It'll be a homecoming of sorts for the Manitoba Farm Women's Conference this week in Portage la Prairie. The 30th annual event is set to get underway Sunday in the city where it all began back in 1986.

"We had a group of women from the area and some of the Home Economists, as we were called at the time, who worked with Manitoba Agriculture got together and came up with the idea of trying to put together a conference for women," explains Committee Chair Ann Mandziuk. She goes on to say that the very first conference was over-sold with the waiting list just as long as the list of registered attendants. "That happened for the first couple of years and then the numbers came down to reality so that we could fit all of the people that registered into one venue."

Mandziuk adds some of the topics that were discussed in the early years have started to come full circle as well.

"We started out we had discussions about how you move back to the farm, or how you move to a farm if you've never been on a farm, and how you deal with the in-laws. Now we're coming back to that topic because we have a new group of farm women who that is the situation they're in, sons and daughters are taking over the farm and we're having to deal with the issue of how to work and live with your in-laws in a business situation."

In celebration of the International Year of Pulses declared by the UN, the main theme of the 2016 Farm Women's Conference is Fuel the Pulse, where keynote speaker Marilyn Smith will share her knowledge about food and nutrition. Mandziuk says her first topic is Putting Canada on Your Plate, how can we use Canadian/Manitoban products and make the best nutritious meals possible for our family.

Mandziuk notes other areas of discussion will cover advocating for agriculture and women who lead, feed and beautify the world. "So how can we an advocate? How can we be the best spokesperson we can for our business and make sure that that message gets out there in the correct form?"

Agriculture in the Classroom reps will also talk about how the organization is putting ag education into the schools followed by a series of select-a-sessions, one of which is a visit to the Food Development Centre.

As for 30th anniversary celebrations, Mandziuk says the milestone will be marked at a banquet on Monday night with an anniversary cake and some memorabilia displays.

About 120 women are registered for the 2016 event and Mandziuk explains the conference is a great opportunity for women in agriculture to share their stories and experiences. It's also a chance to form last relationships.

"Maybe that's the only time of the year you actually see someone but you keep in touch."

She says the conference is also a great forum for women to share their difficulties and successes.

"We've had a difficult harvest and some of the harvest still isn't done this year with all of the rain that we've had, and I think that is going to bind some of the women together this year."

Mandziuk notes sometimes it's just nice to meet farm women who may be in the same situation as you.