Rural America

Is Self Employment Changing in Rural America?

May 24, 2009

An estimated 25 million people in the United States call themselves ‘self employed.’ They might hold multiple jobs, run online businesses or other small shops, or function as independent contractors or ‘freelancers.’ The Promise and Peril of the Freelance Economy provides a comprehensive overview of how self-employment has changed in America, and reflects changes in [...]

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When East Meets West – A New Chicken and Egg for Rural America

April 10, 2009

My husband Tim and I had a brief discussion today with a local government employee, whose son will graduate from college next month. We inquired about what his son had majored in, where he wanted to live, what kind of job he hoped to go after. Of course that led us to share some thoughts [...]

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Diversifying Farm Operations

April 6, 2009

At the national level, we talk casually about billions and trillions of dollars. And not too long ago, it was difficult to obtain small business loans for less than $250,000.00. Which just goes to show, what a difference a few dollars can make in the lives of small business owners who want to better their [...]

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We Need Broadband.com

March 26, 2009

Do you have broadband yet? Residents and businesses in communities under-served by broadband internet access can let the federal government know by visiting and recording their geographical location at weneedbroadband.com, an online campaign launched for rural America. The more locations mapped in a community, the more attractive it becomes for the $7.2 billion in grant [...]

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Rural Change at the Speed of White Lightning

March 25, 2009

A few weeks ago I mentioned that a vote was taking place in my area as to whether ‘liquor by the drink’ would be allowed and become legal in the ‘downtown’ of my county. Here’s what I said earlier this month: “The choice to sell alcoholic beverages or not is still a controversial one in [...]

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What Small Towns Care About

March 18, 2009

“To read the papers and to listen to the news… one would think the country is in terrible trouble. You do not get that impression when you travel the back roads. The small towns do care about their country and wish it well.” Charles Kuralt American radio and television Journalist (1934-1997)

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Saving Open Space

March 16, 2009

The most powerful argument of all for saving open space is economics. In most states, tourism is the number two industry. Jim Fowler, American Economist

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A Stronger Voice for Rural America in Washington

March 13, 2009

Senate Democrats announced a “rural agenda” for the 111th Congress today. The website created to describe the issues they understand to be important to rural America is called Rural Outreach. “Rural America reflects our nation’s most precious values: hard work, independence, and an unparalleled commitment to community. Senate Democrats provide a voice for the over [...]

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Multiple Streams of Income in Small Towns

March 11, 2009

This past weekend, my husband and I were out for a drive on our local country back roads and passed through several nearby small towns. We were struck by the signage on many stores, where we saw not one business, but listings of multiple services and businesses within the same four walls. Our feeling was [...]

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Coping With The Modern American Tourist

March 9, 2009

The modern American tourist now fills his experience with pseudo-events. He has come to expect both more strangeness and more familiarity than the world naturally offers. He has come to believe that he can have a lifetime of adventure in two weeks and all the thrills of risking his life without any real risk at [...]