A part-time physical therapist, a plant-based cheese company and an outdoor education program for children may not have much in common on the surface — but all three businesses have benefited from a growing ecosystem of entrepreneurship in rural New Hampshire. The Hannah Grimes Center for Entrepreneurship has supported entrepreneurs like these in their efforts to build … [Read more...]
This Veteran-Owned Farming Startup Is Building a Food Oasis in Kansas
Rock band Jethro Tull and the Covid pandemic planted the seeds for a budding micro farm in Pittsburg, Kansas (population: 20,646) that is meeting a longstanding need for healthy food access. Leafy Green Farms was founded by Brad Fourby, a Navy veteran and California transplant drawn to opportunity in the Kansas plains. But in a state where the average farm is 781 … [Read more...]
EsoTerra Cider: Reviving Rural America’s ‘Drink of Choice’
Just off the San Juan Highway — a stunning loop through Southwest Colorado — is a cider works on a mission to change the future of hard cider by digging into its past. EsoTerra is nestled next to the river in Dolores, Colorado (population: 825) in the heart of orchard country. The surrounding area is home to an estimated 6,000 apple orchards, many of which were first planted … [Read more...]
USDA to Invest $21M in Drought Resilience Projects in 2022
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will invest $21 million next fiscal year in water conservation and drought resilience projects in 13 Western states through the WaterSMART initiative. Farmers, ranchers and communities in Western states continue to face significant drought-related challenges. WaterSMART is a collaboration between the Natural Resources Conservation Service … [Read more...]
Meet the Developer Building a Rural Downtown From Scratch
Developer Justin Forde often drove through Mapleton, North Dakota, thinking, ‘Here is a town without a downtown.’ The bedroom community has nearly doubled in size over the last decade and is now home to about 1,500 people. It has an 18-hole golf course, and it’s a short drive from Fargo, where many residents commute for work. Yet there was nowhere to grab a cup of coffee. One … [Read more...]