October 2011  
Opportunities

Striving, Thriving, or Just Surviving? Issues & Answers for the Forest Products Community

This 2-day symposium is being held on November 9th at the Boondocks Restaurant, Lyons Falls, NY. Loggers, foresters, sawmillers, and landowners are encouraged to attend. Participants can attend one or two days. Lunches will be provided.

AGENDA & REGISTRATION

For more information, or to register, contact Mona Lincoln at (315) 369-3078.

New Members

Welcome our newest WoodNet Member!

Highwoods Farm - Saugerties, NY

Highwoods Farm is a horse powered logging operation specializing in small woodlots.  

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Bulletin Board
  

8/31/2011
2 black walnut trees for sale, about 70 inches in diameter (914) 473-8988   

Letter from the Editor


The times, they are a-changing. The way consumers shop for products and services is very different from what it was even five or ten years ago. From my own experience, when I am shopping for something, I don't go to a newspaper or the Yellow Pages. I don't glaze over ads on television or the radio. Nope, I go to the Internet. I "google" it.

If your marketing still depends on paper media, it's time to consider a change. Case in point: Southwest Ideas, an Arizona company specializing in custom wood building interiors and exteriors. Their staff of five went to part time to weather the recession. They stopped attending home shows and advertising in the Yellow Pages, and now use that time and money to focus on the Internet, including developing a Facebook page and improving their website.


According to The Arizona Republic, the changes paid off in a big way. Company revenues increased over 70% last year, and all their staff are back to full time work.


Owner Rich Reithal sums it up well: "It's not that the home shows are a bad thing. But we are on more of a national basis now." Not bad for a five-person woodshop in a down economy.   

How can you learn to take advantage of 21st century marketing? The Delaware County eCenter in Delhi is offering a series of workshops this fall on exactly this topic, and through Catskill WoodNet, wood products businesses in the Catskill region can attend these workshops for free. See "eCenter Workshops" below for more details.

 

Take care,

  Joshua VanBrakle

Wood Products Utilization and Marketing Specialist

Watershed Agricultural Council Forestry Program

(607) 865-7790 ext. 112

[email protected] 

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DONATIONS NEEDED
 

DONATIONS NEEDED: 2011 Annual Forestry Program Dinner and Silent Auction 

  

On Friday, November 4th, the Watershed Agricultural Council will hold its Annual Forestry Program Dinner and Silent Auction. Funds raised at the silent auction will benefit the Easement Stewardship Fund. This fund will provide oversight of WAC's easement holdings for future generations. Last year, the silent auction was filled with wonderful items, including many wood products from members of Catskill WoodNet. Last year's event raised over $4,000 towards the cause; this year we hope to raise $5,000 with your help.

To ensure this year's silent auction is filled with great items to benefit this wonderful cause, you can help us by donating an item or service from your business, a gift certificate to your favorite restaurant, or a monetary donation toward the Easement Stewardship Fund. Your donation is tax-deductible and promotes your wood business at the same time.

To donate an item to the silent auction, contact Bridget Hanley, Forestry Program Executive Assistant at (607) 865-7790 x 101. Checks for a monetary donation should be made payable to "Watershed Agricultural Council" and sent to 33195 State Highway 10, Walton, NY. Please note "Easement Stewardship Fund" on the check's memo line.

Join us in our mission to protect regional farms, forests and water resources. With your support, we can conserve working watershed landscapes for future generations. Your contribution is greatly appreciated and tax-deductible to the extent allowable. 

 

 

ECENTER WORKSHOPS
 

Delaware County eCenter Hosts Workshop Series

This fall, learn how to grow your business using the Internet with the Delaware County eCenter's workshop series, Tech Tuesdays and Facebook Fridays. These workshops include topics such as profiting from social media, selling on eBay and marketing to second homeowners. Attendees can pick and choose which workshops they want attend; go to one, or go to all if you want to!. The Tech Tuesdays workshops take place from November 1 to December 13 from 1:00-2:30pm. Facebook Fridays runs from October 28 to December 9 from 8:30-10:00am. All the workshops take place at the Delaware County eCenter, Main Street, Delhi, NY.


Registration is normally $10, but through Catskill WoodNet, any wood products business based in Delaware, Greene, Otsego, Schoharie, Sullivan, or Ulster Counties can get reimbursed for both the $10 registration fee and round trip mileage (reimbursed at federal rates). After attending, simply contact Joshua VanBrakle and tell him which workshop you attended, the total registration cost, and the miles traveled. A sign-in sheet will be provided at each workshop for attendance verification.


Don't miss out on this great local opportunity to learn more about using the Internet to boost your profits! Registration is required at least 24 hours in advance for each workshop. To register for a workshop, call the eCenter at 607-746-9710.

 

Your privacy is very important to us; therefore we will not sell, rent, or give your name or email address to anyone. And, you can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of every Catskill WoodNet News.
Catskill WoodNet and the Pure Catskills branding campaign are economic initiatives of the Watershed Agricultural Council. The Watershed Agricultural Council is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to support the economic viability of agriculture and forestry through the protection of water quality and the promotion of land conservation in the New York City Watershed region. The WAC is supported by the U.S. Forest Service, The New York City Environmental Protection, U.S.D.A and other sources. The Watershed Agricultural Council is an equal opportunity employer and provider.