Archive for the ‘Rural’ Category

It’s time to invest in our inner core

May 14th, 2012

How does your small town look in-and-around Main Street?  More specifically, how do the houses look in the neighborhood around your community’s core?  Is the age of the 80-120 year old housing stock showing? In some rural communities, one senses that the inner core is like an inner city ghetto that one must escape out of to get to the new housing developments on the cities’ edge. I was reminded of this issue by a recent blog post written by Becky McCray at Small Biz Survival.  Becky highlighted the efforts of Burnet, Texas (pop. 4735)  who is seeking “to encourage the development of affordable housing options to residents of Burnet by encouraging the development and utilization of existing residential lots in an historically underutilized portion of the city.” (source:  City of Burnet Texas website). The key work here is “existing.”  Many small towns have promoted and supported the development of new housing developments on their community’s edges.  Few, in my experience, have programs to support in-fill housing. Burnet’s program offers a 100% rebate on the “water, sewer, and electric tap fees; building, plumbing, and electrical permit fees; HVAC unit fees; and plan review fees” as an incentive to build on existing lots in an area that needs redevelopment. To qualify, houses must be in the targeted area, and the potential homeowners’ income must fit in the 80%-120% of Area Median Income level. I hear many small town leaders complain that too many of their public servants (i.e – teachers, police officers, and county employees) live elsewhere.  A program like this would be a perfect opportunity to target those professional groups and show them that you care about them. Developing a program like this, however, is just one piece of the puzzle for revitalizing the inner core of rural communities.  As we have discussed here previously, zoning and housing code enforcement is vital and a good purchase, rehab, resell program will go a long ways. I’m interested in hearing about other strategies that meet this same need.  If you know of an examples, I’d love to hear about it. Photo credit: Flickr - TexasEagle

Posted in Community Development, Housing, Rural | Comments (0)

Talent attraction: Let’s start a conversation

April 5th, 2012

What makes New York City so successful?  Mayor Michael Bloomberg says NYC’s economic growth is directly connected to its ability to attract talent.
Many newly successful cities on the global stage – such as Shenzhen and Dubai – have sought to make themselves attractive to businesses based on price and infrastructure subsidies. Those competitive advantages can work in the short term, but they tend to be transitory. For cities to have sustained success, they must compete for the grand prize: intellectual capital and talent.” (Source:  “Cities must be cool, creative and in control,” Michael Bloomberg, Financial Times, March 27, 2012)
Competing for talent is a subject many cities are focused on.  The idea is that attracting talented, innovative people will lead to economic development because talented, innovative people are the people who create jobs and economic growth.

So, does the same apply to small towns as well?

There’s been a lot less research conducted on this subject in rural communities, but I think talent attraction applies to rural communities as well.  Just think of Wall, SD.  Where would that small town in Western South Dakota be today if they had not attracted Ted and Dorothy Hustead to start a pharmacy in 1931?  Rather than being a bustling tourism community, I suspect it would have dried up like most other communities in the region.  (Incidentally, the Husteads lived in Miner County, SD prior to moving to Wall.  Our loss was Wall’s gain.) Accepting that economic development is not just about job attraction is a difficult premise for many people here in South Dakota to embrace.  I’m hopeful, however, that the idea will pick up steam because more communities are beginning to think about what they need to do to attract workers to fill their labor shortages.  The two are not totally disassociated.

What does it take to attract talent?

I’m excited to see that Rebecca Ryan of Next Generation Consulting will be making the keynote presentation next week at the SD Governors Office for Economic Development Annual Conference.  I’m hoping her message there offers insights to South Dakotans on what it takes for communities to attract talent.   Ryan has been a leading advocate of the complimentary idea that young people choose the places they live, not because the community offers them a job, but because the community is a great place to live. I first became aware of Ryan’s work after a 2008 presentation helped inspire the residents of Iron County, WI  and Gogebic County, MI to better understand why people move to and live in the region.  From what I’ve read, there were community leaders listening that night who felt Ryan’s ideas applied more to young people in cities than in rural areas. But thanks to research that this project – called the Gogebic Next Generation Initiative – has produced since Ryan’s original presentation, we know that her ideas hold true for rural areas as well.  (Click here to read more about past articles on this initiative and its research.) If you haven’t heard of Rebecca Ryan before, I encourage you to watch the video embedded above.  It’s a bit promotional, but you’ll see she’s a dynamic presenter and offers great insights. Jobs are important to the future of communities across Rural America.  But we also need to think about and develop strategies that attract people.  I’m hoping Ryan can help start that conversation here.

