Posts Tagged ‘Buy Local’

Buy Fresh, Buy Local South Dakota goes online

January 25th, 2010

The Buy Fresh, Buy Local South Dakota initiative has taken another step.  They’ve launched a new website, and stand ready to help South Dakota’s producers and consumers build a more robust local foods economy.

As I wrote in a post a couple weeks ago, schools in our rural communities can play an important role in the growing local foods movement.  Not only can schools help teach children healthy eating habits, but they can stimulate economic development at the local community level.  And as Business Week recently reported, local foods initiatives play a more significant role in economic development than most people realize.   

The Buy Fresh, Buy Local South Dakota website is another educational tool for helping people learn more about foods grown in the region.  It includes a calendar of upcoming events and a  forum for asking questions.  I intend to keep it on my radar, and will turn to it with my questions. 

Currently, there’s only one question in the forum.  In a nutshell it acknowledges the difficulty of buying locally grown foods during our winter months, and essentially asks, “How can we get more?” 

I’m anxious to learn what ideas others will add to the conversation.  My response might be, let’s be more aggressive in our support of local foods this spring, summer, and fall, so that more of our producers feel comfortable making the financial investments required to turn their operation into a year-round production.  That would be something to look forward to!

 

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Reinventing restaurants (and rural communities)

January 13th, 2010

There’s no doubt that good restaurants are important to rural communities.  They make rural communities more attractive places to live.  They often serve as “informal meeting places where community is built” (e.g., third places).  And they often improve the local economy by giving people a place to spend their money locally. 

My guess is that Reuben Wentz must appreciate the importance of a good restaurant.  The 93-year-old retired farmer recently gave $500,000 to his hometown of Napoleon, North Dakota (pop. 857) to create a new community-owned restaurant.   

The restaurant replaces the old, deteriorating building that housed the community’s previous community-owned restaurant.  It sounds like they’ve got a good thing going with the restaurant.  Its features include:

It’s also home to the Logan County Economic Development Offices, which set up the foundation that manages the restaurant.  I bet many of Napoleon’s neighboring communities are envious.

It’s important to attract people

It sounds like the community is excited about the restaurant.  The Bismarck Tribune quotes foundation board member Jennifer Schumacher:

“It was such a moment of joy. I thought - I think we all thought - this is such a turning point for Napoleon,” she said. Without much debt to service, the new venture should succeed, she said.

“We have a new drug store, young people are moving in and wind towers are going up. With such a beautiful restaurant here in Napoleon, we can do it,” Schumacher said. (source: Lauren Donovan, “Napoleon benefactor builds restaurant for community” Bismark Tribune, 12-2-09) 

That’s economic development

Any community seeking to attract young people (Gen Y) has to evaluate the availability of local food services.  It’s something they look for when choosing a community to call home. 

With this in mind, I’ve been thinking about how the Napoleon might leverage this restaurant effort for further economic development.  Two thoughts have emerged:

First, what can be done to foster a true “third place” atmosphere, making it a place where people of all ages and backgrounds meet for conversation?  We know that conversation between people of varying backgrounds in third places can lead to greater community trust (e.g. bridging social capital).  But third places don’t magically emerge.  They take thoughtful consideration and effort.

Second, could the community-owned restaurant be leveraged to create a local foods initiative?  Perhaps, they could make a commitment to buying locally raised foods.  The kitchen could also be a “shared use kitchen” that helps entrepreneurs develop new food products. 

Both of those ideas will take more effort and possibly more financial capital.  They may or may not be right for Napoleon.  But rural communities need to think like this to maximize their economic development efforts. 

Small towns also need people like Reuben Wentz who are willing to invest in their community’s future. 

Note:  Thanks to John Crabtree of the Center for Rural Affairs for making me aware of this story in their January newsletter.   Readers may also be interested in past ReImagine Rural stories about community owned grocery stores. 

Photo Credit:  FreeWine - Flickr  

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Posted in Agriculture, Community Development, Economic Development, Gen Y, Rural | Comments (3)

School lunch programs gone “local”

January 4th, 2010

While grocery shopping for Christmas, I picked up some delicious looking strawberries.  It’s difficult to grow fresh strawberries during South Dakota’s harsh winter, and I suspected these strawberries had been grown on a hydroponic farm in some distant land. Unfortunately, their flavor fell far short of my already low expectations, and I suspect their nutritional value wasn’t far behind. 

With this disappointment fresh in my mind, I caught a tweet from Deb Brown at DebWorks.  She shared an interesting article describing how the Independence (IA) School District has embraced the local foods movement in an effort to both improve the nutritional value of their school lunches and to education young people about healthy living.    (Source:  “School lunch goes local,” Iowa Farmer Today, 12-23-09)

The school district is a part of the Iowa Farm to School Initiative.  They purchase locally grown produce, and prepare it at their kitchen.  In an effort to help young people understand what healthy eating is all about and where their food comes from, the school has also developed an educational component. 

