MANHATTAN – A Kansas cowgirl-turned-television-host will be the keynote speaker for this year’s Women Managing the Farm conference, which will be held Feb. 9-11 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan.  

Courtenay DeHoff, known widely as the Fancy Lady Cowgirl, will bring her inspirational message of how she has embraced rural and urban lifestyles through a cowgirl spirit. Her website proclaims her belief that “a cowgirl is not defined by what she wears or where she lives.”  

“Through television, storytelling, fashion, special events, brand partnerships and more, the Fancy Lady Cowgirl mission aims to uplift and embrace women from all walks of life who embody cowgirl qualities,” the website writes.  

DeHoff’s talk will highlight a program that includes several speakers and presenters to help women manage their farms more effectively.  

According to the conference’s organizers, Women Managing the Farm helps prepare women to successfully participate in multiple farm roles by having training, risk management tools and professional resources available to them through conferences, workshops and other opportunities. 

The conference has been held every year since 2005, though last year’s event was online only due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nearly 300 women attended the conference in-person in early 2020.  

This year’s breakout sessions feature several topics, including: 

• Employee management for farms in Kansas. 

• Farm Service Agency programs. 

• Soil health. 

• Farm tax update. 

• Land transition.  

Early registration costs $150 and is available through Jan. 12, or $175 after that date. Pre-conference sessions are available for an additional $25. Some scholarships are available for those who apply through Jan. 12.