Posted in Economic Development, Gen Y, Quality of Life, Rural | Comments (0)

I Guess I’m A Rural Lawyer – - Go Figure!

April 4th, 2012

Guest blog by Bob Morris,Chair Project Rural Practice Task Force State Bar of South Dakota When South Dakota State Bar President Pat Goetzinger asked me to Chair the Project Rural Practice Task Force, we discussed that out of the 1,800 practicing lawyers in South Dakota, 65% of those lawyers were located in Rapid City, Pierre, Sioux Falls, and Aberdeen. I affectionately call them “The Big Four.” That would mean 35% of the lawyers are spread out everywhere else. Naturally I assumed that President Goetzinger asked me to be the Chair of the PRP Task Force because of my charisma, charm, and other attributes. So I asked him why me? He answered – “You are a rural lawyer.” My first thought was – I am? It’s funny how you don’t realize something until someone points it out to you. I came to Belle Fourche  in 1988. The population of the town was about 4,500 then and has grown to about 6,000 today. Although we are the “Center of the Nation” there is a lot of wide open country to the west and north. Everything is south or east of Belle Fourche. Naturally when I graduated from law school, I wanted to work in Sioux Falls. Who doesn’t? I thought it would be a natural fit. My wife was a Professional Registered Nurse who had an outstanding job at what was then known as Sioux Valley Hospital. We lived in Sioux Falls for 8 years. I commuted to Brookings for undergrad and to Vermillion for law school. Apparently I took too much for granted. I interviewed with a half of dozen or so law firms without success. Fortunately, one of my law school professors, Professor Robert “Mike” Driscoll, knew of a friend in Belle Fourche who was looking to hire an associate attorney. I distinctly recall him walking up to me in the hallway at the law school, looking at my cowboy boots, blue jeans, pearl-button down shirt, and belt buckle, and saying “I have a friend that is looking to hire an associate, I think you’ll fit right in.” Many suits, ties, and pairs of dress shoes later, here I am. That was twenty-four years ago. You are probably asking why and have a lot of questions. Well, I have some answers. “Where do a rural lawyer’s clients come from?” Those clients come from Canada, Germany, Florida, Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado to name a few. A rural lawyer’s clients also come from Sioux Falls, Watertown, Aberdeen, Yankton, Dakota Dunes, Pierre, Winner, Brookings, Rapid City, Hot Springs, Spearfish, Deadwood, Lemmon, and of course Belle Fourche to name a few. A rural lawyer can also represent the State of South Dakota and its employees, and a handful of municipalities across the State on special legal projects. “What would I do as a rural lawyer in the town I live and practice in?” You will be the President of the Chamber of Commerce, President of the Lions Club, announce at the annual Fourth of July parade, volunteer for various projects in the community, emcee at Chamber of Commerce Banquets, Ag Banquets, Fireman’s Banquets, and Sportsman’s Club Banquets. You will have to learn to manage your time. You will also have to learn how to say “no thank you” sometimes also. “As a rural lawyer will I handle big cases?” First of all, it is important to note that every client thinks their case is a big case and it should be to you. If your view of a big case is the amount of dollars and cents involved, a rural lawyer is involved in million dollar plus cases involving death, injury, construction disputes, and business litigation to name a few. A rural lawyer also handles disputes between farmers/ranchers regarding easements, right of ways, fence disputes, trespassing cattle, and diseased cattle, to name a few. As a rural lawyer you may also experience your most rewarding case -- the one where you help a 72 year old female bus driver get her job back after she was told she was too old to be working. Not to mention, convincing the employer to pay your client $7,000 for its illogical, illegal, and irresponsible conduct. “Can a rural lawyer give back to the profession?” A rural lawyer can serve as a Bar Commissioner for six years (two 3 year terms); serve as President of the State Bar of South Dakota; serve as President of the South Dakota Trial Lawyer’s Association, and serve on other professional affiliated committees. In fact, in the past twenty-four years, at least six rural lawyers from Belle Fourche have served as State Bar Commissioners; three have served as Presidents of the State Bar of South Dakota; four have served as President of the South Dakota Trial Lawyers Association; and one has served as President of the Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation. “How does a rural lawyer accomplish many of the things you have mentioned?” To be truthful, it’s not easy, yet it’s not difficult. The first thing is to have good mentors. These mentors can guide you through the nuances and difficulties facing lawyers early in a career. These mentors can also guide you and assist you in building relationships throughout your career. It is the relationship building process that should start from day one which will allow you to realize the sky is the limit. An outstanding work ethic and willingness to work long and hard is also important. People from other countries, other States, and other communities usually do not “let their fingers do the walking” in the Yellow Pages to find a rural lawyer. Many times they may contact a lawyer in one of “The Big Four” and because you have established a relationship with a good lawyer who thinks you are a good lawyer, you will get a referral. Naturally, whether those referrals continue is up to you. This may mean working 20 hours a day during a two week trial in Pierre. It may mean traveling thousands of miles a year and wondering why not move closer to where I work. But when you get back home, you realize your home is where your heart is due to the quality of life, the people who wave at you while driving down the road and the people who call you by your first name as you walk into a business establishment or walk down the street. “Okay, I realize there are opportunities for a rural lawyer, but what about a rural lawyer’s spouse?” Well, first of all, if you are married, you probably are not able accomplish much of anything without the love, loyalty, trust, and support of your spouse. You are a team and there is no majority, only unanimous consent. Your spouse could work as a Professional Registered Nurse in the big city, working twelve hours a day-three days a week and commuting 120 miles per day. Your spouse could after three years working in the big city, express her desire to expand her opportunities and attend the University of North Dakota School of Medicine for a year to become a Physician’s Assistant/Nurse Practitioner. Of course, you support her as much as you can because she has supported you in your adventure. Besides, you moved her from the big city to the rural area, you owe her! After a year of school, your spouse could be fortunate to get a job in the medical field, but she probably will still have to commute 50 miles round trip a day, four days a week. But in the meantime, she can obtain her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing from SDSU and her Masters in PA Studies from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Your spouse can do this. Just because you live in a rural area does not mean you are isolated from opportunities. You will have to be a bit more creative, patient, and determined, but the sky is still the limit. You may have to drive a little farther, work a little harder, but surely the rewards are there. Besides, there are no traffic jams but you may have to wait for a herd of cattle to cross the road. And if your spouse is still by your side after almost 30 years, you are doing something right. Right? Are there more questions? Of course there are. But what is life without taking some risk and seeing what happens? My suggestion is that you should give being a rural lawyer a try. You and your spouse may agree to give it a couple of years and see what happens. Twenty-four years later you will wonder, “What happened?”

