Upcoming Workshops

People’s Garden Initiative Training

The USDA People’s Garden Initiative and Cooperative Extension Service announce the Healthy Gardening Training Series. These sessions will cover a wide variety of horticultural and garden related topics taught by Extension Educators across the country.

There is no charge for registration and all sessions are open to the public. You may register for one or all of the sessions depending on your interests.

The Cooperative Extension System is the nation’s largest and oldest network of universities. Visit www.eXtension.org  for a sample the type of extension education going on across the country. The USDA People’s Garden Initiative promotes growing healthy food, people and communities. It encourages USDA employees and communities to plant gardens because we believe the simple act of planting a garden can make real and lasting change to improve food access and healthy lifestyles.Registration is open now at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/broadcasts/emg/.

The presentations from through April 19 are all 60 minutes each, except Apr. 26 and May 3 which are 30 minutes each. All times are EDT.  

News Articles

Help Available for Farmers Fighting Damaged, Wet Fields

USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced that Indiana NRCS has $6.5 million dollars available in Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP) funding for 2011.  WRP is the federal government's largest wetlands restoration program.  Through it NRCS provides technical and financial assistance to private landowners and Indian Tribes to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands that have been degraded or converted for agricultural uses.

For more information about WRP and to find out the 2011 GARC rates for your county, visit the Indiana NRCS WRP Web site at: http://www.in.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/WRP/WRPhomepage.html Interested producers should contact their NRCS district conservationist at a USDA Service Center to determine eligibility. Visit http://www.in.nrcs.usda.gov/contact/directory/field_offices.html to find the nearest USDA Service Center.  See attached news release for more details and contact information.

About REN Workshops

REN is currently offering a “Start Your Own Business” Workshop for rural individuals who are interested in starting a business or are in the early stages of a business. The workshop content includes: How Rural Entrepreneur Network (REN) Helps Rural Business Start Ups; Characteristics of Successful Rural Entrepreneurs; Self Assessment Exercise; Available Rural Businesses; Steps in Successful Revenue and Profit Planning; Support Services for Rural Start Ups; Steps to Get Started; and more.

REN is also offering Small Business Marketing Workshops for small business owners who need help in marketing and customer development. The workshop will feature the presentation of eleven marketing power tools that can have big customer impact with a small budget. Examples include Branding, Almost-Free Advertising, plus nine more.

Contact the office (317-290-3250) for information regarding upcoming workshop locations.

2008 Rural Entrepreneur Excellence Award 

The Rural Entrepreneur Network (REN) is pleased to announce the 2008 awardees of the Rural Entrepreneur Excellence Award. The awardees are the Richardson Family (from Johnson County ) and Marsha MacPhee-Webster (from Morgan County ). These awardees were selected because of their demonstration of entrepreneurial spirit, intelligent risk-taking skills, and business success.

On May 4th, a plaque was presented to John Richardson, who received this award on behalf of himself, Bill, and Laura Richardson during the Voice Concert at the Johnson County Museum of History. In September 2005, the Richardsons successfully started a winery, the Mallow Run Winery, in Indiana . This winery was one of four featured farms in the Johnson County Cooperative Extension Service's "Farm Fest" in September 2007. Please see the attached news release, which contains more details about the Mallow Run Winery and the Richardsons ' experience ( News Release-Rural Entrepreneur Excellence Award-Mallow Run Winery ).

A plaque was presented to Marsha MacPhee-Webster of Morgan County at Hoosier Harvest Church. Marsha successfully founded the Desert Rose Foundation to aid victims of domestic violence, which opened in January 2005 and has stayed full the majority of the time. Marsha is also the CEO of Webster Software Inc. and has formed a not-for-profit business called Heart N Hand LLC. Please see the attached news release, which contains more details about the Desert Rose Foundation and Marsha's experience (News Release-Rural Entrepreneur Excellence Award-Marsha MacPhee-Webster).

Congratulations to the Richardsons and Marsha!

Let REN help YOUR business… mean BUSINESS!

Join the Shrimp Farmers Alliance in South Central Indiana !

The Shrimp Farmers Alliance is a group of current and potential Shrimp and Trout Farmers. This alliance was formed to help in information sharing, cost sharing, and marketing of shrimp and trout freshwater pond farming in South Central Indiana. Tim Connor of Monrovia , Indiana is the president of the Shrimp Farmers Alliance , located in Morgan County , and is the owner of the Connor Shrimp Farm.

“As president of the alliance, I am available to explain the specifics of shrimp farming and suggest ways to get into the business effectively and efficiently. In short, to get started you need some rural land with the possibility of establishing a ½ to ¾ acre pond on it,” claims Mr. Connor.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the alliance, email us at hhrcd@hhrcd.org or call the REN office at 317-290-3250. For more information about the Shrimp Farmers Alliance, check out the REN Prawn Conference Flyer (available in PDF format).