During April, the Rural Radio Network highlighted women in agriculture across Nebraska and Kansas.
These women were nominated by people in their communities who witness their work ethic and dedication to the agriculture industry.
Hear stories from the Nebraska panhandle to the southeast corner of Kansas.
Find all of the stories from April below.
April 30: Loretta Naprstek | Lexington, NE
Her husband described her as “the best ranch wife anyone could ask for.”
Loretta Naprstek was a rural elementary school teacher for 41 years, and she has been running a cow-calf operation north of Lexington with her husband, Hap, since they were married in 1970. But she’s been involved in agriculture her entire life.
April 29: Linda Krajewski | Venango, NE
Linda Krajewski was described by her daughter, Tara, as a woman whose manicure is not done by a salon, but colored with dirt and oil.
Linda discussed her passion to educate consumers about agriculture while sharing her excitement for an industry she has been in her entire life.
April 28: Val Baker | Minitare, NE
Val Baker of Minatare returned home after 30 some years traveling around the world with the Air Force and took over the family ranch.
Her mother Juanita nominated her, as Val manages and operates all aspects of the ranch operations. Val is also a World Champion roper and 4-H leader for Horse and Rocketry.
April 27: Robin Mann | Sutherland, NE
Robin Mann of Sutherland started with an entry-level position 10 years ago and has since moved up the ladder to become an operations supervisor at a grain facility in southwest Nebraska, all while being a mother to her four children.
April 23: Allison Donner | Cozad, NE
Allison Donner is the owner-operator of Midstate Aviation in Cozad, Nebraska.
April 22: Erin Statz | Nuckolls County, NE
Erin Fay Statz and her husband Stephan live around the corner from her in-laws in rural Nuckolls County, Nebraska, near Nelson.
Erin Fay’s mother-in-law Mary Statz nominated her for the many hats she wears, in their cow-calf operation, assisting FFA youth and working full-time as an office manager in an aerial service.
April 21: Maci Lienemann Mueller | Princeton, NE
Tuning in to the mid-day show on KRVN, Nebraskan Maci Mueller utilizes the internet to keep up to date on what’s happening back home while working on her PhD at UC-Davis.
Many say the work she is doing will change the world of beef.
April 20: Tori Dickenson | Oswego, KS
One Kansas woman has proven her ability to farm by nearly doubling the size of her operation after her husband passed away.
Tori Dickenson’s agriculture story is full of transitions, but her story doesn’t begin in the agriculture industry.
April 19: Joyce Entz | Mason City, NE
Joyce Entz of Mason City, has lived on the ranch most of her life, except when she was at college at the University of Nebraska Lincoln.
She was nominated by her husband Darrell, who said they had pretty normal farm life until Easter Sunday 2009 when Joyce suffered a massive heart attack due to a birth defect.
April 15: Nancy Stuthman | Platte Center, NE
Nancy Stuthman farms with her husband Arnie and family east of Platte Center, NE.
She dove right into farming in 1962 after they were married. Arnie served in the Air National Guard, so when he was gone, it was Nancy who took over the chore duties.
April 14: Kathy Abrahamson | Axtell, NE
Kathy Abrahamson of Axtell, Nebraska, is in charge of planting and harvesting, and her husband Jon said she has many roles on the farm including running the combine at harvest, marketing all of the grain and managing paperwork.
She and her son also raise miniature cattle together.
April 13: Wilma Haussermann | Arapahoe, NE
At 93 years young, Wilma Haussermann of Arapahoe, Nebraska, has seen a lifetime of changes in the agriculture industry.
Wilma said farming methods were a bit different back then, but when she was finishing high school in 1944, she learned to drive a tractor.
April 8: Britni Schmaltz | Bayard, NE
Britni Schmaltz, who, with her husband Eric, owns and operates Schmaltz Cattle Land Company in Bayard. Britni was nominated by her friend Ashby Adams.
“She (Britni) went from the city to the ranch and has embraced the role head-on. She has become my favorite woman to follow and get tips from!” Adams said.
April 6: Deb Peden | Cozad, NE
Deb Peden did not grow up on a farm. Now, she farms full time with her husband.
It wasn’t until Deb met her husband, Cody, that she became familiar with the agriculture industry.
April 1: Kristin Schiff | Scottsbluff, NE
Kristin Schiff of Scottsbluff was nominated for our “Women in Ag” series by Tim Erdman. She is a field service representative for Channel Seed.
“She is one of the best I have ever worked with in the seed business. She is very organized, engaged, and concerned about the relationship I have as a dealer with my farmer customers,” said Erdman in one comment describing Kristin.