Not only am I impressed with the efforts because it should lead to healthier eating for young people, but also because it stimulates the local economy.  Granted it must take a little extra effort to prepare the fruits and vegetables, but I’m sure the school’s kitchen workers appreciate the extra hours and accompanying wages.

There’s been a growing movement lately to discredit local foods initiatives.  The theory goes that mass producing foods and shipping them across the country leads to greater economic efficiencies.  But as a recent Business Week article titled “Entrepreneurs Keep the Local Food Movement Hot” reports, local foods initiatives play a more critical role in economic development than most people realize. 

After conducting a quick internet search for the Farm to School Initiative, I’ve concluded there’s not much happening in South Dakota’s schools.  If true, that’s disappointing. 

Good nutrition and a little economic development.  That’s something that could benefit all of our rural communities. 

Photo credit:  back_garage - Flickr

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Eating Local in Rural America

December 16th, 2009

In a post titled “Eating Local, Eating Rural,” Lisa R. Pruitt recently shared her experience of eating locally grown food in her home state of Arkansas. In doing so, she provides a little inspiration to small town entrepreneurs who have a green thumb and a little culinary expertise.   

Specifically, she highlights a “new-ish, upmarket-ish Fayetteville restaurant, The Greenhouse Grille,” that purchases food directly from farmers in the region around Fayetteville, AR. 

The Greenhouse Grille is an example of an urban restaurant that prepares foods grown in rural areas.  It’s also a great example of the rural-urban linkages that economic development professionals always talk about. 

Pruitt’s article, however, causes me to wonder:  Where are the rural restaurants selling foods grown in the region? I’m not aware of any in rural South Dakota. Are rural people willing to patronize restaurants with a local theme if it means they have to pay more for their meals?  Or is it just of a fanciful fad for upscale urbanites?

I’ve always looked at the locavore movement (like farmers markets and Buy Fresh, Buy Local campaigns) as an extension of a buy local mentality.  I think it’s also an excellent economic development strategy that focuses on poverty reduction.  At the same time, I realize some rural advocates see it as more of an urban thing that conflicts with a rural lifestyle. 

I, for one, would much prefer to support restaurants like The Greenhouse Grille that are found in rural settings.  Hopefully, bloggers like Pruitt will inspire more entrepreneurs to take up the challenge. 

 

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Posted in Agriculture, Economic Development, Rural | Comments (0)

Is your community on your Christmas list?

November 19th, 2009

We don’t often think of giving Christmas presents to our communities unless we are considering a donation to a community foundation or program. A recent post from the Strom Center at Dickenson State University reminded me how important it is for rural communities to create activities that encourage residents to shop locally this holiday season.  In many ways individuals who commit to buying their Christmas gifts locally are giving a gift to the community. 

Specifically, the Strom Center post highlights a “shopping celebration” they are sponsoring in Dickinson called “Ladies Night Out.”

Featuring Downtown businesses, Ladies Night Out offers an eventful evening for all ages. Over twenty downtown stores will be offering a special discount/promotion during this event. A majority of the stores will be hosting refreshments and food sampling. Various downtown professional businesses are sponsoring the event to make the night spectacular. Downtown bars and restaurants will be offering different specials to complete the night.”

Events like Ladies Night Out are a part of a burgeoning “shop local” effort many communities are working on this holiday season.  They provide the entertainment necessary to keep residents from driving to larger communities for their shopping.

Howard, SD created a similar event named Hometown Holidays back in 2001.  Geared more towards families, it offers a lighted parade, horse carriage rides, Santa Clause and much more.  It’s a pretty big event for a town of 1000 residents.

Reflecting on these two events has caused me to wonder what else small, rural towns are doing this holiday season?  With this in mind, I conducted a quick internet search, and found a few more innovative activities, which sounded fun:

There are undoubtedly a lot of other great ideas happening in rural communities.  And sharing them will help other communities make the most if their holiday season.  If you know of innovative holiday event, share them in the comment section below.

 

Photo Credit:  David R. Carroll - Flickr

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Posted in Economic Development, In the News, Rural | Comments (4)

Will Social Networking make “place” more important?

May 28th, 2009

Last week I raised the question; Will Gen Y, with their infatuation for on-line social networking tools, ruin how people develop a sense of belonging to a community?  Today, I’d like to share a story suggesting that social networking is actually contributing to an increased desire for local.

Titled “Demographic trends now favor downtown,” the article traces the growing demand for retail space in downtown settings and its connection to the “buy local” movement. 

 

Besides offering the economic causes driving people to the downtown setting, the article identifies how on-line computer activities contribute to the importance of place:

Humans are social beings, and all the time we spend at our computers makes us, if anything, even hungrier for real-world interactions. The Internet, paradoxically, is making place even more important. Marrying great online services with appealing real-world presence will be the secret to success for many a company. So pay attention to where you are and to where your community is going.