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Posted in Community Development, Economic Development, Rural, Uncategorized | Comments (3)

Downtown to Small Town: A “City Girl’s” Transition to Rural Practice

April 3rd, 2012

Guest blog by Sarah L. Larson I grew up at the mall. Not literally, of course, but there were time periods throughout my tweens, teens, and young adulthood when I was working or shopping or mingling in the city every day, all day. Everything I ever needed was within a 15 minute drive. When I first decided to pursue law school, I knew that corporate law was my gig. I interned with a corporate legal department every summer for 3 years, while pursuing my MBA at the same time as my Juris Doctorate. I would graduate with both degrees in 3 years and head back to the city to rise the corporate ladder from associate legal counsel to Executive VP over several years, content amidst endless access to downtown boutiques, Starbucks, and evenings out with girlfriends at the martini bar next door. Then it happened. A boy. This mystical creature was a huntin’, fishin’, down-to-earth small town east river boy – a breed I had never known, and whose passion and charm and smile swept me off my feet. Within a couple years, he convinced me to move back to his hometown with him – population 1,200. Twelve. Hundred. The approximate number of kids in my high school. Alas, almost 3 years after beginning my rural practice with my husband, I am proud to say I have not only survived, but come to truly love my small-town practice. The transition was not fast or easy. At first it seemed like I was leaving town every weekend to go visit friends or “find something to do.” I won’t lie and say I didn’t ask myself why on earth I ever dared to leave the heaven that is mass retail and loud traffic. Professionally, I longed for juicy, challenging, make-the-news type of cases with a passion. I expected a few things. First, I thought that clientele would be slow to trickle in. Why would people trust me? I’m new here. I’m unfamiliar with whose family feuds with whose. I’m a new lawyer. They don’t’ know (or care) about my experience, my potential, my praise from former employers. And yet, I found my hypothesis to be erroneous. People in town were eager for an outsider’s unbiased perspective on the issues they so deeply cared about and needed assistance with. I don’t think it hurt that I immediately started going to Rotary and Chamber of Commerce meetings, volunteering and getting involved as often as possible. People cared that I cared about the town and the people who live here. Secondly, I was afraid I would always be treated like an outsider. Wrong again. I have never experienced a lack of friendly faces. The people in my new hometown were welcoming, loving, and supportive.  Third, I wasn’t sure I would ever make a dime. Now, my desk is constantly piled with files full of exciting, rewarding work. I am as busy as I want to be. Of course, there were personal challenges like the inability to have immediate access to a specialty grocery item or your favorite brand of shampoo. I had to learn to make shopping lists for the occasional trip out of town. At first I also felt like all eyes were on me, and that was so vastly different than growing up where you were somewhat of a number. As with all things, I learned that you get out of it what you put into it. Stay active, be friendly, work hard, do everything you can do for people. A blissful, peaceful, beautiful life awaits you.

