An increasingly common scene in America is of stressed-out urbanites fleeing the big city to find quality of life in a small town. But after decades of losing population to cities and struggling with economic hard times, does rural America still provide that renowned quality of life? In Northeast Nebraska, a group of farm women from the small town of Bow Valley hope so. They began meeting in 1995 to share ideas on how to improve the quality of their rural lives. Enhanced Quality of Life, or EQUAL, is what they call themselves, and their goal is to preserve and enhance the wellbeing of the families and community of Bow Valley. They don’t define what they mean by "quality of life" because, as member Linda Kleinschmit says, it is different for each family depending on their circumstances. "Being able to choose what they want as quality of life, both financially and emotionally, and make it a possibility" is what the group is all about, according to Kleinschmit
Meeting in homes, mostly in the winter, these women found that one of their best resources is themselves. Their meetings link established farm women with those just getting started so that they can discuss shared problems and solutions. The diversity of ages and family situations brings differing attitudes together and increases the learning within the group. A support structure is being built in Bow Valley which EQUAL members can call on confidently when needed.
The group has purposely remained small to build strong relationships among the core members, but non-members are invited to many of its activities. The pursuit of quality of life has led EQUAL to support activities covering such subjects as alternative medicine, CPR, financial management, organic gardening, and alternative farming practices. The group has also worked with Fordyce Organic Growers and Hoofmasters, both nearby IMPACT groups looking at alternative farming practices. However, in EQUAL, the focus is on families and women. As one member put it, "It is real hard to have sustainable farms if you don’t have sustainable families."
Their most popular function was a daylong session in early 1997 called "Farming with Family." It covered family farming concerns such as family conflicts, stress, and communication. EQUAL has also worked closely with County Extension Educator Sally Ebmeier in presenting several Women’s Wellness Days. "At first EQUAL asked Extension to put on these programs," says Kleinschmit," but now the group is taking over more of the responsibilities."
Organizing, publicizing, making decisions, and presenting their ideas in public is an important part of EQUAL. Slowly, over the last two years, members have found that their vision of what is possible has broadened. They have more abilities than they had thought and they have found that their ideas are worth sharing. Kleinschmit says that being involved in the group has strengthened their commitment to the community and desire to share in it.
The group has identified local child care as one of Bow Valley's needs. Decreased farm profits, expensive health care and other economic factors have forced some area mothers to take off-farm employment. Mothers often resorted to childcare in the larger but more distant towns because there was none in Bow Valley or the surrounding communities. The EQUAL group decided to determine the extent of the need for childcare, the support that existed in the community, and to identify people willing to become involved. Funding from Interchurch Ministries of Nebraska allowed EQUAL members to conduct a survey of families in the area. In the process they found a family already thinking about starting a day care business. The group now plans to support this family in providing day care service.
Last year, EQUAL participated in an exchange with a women’s group in Massachusetts. In June, seven women from dairy farms around Northhampton, Massachusetts, came to stay with EQUAL members for five busy days. The women toured farms, attended a Women’s Wellness Day, and shared their differing perspectives. In November, EQUAL members traveled to Massachusetts to visit the dairy farms there. They learned that farm women in both Nebraska and Massachusetts share such common concerns as low prices for their farm’s products, taxes, and sustaining families on the farm.
In 1998, EQUAL plans to hold another wellness day and give cooking classes, among other things. As Linda Kleinschmit says, "You never know what we’ll do next."
Contact: Linda Kleinschmit, Bow Valley, 402-254-3310