtually no experience in agriculture.
Walter, 41, had become desensitized with the hustle and bustle of the cybersecurity industry in Utah, and she wanted a fresh start for her and her family.
Upon returning to her home state, she found that new beginning in life on the farm.
She said she’s still working on building up their property to 16 acres in nearby Monroe, but she hasn’t received extensive practical knowledge in working on a farm.
To help bridge that gap, Walter signed up for the UGA Extension’s Southern Women in Agriculture workshop, a program at the Oglethorpe County Extension Office last Friday.
Shanna Reynolds, the UGA County Extension Coordinator for Oglethorpe County, said the goal was to help participants develop their skills, enhance their business acumen and grow their love of agriculture. The $40, nine-hour workshop ran attendees through rotating stations of various disciplines.
Tractor instruction focused on the nuts and bolts of owning and operating — engine repair, responsible handling, fueling — while the trucks and trailers station showed participants how to properly hitch a trailer to a truck and safely drive the vehicle both forward and backward.
The foraging lessons were about taking care of the land, and cattle handling taught participants how to deal with the often-skittish temperaments of the animals.
Walter said she was interested because the event offered valuable information and seemed like an approachable space for someone new to the field.
“It’s been much better than I really thought,” Walter said. “This has been much more friendly and inviting than I expected.”
Stephanie Butcher, the Coweta County Extension Coordinator and another instructor at the event, said she thought the all-woman approach helped foster a welcoming atmosphere. Approximately 30 women from around the state were in attendance.
Butcher said women can sometimes be intimidated by male instructors, and the organizers wanted to give participants an environment in which they felt free to express themselves.
Pam Gilbert, an Oglethorpe County resident, agreed that the open climate of the event was refreshing.
“You don’t feel like you’re stupid (at all-woman events),” Gilbert said. “You learn a lot more, and you feel more comfortable asking questions.”
Butcher said the UGA Extension tried to hold agriculture workshops at least once a year, though this was the first all-woman event since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Both instructors said they’d be happy to see more Southern Women in Agriculture workshops in the future.
Reynolds said the agriculture industry is becoming more welcoming to women in general.
“Don’t be intimidated by it,” she said. “Women farmers make up a huge percentage of our farming population in the U.S. — so, you know, we’re not bound by traditional stereotypes, and there’s resources out there that can help you be successful.”