'Farm Chicks' want other women to start similar group
May 21, 2012
The Farm Chicks group during one of their meetings. Clockwise from far left: Shannon Buckland, Phyllis Horvath, Connie Holzwart, Vanessa Igole, and Betty Tyler.
PLYMOUTH — Since February, a small group of six women has been meeting regularly to share their ideas on sustainable living. They call themselves the “Farm Chicks” although not every member lives on a farm. Group leader Phyllis Horvath pointed out that “Being a farm girl isn’t about where you live, but how you live.”
The women have diverse backgrounds, but a common interest: learning how to support themselves by taking up lost skills like sewing, gardening, canning, and more. They are interested in helping other women start groups like theirs, in hopes that all the groups could meet annually for a larger event.
“It’s such a good way for women of our age to have friends again after they’ve retired,” said Horvath, adding, “We are looking to help other women create their own groups, then we would be sister groups.”
“We have a good time, but we are serious about it too,” said group member Connie Holzwart.
The Farm Chicks are willing to offer suggestions to women interested in the group’s concept. Their plan is casual: the group usually meets at Horvath’s home where they eat, discuss projects they are working on, and share ideas they’ve seen in publications and online about sustainable living. Though they meet only once a month, group member Vanessa Ingole said that she stays in contact through email with other group members between meetings.
“It’s a group about the basics of living a stress-free life,” said Horvath.
Ingole added, “We are just coming up alongside of something that is already a movement.”
Future projects the Farm Chicks are interested in include offering classes for young girls and doing more community service projects. Find out more about their group and how to start something similar by contacting Horvath on Facebook, by email at phyllis.horvath@yahoo.com, or by calling 574-784-3533.
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Farm Chicks
May 21, 2012 by Anonymous, 1 year 4 days ago
Comment: 14059
Way to go ladies. I'm 52 and about 15 years ago I became interested in the lost art of vegetable gardening and canning. My grandmother was a farm wife and I remember churning butter on the front porch of her house when I was small. With the advent of convienience came the onslaught of fast food and pre-packaged grocery store food. The true farm keeping art was lost to my mother's generation. I am teaching my daughter how to can our produce and she now has great interest in healing with herbal remedies. My granddaughters and grandson have expressed interest in gardening and assisted by pulling weeds and snapping beans. My mother has also been a great help and has revived her gardening instincts and passed on great stories of her mother's farm arts.