Building Community & Contributing

Building Community & Contributing

Build networks & ask for what you need -- Loving your pelvic floor

Winter Meditation for Women Farmers

Read by Tammy Counts, EdD

Kansas Black Farmers Association (KBFA)

A grounding reflection for rest, resilience, and renewal

Take a slow breath in... and let it fall gently out.

Allow your body to settle, as if the soil beneath you has softened just enough to

hold you without effort. Winter is the season when the land itself exhales. The

fields rest. The trees pause. The earth gathers strength in silence.

Imagine yourself standing at the edge of your farm on a crisp winter morning.

The air is cool, clean, and honest. The ground may be sleeping, but it is not

empty. Beneath the surface, life is preparing—quietly, faithfully, without

needing to be seen.

Let that truth settle into your spirit.

You, too, are allowed to rest.

You, too, are allowed to gather strength.

You, too, are allowed to grow in ways that no one else can see yet.

Feel the wisdom of winter surrounding you:

• The patience of bare branches

• The courage of seeds waiting in the dark

• The steadiness of soil holding its promise

• The quiet confidence that spring will come

As a woman who works the land, you know that every season has purpose.

Winter is not a pause in your story—it is part of your power. It teaches you to

trust the unseen, to honor your own rhythms, and to remember that rest is holy

work.

Breathe deeply again.

With each inhale, receive strength.

With each exhale, release anything that no longer serves you—worry,

exhaustion, self-doubt.

Let your heart whisper:

I am rooted.

I am resilient.

I am preparing for my next season of abundance.

When you are ready, open your eyes with gratitude for the winter—its stillness,

its clarity, and its quiet blessing over your life and your farm.

Dr. JohnElla's presentation

Thoughts on “Community” from the chat

Community is the microbiome of humans that surround me and my family. I feel the farm actually has its own community - and enriches my community.
I enjoy seeing/visiting with coffee or breakfast/lunch with like minded people. Belong to many different organizations but learn so much from all.
Community is a group of people who support, rely on and care for each other. So glad to have found one here!
When I think of community, a reminder that was shared at a facilitation workshop comes to mind. The host said focus on who is there, who is showing up, not who isn't or who you wish was there. Whoever is there are the right people to be there.
Community for me is defined through feeling - feeling seen & heard, that feeling of connection when we make eye contact or hug, the feeling of being held by care and feeling care for others.
Community is when we all come together caring for one another, sharing with one another and ensuring all are well physically and mentally.
Hoping to rebuild the community and start bringing people back to the table. Community to me is gathering and supporting each other, near and far.
I work hard to make sure I'm involved in local in person community as well as the wonderful virtual and social media communities I participate in - mainly farming and fiber arts.
What comes to mind when i contemplate community, it is defined by interdependence, solidarity, trust, courageous communication, and accountability.
I think community is something I am still learning how to be in, we have a very disconnected society. But, lately I have been working at my local food pantry, hosting game nights at my home (even when it is messy), asking for help, and saying yes when invited to things even when I don't necessarily feel like it.
Community = connection.
This is my favorite conversation so far!! I have laughed out loud MANY times! Laughter is very therapeutic!
We have an extension club that we have been working on getting back up and going. Thank you for the encouragement, I feel like I'm shouting into the void sometimes but will keep pushing.

In partnership with:

This work is supported by the North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center, project award no. 2024-70027-42470 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.