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Posted in Community Development, Rural, Uncategorized | Comments (2)

Civic Branding: A refresher

March 20th, 2012

Thanks to Aaron Renn at the Urbanophile, I received a great refresher on civic branding.  In a brief post titled "Don't Brand Your City," Renn shares a fifteen minute Chicago Public Radio interview  with Jeff Leitner and Howell J. Malham of Insight Labs.  The central question they analyze:  Is it possible to successfully brand a region (like the Great Lakes) for tourism and economic development? A lively interview, Leitner and Malham question the concept. Now, let me be clear, I still think that every rural community needs to be concerned about its brand.  Your town’s identity does matter.  But we need to be smarter about how we attempt to strengthen our brands. I hope you listen to the audio interview embedded below and then take a look at a few of my follow-up comments.  If you have some additional thoughts on the topic of branding rural communities, we’d love to hear them.

Click here to listen - Luring tourists to the Great Lakes region (WBEZ91.5, Nov. 15, 2011)

My take aways

First, before we start, let’s make sure we're on the same page when we say the word branding.  To me a community’s brand is its identity.  It’s what people think and talk about your community.   Logos and jingles are nice, but let’s not be fooled into thinking that they are your community’s brand.  Their just a part of it;  a small part of it. Second, if you want a strong brand, you need to have strong features that make your community special.  In the interview, Jeff Leitner drives this point home with the Seth Godin truism “The best way to be remarked on is to be remarkable.” This means saying “Our town is a great place to live and raise a family,” isn’t good enough.  It is a start….but it is not the end game.   What are your community’s remarkable features that make it an awesome place to raise a family? Perhaps it’s a remarkable lake with an incredible bike path; perhaps it’s an incredible summer festival that brings everyone in the community together;   or perhaps it’s exceptional outdoor activities that families can do together. If your town doesn’t have those things, you’re time and money are best invested I developing them -- before trying to promote your brand. A third take away is that branding is not about you (or in this case your community); it’s about your audience.  While commenting on the ability of branding to help develop an affiliation with a region, Leitner tells us that the way to do this is by “demonstrating to the world what you are going to help them do.” In other words, don’t just tell me that your community is filled with great businesses.  Demonstrate to me how your community can help me become a successful entrepreneur.  What types of assistance will I get in your community that I can’t get somewhere else?  Do you have an entrepreneurship support system in place? And while demonstrating value, remember the power of stories.  If our community does have a system for supporting entrepreneurs, share the stories of entrepreneurs who have benefited from it.  That’s a “demonstration” that people will believe.

 Wrapping it up

Listening to the interview, some people will throw up their arms and decide that civic branding is a waste of time.  I think that is a mistake. Rural communities need to develop stronger brands so that people recognize the value they have to offer.  Just realize that the first step isn’t to hire someone to build the build the brand for you.   (Note:  My apologies for originally mispelling Howell Malham's last name.) Photo credit: Punk Toad - Flickr

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Posted in Economic Development, Rural | Comments (2)

Let’s talk: Innovation in education, anyone?