If we are hungry for face-to-face interaction, and if a sense of place will become more important for businesses, does it not suggest an opportunity for small rural communities?  After all, isn’t “being real” inherent in most small rural communities? 

But it also begs the question, what are we doing to take advantage of this growing sentiment?  If we are not thoughtful and willing to take action, this opportunity may slip through our fingers. 

Note:  Readers may also be interested in knowing that I discovered this article through the Main Street Mitchell and Beyond’s Facebook page .  It pays to be a part of a social network.

Photo Source:  Jordan MacDonald/Flickr (photo of facades in downtown Broken Arrow, OK)

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More on the Clark Variety Store

May 24th, 2009

The Clark Hometown Variety Store received more good publicity today in a story published in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.  Titled “Buying a store sells Clark on small-town power“, the article describes how the residents of Clark, SD (pop. 1300) banded together to create a cooperatively-owned variety store.  

If faithful readers of ReImagine Rural think the story sounds familiar, it should.  Back in February 2009, I posted about the store, emphasizing the importance of small retail operations like this in small, rural communities.    They are often just as much a part of a community’s “infrastructure” as streets, cell phone service, and broadband internet.

The Argus Leader identifies that cooperative-owned stores like this are on the rise, but they missed an opportunity to provide another “local” example of the phenomena it in action.  After all, the community of Menno, SD took similar initiative to maintain the presence of a grocery store in their community.

The story also raises the question:  What is happening to Clark’s city sales tax revenues?  Most people are not aware of how important city sales tax is to the operations of a municipality in South Dakota.  My guess is that Clark has seen a rise in its revenues since the store opened.  It would be fun to see. 

 

Other stories about the Clark Hometown Variety Store

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Kansas “gets” importance of grocery stories

April 14th, 2009

The Kansas Sampler Foundation not only “gets” rural culture, but they also get the importance or rural grocery stores. 

In response to a call from a resident from a rural town (pop. 1100) that lacks a grocery store, Marci Penner called for the establishment of a two-day Midwest Small Grocery symposium.  The idea being we need to “reimagine” how rural grocery stores operate.  Couldn’t agree more!

We’ve talked about a few retail models (here, here, and here) that have emerged in the upper Midwest.  We’d love to hear other stories from around the country.

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Gathering at the Grocery Store

March 18th, 2009

In my post today, I’d like to connect a few dots.  In the past few months, I’ve written about two communities (Clark, SD and Menno, SD) who stepped up to the plate and purchased retail operations when private buyers for the ventures could not be identified.  I’ve also written about the importance of “third places” in strengthening community bonds, and how they can positively impact the community’s economic development. )

It wasn’t until reflecting on a recent e-mail from Dr. Dave Engen, the founder of the “Third Place Project,” that I realized what a great opportunity both communities have to create third places out of their community-owned retail stores. 

We seldom think of grocery and variety stores as being places where “people meeting informally and build strong social connections,” but Dr. Engen’s work provides examples of both grocery and hardware stores that do so. 

I’m not sure if either community has considered their stores as community gather places, but I’d encourage them to do so.  And if they - or any community following their lead - want evidence of how it can be accomplished, I’d encourage them to check out the audio casts at the “Third Place Project“.

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Grocery store finds new life

March 13th, 2009

We’ve heard the story time and time again:  Grocery store owner in a rural town reaches retirement age, wants to sell, but struggles to find an interested buyer.  With no buyer in sight, the store closes. Substitute “hardware store” or “grocery store,” and most small towns in the Upper Midwest have experienced this scenario first hand.

Last month, we learned that the community of Clark, SD banded together to reopen their “variety store.”  Today, we report that the community of Menno, SD (pop. 729) stepped up to save their grocery store. 

The Yankton Press and Dakotan provides details for the story. () When it appeared the store’s owners who were ready to retire couldn’t find a buyer, the Menno Area Development Corporation took action by:

The story is uplifting and motivating.  It proves that communities don’t have to accept decline as inevitable.

What’s really exciting about the story
Digging deeper into the story, however, I found other reasons to be excited. 

First, the store’s manager, Amber Taylor was 27 years old when she took over.  She had been living in the Rapid City, proving that not everyone from Gen Y is interested in living in an urban area. 

Second, like the Nick Graham story, the community values the store and is willing to volunteer their time to work at the store.

Third, the community appears to be supporting Taylor with mentors.  A story in the March 4, 2008 edition of the Town and County Weekly News, suggests Taylor is being mentored by the former store owners and another retired former grocer who retired to Menno.  A review of the Menno Area Development Corporation minutes also informs us that the Southeast Enterprise Facilitation Project has played an important advisory role.  

The idea that communities need to provide mentoring support to entrepreneurial endeavors is often neglected.  It may, however, be one of the more important roles around. 

At the end of the day, the Menno community should feel proud of their efforts.   They have provided us with another example of a “Reimagined” future for rural places.

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

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