Attend a workshop for farm women this winter. Learn, share, and meet other women in ag!

• Overall Women, February 4-5, Isle of Capri Hotel, Bettendorf, Iowa
• Iowa Women in Ag Conference, February 20, Hotel Winneshiek, Decorah, Iowa
• Nebraska Women in Agriculture, February 24-25, Kearney, Nebraska
• Arkansas Women in Agriculture, March 1-2, North Little Rock, Arkansas
• Wisconsin Heart of the Farm, one-day workshops around the state, January 27-March 5

"I've learned to apply four invaluable tools as I consult with family businesses: a box of tissues, a mirror, a roll of duct tape, and a 2x4," writes Jolene Brown. "See what happens when you place these four tools on your tabletop. If others can't see the fun or grasp the underlying concepts, remove the items and call in a family business consultant, counselor, or mediator. You're going to need a bigger tool kit."

"With the New Year comes resolutions for many. Losing weight, reducing stress and spending more time with family and friends are traditionally among the top of the list," markets advisor Naomi Blohm writes in her latest Agriculture Online column. "Discipline is essential to any short- or long-term goal. Discipline is also an essential component to farm marketing."

More marketing resources:

"I am a 47-year-old daughter of a life-long hired-hand farmer, and our family gave up a lot," writes C.C. "In hindsight, I would advise farm families to consider very carefully the decision to devote their entire lives to farming, because the fruits of their life-long labors may never be harvested unless they have very good lawyers and iron-clad written contracts." Read more of her story, and Dr. Jonovic's response.

"Every house has a history," writes Farm Issues Editor Cheryl Tevis. "I spent many hours at Grandma's house, where I often imagined the rich tapestry of life interwoven within those walls." This family home was eventually sold, but Cheryl saw it daily while at college and eventually it fell into disrepair. While back in town for a college reunion, she was thrilled to see a young family had moved into the house and is restoring it to its former glory.

If one of your New Year's resolutions is to eat healthier, here's a dish for you. This colorful skillet dinner is also gluten-free, and it tastes so good they'll never know it's "healthy."

Farmers know that routine equipment maintenance prevents downtime. Like regular tune-ups, preventive medical checkups and screening tests for farmers, families and employees should be seen as a cost of doing business. Learn how health and safety affect a farm's bottom line in this special report.

Wheat, rye, and barley are staples of the American diet and an economic mainstay for farmers around the world. That's not likely to change soon. But a growing number of Americans -- one in 133 -- can't digest a protein called gluten found in these crops. Here are some tips for eating well while living a gluten-free lifestyle.

More rural health features:

It's always interesting to learn more about the people we talk with online, so we've put together a fun interactive map that lets Women in Ag put themselves on the map. Take a look at the map, see where your online friends live, and add yourself!

The recently released 2007 Census of Agriculture shows a 30% increase from 2002 in women principal farm operators.