February 18th, 2012

Hey everybody.  We need to talk:  What are you doing in rural education that is innovative?  How are you overcoming the unique challenges faced by rural schools?  Are your students experiencing increased academic achievement? That’s the message I caught in a recent tweet from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation  ( @WK_Kellogg_Fdn). On Feb. 22 at 3 p.m. ET, John White, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Rural Outreach, and Sterling Speirn, president & CEO of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation will be hopping on Twitter to chat about unique rural partnerships and innovative solutions that people are developing. My mind immediately goes to the Rural School and Community Trust’s efforts to bring rural schools and communities together through place-based education.  If the Rural Trust hadn’t invested in our efforts in Howard, SD back in the mid-1990s, I’m confident that innovative projects like the Maroney Commons would never have developed. If I were to pick a new initiative, however, I would select the work of the Center for Midwest Innovation, a project being developed in partnership with the Rural Trust.  They are quickly becoming a great source on how rural schools, communities, and foundations can partner to create innovative educational projects. I might also highlight the efforts of the GoTeachSD program, which the Rural Learning Center is a part of developing.  Centered at the University of South Dakota, GoTeachSD has a clear focus on increasing the number and improving the quality of teachers in rural schools. I’m always interested in hearing about great work in rural education.  Unfortunately, because of work conflicts, I won’t be able to join the conversation live.  So I figured I could contribute by writing this post.  And I’ll be sure to check out the summary of the Twitter chat that will be posted to the US Dept of Education’s Blog afterward. I know you are all probably busy as well, but I hope you find a way to join in this conversation.    It’s too important to ignore.   (To learn more on this event, check out this Dept. of Education blog post.   Photo Credit:  limonada - Flickr    

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Posted in education, Rural, Training and Events | Comments (2)

Don’t know and don’t care

February 7th, 2012

Writer and photographer Lisa Hamilton traversed the California countryside last year, intending to explore the health of rural communities.  She ran into two problems.  She describes those barriers in a recent article titled “California's Real Rural tells hidden stories,”
First, people in our cities generally don't know much about "the rest of California," have barely ventured off Interstate 5. Second, they don't really care. Surprise Valley? Lost Hills? Mecca? Why should it matter what happens in these distant, faceless places? Why, in fact, did I care about these places, so many of which I had never even seen? I thought about it as I traveled those many miles.” (source:  "California's Real Rural tells hidden stories", Lisa M. Hamilton, San Fransisco Chronical, Jan 29, 2012).

Don’t know and don’t care

Although these attitudes are less prevalent here in the Upper Midwest, they do still exist.  And they serve as major barriers to the ability of rural towns to attract the people and businesses they need to grow and prosper. In response, Hamilton decided to change her focus and reintroduce rural Californians to urban dwellers by telling the stories of the people who live in rural places -- people who often go unnoticed. Hamilton has posted her stories and photography to RealRural.org.  They are compelling and insightful. In the near future, people will also be able to view her works in the San Francisco BART trains, the Los Angele’s public transportation system, and at the California Historical Society.  (I hope the later is not intended to imply that rural life is a thing of the past.)

What does this mean for us?

As I read the about the project, I couldn’t help but think: “Wouldn’t it be great to recreate this project in South Dakota or Minnesota, or Iowa?  Wouldn’t a similar effort help urban dwellers better understand the opportunities life in our rural towns offer?” Another option, however, is to do what I’ve recommended many times before.  Rather than rely on other people to tell our stories, we need to tell the stories  ourselves.  Every community has interesting people. Every town has daily occurrences that don’t occur in urban settings.  Every rural place can boast of offering a lifestyle that someone, somewhere is seeking.  And with the advent of modern technology, it’s relatively easy to capture these stories via a camera and share them on a community website.

Why wait?

So don’t sit back and wait for someone else to tell your stories. The stories you tell may not be as "professional" as Hamilton’s, but I think people will recognize the authenticity and will connect with them. And once you’ve shared your stories. Stop back and share them with everyone here at Reimagine Rural. Tell us how you produced them and what you’ve learned. Your work can be an inspiration to us.  

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Posted in Economic Development, Rural | Comments (6)

A farewell of sorts

October 14th, 2011

It’s with a mix of sadness and excitement that I announce my departure as the main curator of content at the Reimagine Rural blog. Beginning on Monday, I will go to work for Horizon Health Care of Howard, SD as the Prairie Health Information Network Director, helping them and two other rural community health centers with the implementation of their electronic health records.

