Autumn is here in all its glory.

The Boston ivy that clothes the south-facing wall of the house has turned a vivid shade of red. A carpet of leaves on the lawn is not far away. Temperatures have dropped. Yet, grass is finally growing and the hybrid rape is jumping out of the ground.

Looking out the kitchen window, the countryside is picturesque but so still as to be frozen in time. The trees in the wood remain fully clothed while the leaves are turning magnificent shades of yellow, orange, copper, brown and even pink.

Nothing is stirring. I wish for some noise, a little movement even. Finally, there is a shift. A hazy, white fog has failed to hide in the wood, its rising temperature forcing it up to disperse and move away.

This autumnal feeling is synonymous with the National Ploughing Championships, preparations for winter and even spring. We did not travel to Ratheniska this year as we are due to go to Holland for a few days. I have to cut my cloth to measure.

The Women & Agriculture conference in the Lyrath Estate, Kilkenny is getting very close. My heart skipped a beat a few weeks back when editor of Irish Country Living, Ciara Leahy, asked me to chair the conference again.

Her acknowledgement that I’m still a full part of the team is massive. It’s nearly as good as being out in the field working with my heifers.

Normal life

Seriously, while on treatment, it is important to lead as normal a life as possible. My colleagues and friends in Irish Country Living robustly support my involvement in the conference. We are looking forward to a great day.

The ladies who attend the conference are there to learn new things, network with like-minded people and renew old acquaintances. They want to go home, as I do, renewed and invigorated in the value of life. They want to be able to manage their daily lives better.

Some people can talk about their troubles, others may prefer to keep their inner most worries to themselves. Whatever the case, know that you are most welcome and will be among friends

There will be women there of all ages, some with young families who think that life is tough but things will ease soon. There will be ladies with teenagers trying to juggle school, college and being a constant taxi driver. They feel frazzled.

The next phase is even more demanding but the reality is that there is nothing more joyous than rearing a family on a farm or in rural Ireland.

There will be ladies like me, who now have grandchildren. It is a special time. We want to have a good day and a fun day too. That comes easy because many friendships and connections have been made over the years.

As a group, we have a voice and maybe it is time we used it. Do email us if you have ideas around this.

Massive support

I know the team have been working really hard to put together a conference that will embrace all ages. We will cover difficult topics. I don’t know any year when we didn’t shed a tear or two. Sometimes we are forced to dig deep and embrace difficult and complex issues in our past or present lives.

There will be massive support in the room for anyone going through a tough time. Some people can talk about their troubles, others may prefer to keep their inner most worries to themselves. Whatever the case, know that you are most welcome and will be among friends.

There are a lot of people involved in the management of a conference like this to ensure that everything runs smoothly on the day.

Clodagh Carey is the events manager at the Irish Farmers Journal. She and her team are so professional and efficient that sometimes we take them for granted. They deliver event after event.

Clodagh, a stalwart Cork lady, knows her business.

The photographers also add hugely to the day, making memories and taking beautiful images.

There’s a technical team that do all sorts of magic stuff so that when I take that microphone in my hand; I know the audience will hear me.

I look forward to seeing the sea of faces on 24 October and feeling the genuine friendship in the room. If you haven’t been at the conference before, maybe this is your year to join us.