Welcome to the November/December Renewing the Countryside newsletter, designed to provide a monthly toolbox of resources, ideas and inspiration for your own efforts and interests in rural revitalization.

Thank you for your continued support of Renewing the Countryside.

Jan Joannides, Executive Director
Renewing the Countryside

"My grandmother told me to never put all your eggs in one basket. This holds true for all aspects of marketing. For the small acreage farmer to succeed, we need to be diversified," shares Diane Green, owner of Greentree Naturals, a small certified organic farm in rural northern Idaho she operates with her husband, Thom Sadoski. From a twelve member CSA to farmers' markets, from restaurant to flower sales that still allows time for workshops, writing and agricultural consulting -- all these pieces add up to a diversified income pie, based on a core philosophy of keeping business as local as possible.

Read the rest of the story . . . .

Making a Commitment to the Next Generation
Isabel, SD

When we think about life on the prairie, most of us think about rugged individualism. Yet the community of Isabel, South Dakota, put that image to rest as they talk about the need for interdependency in order to survive in today's rural economy. While coal mining and the railroad industry once defined the town, at the heart of Isabel today is its hope and commitment to the youth of the community. One grandmother says, "We don't have that many young people, so if someone has a baby, it's a community baby. You go to the basketball game and everyone holds the baby until it's hungry. Then it goes back to mom." Children are a precious commodity in a town that needs people to stay for the town to grow. This is the kind of community where a mother can leave her baby with the owner of Sparky's Bar and Grille for 10 minutes while she runs to the store. One mother says, "I don't have to worry if I am at the cafe and my daughter wants to run get a video down the street." All businesses on Main Street are in plain view of each other. This is a community where the norm is to be helpful and kind. Distrust is not a person's first reaction.

Read the rest of the story...

Think about giving RTC books for the holidays. RTC now has seven beautiful books that make great gifts. Order by December 12th to ensure shipping by Christmas. Order the entire set of paperbacks for $100 or hardbacks for $150. Take a look online to order.

Are you a farmer looking to expand your market into restaurants, cafes, food services, institutions and distributors? Are you a buyer interested in making new connections to purchase local products from farmers, producers and distributors?

Using a networking process, loosely based on the principles of speed-dating, an upcoming workshop series fills a room with chefs and food buyers interested in buying local products and farmers interested in selling to them and quickly and efficiently rotate folks around to make connections. Renewing the Countryside, Minnesota Grown, MISA, Green Routes, Heartland Food Network and Food Alliance Midwest, in partnership with local sponsors, are hosting three such Farmer/Buyer Connection workshops in January with funding from a North Central Extension Risk Management Education grant.

The Farmer Chef Direct Marketing Workshops: Twin Cities, Mon. Jan. 7, 2008 10:00am-3:00pm; Winona (SE Minnesota), Mon. Jan. 14, 2008 10:00 am- 3:00pm; Little Falls (North Central Minnesota), Mon. Jan. 28, 2008 10:00am-3:00pm.

If you are a farmer interested in getting your product into a restaurant, grocery store or institution (school, hospital, etc.), or a food buyer for a restaurant or other institution; or someone working in food systems and would like more information on the "got local?" series of workshops, please call 612.871.1541 or e-mail Lindsay at lindsay@rtcinfo.org

Green Routes Coffeebreaks Brewing

RTC is hosting Green Coffeebreaks. The coffee breaks are our way of sharing in an up close and personal way all the cool places we've uncovered in out Green Routes initiative. If you work in the Twin Cities area and would like to have us bring a Green Coffeebreak to your office, give us a call. You supply a little space and get the word out in your office and we'll bring the coffee (fair trade, or course) and treats. If you're interested in scheduling a Green Coffeebreak, contact Margaret at 612.871.1541 or margaret@rtcinfo.org.

RTC Launches Journeys with First Nations at White Earth

Journeys with First Nations is a new "Green Route" that specifically highlights sustainability and cultural preservation in tribal communities. RTC is pleased to announce the first Journeys with First Nations at White Earth in partnership with the White Earth Land Recovery Project. Travelers will be able to visit the Three Sisters Organic Garden, Native Harvest, the Minwanijige Cafe, the Anishinabe Cultural Center, the Mishtadim Horse Academy and meet with local artists, historians, storytellers, and traditional farmers. Learn the Anishinabe way to make maple syrup or the importance of the mahnomen - wild rice.

The project also highlights the history of the White Earth lands and visitors get a chance to learn about restoration efforts of endangered prairie pot holes (lakes and marshes) that are important for the survival of hundreds of thousands of migrating birds. Several of these projects were developed with leadership from Anishinable activist Winona LaDuke.

The maps and website will be available in June 2008 on www.greenroutes.org.

Midwest Governors Presented with Renewing the Countryside - Wisconsin Book

Twelve Midwest Governors received a copy of the newly released Renewing the Countryside - Wisconsin at the Energy Security and Climate Change Summit in Milwaukee November 14 and 15. Showcasing how Wisconsin is leading the nation in addressing climate change through renewable energy production, energy efficiency and other sustainable practices, Renewing the Countryside - Wisconsin provided concrete examples and inspiration for these twelve Midwest governors. Midwest Governors and on Canadian provence in attendance signed the Midwest Energy Security and Climate Stewardship Platform and Midwest Greenhouse Gas Accord, offering specific goals and timeframes for producing lower carbon energy

Click here for a press release regarding RTC's presence at the Summit.

Learn more about Sustain Lane . . .

Learn more about the Brico Fund . . .

For more on In A Pickle and Jerry Apps . . .

Not surprisingly, several of the stories in the newly released book, Renewing the Countryside - Wisconsin, are from Bayfield, including Pinehurst Inn, Lake Superior Big Top Chautauqua, Northland College, White Winter Winery and the eco- municipalities on Chequamegon Bay. We'll be featuring more of these Bayfield area businesses in upcoming RTC newsletters.

For more information on Bayfield, Wisconsin . .

As always, you can support our work by making an online donation or purchasing books from the Renewing the Countryside store. We're grateful to the many individuals, corporations, foundations and government agencies that support out work.

Find out more about Renewing the Countryside .

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