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Soil Sisters’ Roots “We started planning the business a few months before
the pandemic,” says Storm, “By the time the country was
in lockdown, we had received such huge support from
In 2012, Soil Sisters began hosting an on-farm event the our fellow Soil Sisters that we couldn’t press pause. They
first weekend in August. It began with tours on six, women-
owned farms. Garnering community praise, it grew into the were counting on us to be ready for fall harvest, and their
largest women-farmer led event of its kind in the country enthusiasm was the security we needed to carry on.”
and now includes a full weekend of on-farm workshops,
culinary experiences and bus tours, involving over 20 Stepping up to Leadership
women-owned farms.
The groundswell of interest, from a growing contingency Soil Sisters has also inspired several of its participants to run
of women, meant the project needed support. It found it for public office, including county board and county clerk.
this year with Renewing the Countryside, “My motivation to run for county
a Minnesota-based nonprofit that helps board came when there was a large
bolster local farming communities. The The hard-working industrial dairy angling to start in my
new partnership brought grant-funding area. I started attending related meetings
opportunities and other resources to women of Soil Sisters to voice my environmental concerns over
continue Soil Sisters’ grassroots cultivation. won Edible Madison the impact this operation would have,”
With potlucks and farm events on shares Erica Roth of Ewetopia Hill Farm
hiatus during COVID-19, Soil Sisters’ magazine’s 2018 Local in Albany, Wisc. “But my inspiration
listserv operates as a lifeline for its came from the women in our Soil
members—with ideas on everything Food Hero award for Sisters community who enthusiastically
from pivoting to new markets when supported me from the start. Knowing
restaurant sales dry up to finding local their work in producing they had my back gave me the
meat processors. food and fiber while confidence to take on—and successfully
defeat—a long-time incumbent.”
Budding Business Opportunities stewarding the Kriss Marion of Circle M Farm
landscape. in Blanchardville, Wisc., found similar
When they are in full swing, Soil Sisters motivation from Soil Sisters. She
gatherings are far more than stereotypical hopes to bring a new voice to the State
potlucks. They create a collaborative space from which new Assembly, as she looks to win a seat held
businesses emerge, like Landmark Creamery, an award- by a long-term incumbent.
“Campaigns can be brutal when you’re in the public
winning cheesemaking venture in Paoli, Wisc., between Anna
Landmark and Anna Thomas Bates. eye and have all sorts of criticism and negativity thrown at
Landmark and Bates met at a Soil Sisters potluck you, especially when you are promoting change that would
while Landmark was earning her cheesemaking license and shake up the agricultural status quo,” says Marion. “Our
launching her own operation. She needed a partner to help Soil Sisters group is my lifeline of positive energy to keep
advocating for change.”
with the business and marketing. Bates, a savvy food writer,
gladly filled that role. As our rural communities evolve and adapt, the need
“We’re both moms with kids in the same school district, for local connections and supportive colleagues remains
but we never met until these women-in-agriculture potlucks,” higher than ever. Groups like Soil Sisters play a vital
recalls Landmark. “Even if we had met in a school setting, role in stewarding the land, championing local food and
shaping the future. To learn more about how Soil Sisters
I’m not sure we would have had the opportunity to connect
in a way that we did over cheese and wine. The potluck is celebrating rural life and meeting community needs,
provides a welcoming, supportive setting through which visit renewingthecountryside.org/women_in_ag and
women like myself and Anna feel comfortable sharing our soilsisterswi.org.
big-picture visions and dreams.”
The latest Soil Sisters-inspired start-up is Driftless
Traditional Tannery, a venture offering natural tanning for Lisa Kivirist was a founding member of Soil Sisters and currently serves
sheepskins and goat hides. Bethany Storm, Brandi Bonde, as project director. She and her family run Inn Serendipity Farm and
and Danielle Dockery, the visionaries behind the tannery, B&B in Wisconsin, completely powered by renewable energy. She has
recognized an opportunity because of increasing numbers also co-authored a range of books on food and sustainability with her
husband, John Ivanko, including Homemade for Sale, Farmstead Chef,
of small-scale farmers and homesteaders looking to preserve
the skins of their animals. and Soil Sisters.

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