“Working in agriculture means being able to give back to my community with healthy delicious foods. Farms are harder and harder to find locally, so being a staple in the community feels important and meaningful.”
Handel Family Farm
Q: Tell us about your agricultural operation, your background and how you got started in agriculture.Â
We are a small family run vegetable and cut flower farm that sells our produce on a roadside stand and to some local schools and restaurants. The farm has been in the family since 1865, and I am now the 5th generation farming on this land. I grew up on the farm, and helped my dad grow corn and work in his store, but never saw this as my future. I went to college and got my degrees in athletic training, in which I worked for 12 years before moving back home. I didn’t want to see the land or farm getting turned into condo’s or a parking lot, so I decided to change careers and dive back into farming with my dad and brother.
Q: What does working in agriculture, and specifically being a woman in agriculture, mean to you?
Working in agriculture means being able to give back to my community with healthy delicious foods. Farms are harder and harder to find locally, so being a staple in the community feels important and meaningful. Being a woman, and for me more importantly, a mom in farming, allows me to integrate my kids into my work. They get to see actual results from their hard work, they get to enjoy the fruits of their labor at dinner, and they get to be a part of an amazing family legacy.
Q: What do you wish the next generation of women in agriculture would know about your work? What advice would you give them?
Be flexible. Farming is a lot like parenting, where so much is out of your control, so you have to learn to roll with it. Work hard on the things you can control, and your time will feel better spent.
Q: Have you had access to formal education or informal training programs to help you grow your operation?
I have attended many of Uconn Extensions courses and conferences, and I have taken some courses online to improve my business operation.
Q: What would make it easier for women in agriculture to access the capital they need?
A mentor program specifically for women farmers. I have appreciated and gained so much knowledge from the Women’s Business Development Council of CT, and to have a similar network of farmers would be so helpful for any farmer in any stage of their growth.
Q: What technologies or innovations have made the biggest difference on your farm? How do you stay informed about best practices, weather, markets, or new technologies?
I have invested in Quickbooks to help keep my finances in order as we begin to expand. Attending conferences and courses help me stay up to date on certain aspects of farming.
The post Becky Jack appeared first on NASDA.