Reimagine Rural: the beginnings

When we started the Reimagine Rural blog back in October 2008, we were one of the few blogs focused on rural issues. Overall, I knew very little about social media and to be honest, I really didn’t want to know anything. I jumped in with both feet, however, learning as I went along because I sensed that social media could be a valuable tool for rural communities and organizations. Our overall goal for the blog was to be a resource for rural communities as they tried to reimagine and reinvent their futures. In that first post, I admitted that neither I nor the Rural Learning Center were experts on community and economic development. We simply wanted to start a conversation that could lead to greater insights. I think we’ve succeeded. And now, many more bloggers have joined the cause. I’ve struggled writing this post perhaps more than any other that I have written. In fact, I’ve created numerous renditions. One post began as a thank you to everyone who has helped me through the years; I must be old because that list went on way too long. Another offered tips on what I’ve learned during my time in the economic development field; but that post seemed as if I was regurgitating old posts. And my final one offered a wish list for Rural America; unfortunately, it depressed me to think that most of these wishes would never come true.

A farewell of sorts

So this is my farewell of sorts. I say “of sorts” because I won’t be leaving my work in rural communities. In fact, I won’t even be leaving the building. Horizon Health Care is headquartered in the Rural Learning Center building. John Mengenhausen, its CEO, is also the president of Howard’s economic development group, so we’ve worked together for many years. For regular readers, let me assure you that Reimagine Rural won’t go away either. Over time, it will take on a new form and character with new authors leading the way. My hope for my departure is that it will provide an opportunity to reimagine the blog’s future. It’s an opportunity to make it better. (If you have ideas on how to help do so, I’m sure Joe Bartmann would greatly appreciate it.) And finally, I hope that I don’t totally disappear from the blogosphere. A month ago while considering this job opportunity, I wrote about Odessa Sherbaniuk’s volunteer efforts to keep the conversation alive on the Reasons Rural Rock project, an effort she started while a college intern this summer. While I know it will be impossible for me to live up to her high level of commitment, I do want to provide occasional guest posts. I also know, however, that it will be a challenge, especially during the first few months of my new job. So perhaps a “see you later” is a more appropriate. For anyone who wants to contact me in the future, feel free to do so through one of the social media accounts that I maintain. I’d love to stay connected. And above all, if you are ever in Howard, stop by our offices and say hello. Knowing that I can stay connected makes leaving my work with the Rural Learning Center much easier.

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The Great Wide Open – Revisited

October 13th, 2011

I have a love-hate relationship with urban reporters who write about the demise of rural South Dakota.  I love that they care enough about the problems we deal with on a daily basis to write about them.  But hate that these stories often perpetuate stereotypes and myths created by a lack of familiarity and understanding with the subject. For instance, Maureen Callahan recently wrote an article about the demise of Rural South Dakota in the New York Post.  Callahan appears to be a talented writer who flew into Rapid City, drove out to small towns in Western South Dakota like Belvidere (pop: 49), Cottonwood (pop. 6), and Scenic (pop. 1), and interviewed anyone she could find.  She also contacted both local officials and subject matter experts.  It’s hard to find fault with her research.

Insightful or Substandard?

Throughout her work, she produces some interesting insights.  For example, she compares the depopulation problems of Rural America to the decline of Detroit. 
In many ways, what’s happening here mirrors what’s happening in Detroit, on the decline for so many decades but now in critical condition, with the population declining 25% in the past 10 years. The city is planning to raze 10,000 empty residential structures, with the goal of moving those holdouts who live in deserted areas closer to the centralized, functioning part of town, with its hospitals and grocery stores and taken-for-granted goods and services. America on the whole, it seems, is downsizing.”  (Source:  Maureen Callahan, “Great wide open:  How rural America has become a vanishing way of life,” New York Post, Oct. 8, 2011)
I recognize the similarities.  For me, the major difference is that people are generally concerned about Detroit's future and don't assume that the city's decline is inevitable.  I wish the same were truer for Rural America. Mixed with those insights are occasional sour notes.  Callahan hits one of them when she quotes state demographer, Mike McCurry, who describes the people who want to stay:
Our small communities lack the threshold of people to keep kids doing their best. I grew up learning that I was an export commodity -- that there were going to be no jobs for me. The young people here have basically disappeared. If you want to keep a kid in South Dakota, you want him to be a dropout.
There’s much truth in the statement.  It stings, and I hate to admit it.  The problem, however, is that the statement is not the whole truth.  I know of two residents of a nearby town of approximately 1000 who have built successful careers in the field of technology (one of whom helps produce the infamous TED Conference).   Why not include people like them in the story? There are other opportunities that she misses.  For instance, she quotes Pierre, SD’s community development coordinator, Scott Carbonneau, about his belief that Pierre has an opportunity to attract young professionals who want to return after seeing the world.  Instead of supporting his statement with “brain gain” research, she focuses on the negative aspects of attracting young people to rural communities.  To be fair, however, I can’t blame Callahan for not highlighting those who seek to return.  After all, those of us who live here do a poor job of lifting up successful entrepreneurs and talented rural residents.  We’re also guilty of focusing on the negative, thereby reinforcing the image that our towns hold no future for young people. 

