It is almost time for the 2026 KRC Food and Farm Conference. I am excited about the program we are pulling together. This year’s agenda spans a wide range of topics, including cooperatives, local food system building, farm infrastructure, conservation, livestock management, energy production and efficiency. Together, these sessions reflect a variety of ways Kansans are working to respond to the complex challenges and opportunities facing our rural communities.
Twenty years ago this spring, my family and I moved back to Kansas to start a farm. Our goal was to farm sustainably, beginning with organic vegetable production. At the time, I was studying sustainable agriculture in Minnesota and was familiar with the strong networks and support systems that existed around those ideas in the Upper Midwest. When I returned to Kansas, I participated in the Growing Growers program, without realizing at the time that the Kansas Rural Center had helped start it. I also connected with organic growers in Northeast Kansas and became involved with the Rolling Prairie Farmers Alliance, still unaware of how closely these efforts were tied to KRC.
For a long time, I struggled to find my place within the broader, statewide farming community. That changed when I first attended a Kansas Rural Center Conference. I do not remember exactly what year that was, only that it was well into my farming journey. What I do remember is how engaging the conversations were, how valuable the presentations seemed and how interesting the other attendees were. I found the ideas being shared to be energizing and the sense of community to be inspiring.
Now, I find myself looking at the conference from the other side, working to shape an agenda that speaks to people who are looking to build a more sustainable future for rural Kansas. From my perspective, one of the most encouraging changes over the past two decades is how much that community in Kansas seems to have grown. Today, there are many spaces where farmers, conservationists, food system advocates and rural Kansans can come together to talk about soil health and conservation, local food systems, alternative farm economics, and more. I am proud that KRC continues to play a central role in connecting these diverse conversations and building community around a shared vision for a stronger, more resilient Kansas.
Join Kansas Rural Center at this year’s Food and Farm Conference on February 14th, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. SpringHill Suites, Lawrence, KS. In celebration of our 47th year championing the health of the land and people of Kansas, tickets are just $47.
Gather with old friends and meet new ones including farmers, organizations, and community members, for a day of collaboration, connection, and vision-building as we explore how to strengthen our communities and support one another in changing times.
