Getting To Know You:
PFI Women Tell All
Virginia Wadsley, Des Moines
Who is the PFI woman? That question was posed at a number of PFI gatherings as members
pondered how best to meet the needs and tap the resources of women related to PFI. Then,
last winter, PFI women told all – well, maybe not all, but a lot – as they
responded to the “Getting to Know You” questionnaire sent to every PFI
household.
From the responses to the survey, a composite picture emerges. The PFI woman is an
active, educated person in her 40s who grew up on or near a farm, is married and highly
involved with her family life, does volunteer or paid work off the farm, and is interested
in a wide range of ag-related issues. Her greatest immediate needs are financial/material
and emotional with a desire for more education and technical information. Long-term, her
primary concerns are making ends meet and the future of her children, along with
preserving and sustaining the family farm, the land, and rural culture. She likes to
travel, read, write, and do crafts, outdoor, and nature activities, especially gardening.
The PFI woman feels moderately connected with her community but has a low level of
participation in PFI. She is interested in getting together with other PFI women for
various kinds of sharing.
The above summary profile is drawn from the most frequent answers to the questions asked.
However, responses revealed rich variations. Let’s dig deeper.