What does this mean for us?

There are many ways to react to stories like this.  Many rural South Dakotans will ridicule the erroneous, stereotypical elements of the story.  In fact, I first learned of the article from Cory Heidelberger at Madville Times who falls into this camp: 
Callahan’s article smells of condescension and superficiality: for example, she deems Rapid City “ridiculously clean” and “almost entirely white.  Hmm… did she go anywhere other than the airport before heading out to find a few colorful rural characters to reinforce her readers’ big-city stereotypes of South Dakotans?  (source:  Cory Heidelberger, “NY Post Finds Rural South Dakota in Decline; What to Do?” Madville Times, Oct. 11, 2011)
Other people will simply dismiss the article altogether because they don’t want to hear outsiders point out our blemishes.  Another approach is to figure out how we can use the article to better our rural communities. According to Bernie Hunhoff at the South Dakota Magazine, that’s how residents of Gregory, SD responded a few years ago when the Chicago Sunday Tribune published an article describing Gregory as a dying community.  According to one resident, the negative story spurred the community to action.   As Bernie writes, “So right or wrong, a critique can be a kick in the butt.”  (Source:  Bernie Hunhoff, “Diane Sawyer on the Rez,” South Dakota Magazine, Oct. 11, 2011) With that in mind, I hope everyone read Callahan’s article.  Agree or disagree, my guess is that reading it will spark strong emotions.   It’s then up to you to decide how to spend the energy this emotion creates.  You can expend it by grumbling about big city folks who don’t understand rural folks.  Or you can use it to reflect and act on what needs to change in your hometown.  I hope you’ll do the latter.

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Posted in Economic Development, Rural, Rural Life | Comments (2)

Agripreneurs Live Here

October 5th, 2011

I’ve been watching farmers for a long time. Growing up as a farmer’s granddaughter and daughter I had no other aspirations than to not spend the rest of my life tied to this land. But being a farmer’s wife, mom to farmers, mother-in-law, sister, friend and now “Grandma” to up and coming young farmers has taught me a deep appreciation of local agriculture here in Miner County, SD where I make my home.

Less than 2% of us

I used to put 100 pennies in a line on the kitchen table and explain that the first penny and about half of the second represented the number of farmers and that these few, in turn, grew the food for all the rest of us.  Today’s farmer feeds an average of 155 people so I need to revise my teaching tool!  We all need to be paying more attention to our young farm families.

Above Average

I also believe really good farmers are well beyond the average. It’s not enough to academically understand all that goes into farming from soil testing to crop planning to machine maintenance and storage. It’s not enough to have the ability to think generations ahead in a breeding program, plan for proper nutrition and health, drive facilities design, construction and management. Today’s agriculture is all of those things and more. You have to be a marketing expert,financial planner, strategic thinker and a resilient soul. You have to consider your neighbors – the wildlife and plant life with which you share space and resources and your human neighbors who look to you for help and assistance.

More than making a living

I recently learned a new phrase and I think I’m going to love it –“agripreneur”. This is a new phrase and just being developed but I will add that I hope it begins to describe the business, entrepreneurial and comprehensive ability components of today’s successful young farmers. It’s a competitive world pitched against large ag corporations and the number of young farmers is fewer and fewer. You have to be good at what you do. You have to keep learning and growing in your work. You have to love it so much that you attend to it every day, 365 days a year. Hopefully you are so devoted to it that you teach your children to love it just as much as you do. The other 153 plus of us are counting on you!

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Posted in Agriculture, Community Development, Gen Y, Quality of Life, Rural, Youth | Comments (0)

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