The mission of Annie’s Project is to empower farm women to be better business partners through networks and by managing and organizing critical information. Annie’s Project is dedicated to the life of Annette Kohlhagen Fleck (1922-1997) and was founded by her daughter Ruth Fleck Hambleton, a University of Illinois Extension Educator, farm wife, and mother. The program was held for the first time in 2003 and has been very successful throughout the Midwest . Since that time, over 650 farm women have completed the six week course in risk management.
According to Jane Janecek, from Washington , Iowa , “I have completely enjoyed Annie’s Project. It made me realize that I am on task with some aspects of my record keeping and that I need to improve in others.” Luetta Greene, from Crawfordsville , Iowa , continued, “ This project has opened up communication and information shared between my husband and myself. I work full time in town, and I have learned so much from this project that will help me help my husband with our farm business.”
Women play an important role in the family farm business and Annie’s Project will help them improve their management and communication skills. It will also provide the opportunity for women to network with other women in similar situations and learn from one another.
Annie’s Project will be offered in two Ohio counties in the winter of 2007 as a result of funding by a North Central Risk Management Education Center Grant. The Wood County program will be coordinated by Doris Herringshaw, OSU Extension Educator. The Bowling Green Annie’s Project will begin on January 9, 2007 and will run for six consecutive Tuesday evenings. The classes will be held from 6:00 – 9:00 pm .
The second session of Annie’s Project will be held in Delaware County beginning on February 1, 2007 and running for six consecutive Thursday nights. It will also be held from 6:00 – 9:00 pm. Rob Leeds, OSU Extension Educator will be coordinating the Delaware series.
Topics in both counties will include Colors Personality workshop, financial record keeping, understanding basic financial statements, financial management tools, goal setting and mission statement writing, commodity marketing basics, crop insurance, family communication, farm transition, liability issues, land rental contracts and other contracts.
The registration fee is $60 and class space is limited. For registration information for the Delaware session, contact Rob Leeds at 740-833-2030. For Wood County , contact Doris Herringshaw at 419-354-9050 or check out the website at http://wood.osu.edu/fcs/fcs.htm .