|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Category Archives: Business
Farmers Market Vendor Spotlight: Ann Tibbets and Ruth Hawkins
Ann Tebbets and Ruth Hawkins have been long-time craft vendors at the Fort Scott Farmers’ Market. These ladies make beautiful bird feeders and wind chimes that are sure to dress up any front porch. Come out and visit with one of our favorite vendors this week!
Farmers Market Vendor Spotlight: Mary Ann Yoder
Mrs. Yoder has been a long-time part of the Fort Scott Farmers’ Market. She is well known for her beautiful hand-made baskets and delicious baked goods. Mrs. Yoder can be found on Saturday mornings in her usual spot in the shade. Come find her this weekend!
Young Enterpreneurs: The Whitson Brothers
This is part of a series featuring young entrepreneurs in our community.
To recommend a young entrepreneur, send contact information to news@fortscott.biz
The Whitson brothers, sons of Maria and Clayton Whitson, are entrepreneurs. The family lives on a farm in rural Garland.
Malachi, age 10, Asher, age 7 and Judah, age 5, all create items to sell, but each has a different product.
The boys, along with their parents, had a booth at the Fort Scott Farmers Market on June 3.
“The boys had… sold at my parents festival (Shead Family Festival, an annual event) the year before but they really enjoyed the opportunity to sell with other kids and actually learn a little more about how businesses work,” said Maria.
The Whitsons launched a family business called The Journey Home which is an umbrella for their whole family’s creations, including their three young sons, according to their mother, Maria. They have two younger daughters.
Book publishing, art, jewelry, cast iron accessories, homeschooling, foraging, homesteading, disaster prep, herbal remedies, are some of the interests of the family business.
Malachi and Asher went to the Acton Children’s Business Fair in April 2022 and developed a business plan and selected a name for their respective businesses.
Malachi, owner of Made by Malachi, creates jewelry.
“I can sell personalized bacelets, keychains, but mostly make earrings,” he said. “I like creating. I think up ideas then try them out. If they don’t work out, it’s fine, I can use my mistakes to create something else. ”
Business has been good, he said. He has been selling his jewelry at markets, fairs, festivals and at Root Coffee Shop in Pittsburg.
“I started selling three years ago at the Shead Farm Festival, and now sell at different events, he said. ” Larry and Vickie Shead, who open their farm annually in May to visitors, are the brothers’ grandparents.
Asher is an artist.
“I started my business when I was five,” he said. “I get ideas on Facebook, and use an Apple Pencil I Pad (to create on).”
“Mom asked me if I wanted to do a business and I just started drawing,” Asher said.
He also has sold his artwork at the Shead Farm Festival, the Acton Business Fair, Fort Scott Farmers Market and Root Coffee Shop.
He likes what he’s doing.
“It’s easy and fun to draw and I get money,” he said.
Judah received a mini-donut maker for Christmas.
His first selling of his product was at his grandparents Shead Farm Festival last month
At the June 3, 2023 Fort Scott Farmers Market, he was manning his family’s booth at the cash register, with help, and was all smiles.
Second Children’s Business Workshop Coming In September
The boys attended the children’s business workshop in April 2022.
Dacia Clark, with the Small Business Development Center, taught the children about developing a business plan, and other marketing basics, Rachel Carpenter with the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team said. The SBDC is housed in the HBCAT office at 104 N. National Avenue.
“Acton Children’s Business Fair provided the curriculum, and HBCAT helped coordinate the efforts,” Carpenter said.
Acton Children’s Business Fair is a culmination of ideas and hard work from great young minds. Kids develop a brand, create a product or service, build a marketing strategy, and then open for customers at a one-day marketplace, according to its Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/childrensbusinessfairfortscottks?mibextid=LQQJ4d
The kids will have 3-4 meetings discussing the above ideas, culminating in a business fair. In 2022, the group of children totaled 13, and the hope is that will grown for the fall 2023 workshop, according to the Facebook page.
For registration for the fair which is scheduled for September 30 from 8 a.m. to noon: https://www.childrensbusinessfair.org/fortscott-ks
Farmers Market Vendor Spotlight: Cathy Ramirez
Cathy Ramirez has been hand crafting her knitted treasures nearly her entire life! She offers delicious baked goods and you can see her in action as she knits in all her spare time. Cathy has been part of the Fort Scott Farmers’ Market for many years and is always happy to share a smile!
Fort Scott Farmers Market Vendor Spotlight: Emma Stone
Emma Stone Is the owner of Cutecrochtecritters and one of our new vendors this year! She hand crochets all her cute and cuddly stuffies and toys and has made several special order commission pieces for very satisfied customers. Emma is booked for the next year at local craft fairs as well as having a full time spot at the Fort Scott Farmers’ Market. Find her here on FB as well as Instagram and TickTock. Don’t forget to visit her online store on Etsy. This girl has it going on!
Young Entrepreneur Series: Chloe Couchman
This is part of a series on young entrepreneurs in this community.
To nominate a young entrepreneur, send contact information to news@fortscott.biz
Chloe Couchman, 9, from Bronson, started her business after her grandma, Diana Cooper, visited her some months back, she said.
“She gave me a pot holder kit and taught me how to do it,” Chloe said.
Since then Chloe has been selling her product by word of mouth.
“She has been at Bronson Ruritan,” said her mother Melanie Couchman. “She and her brother goes with her dad (Tony Couchman) and I to the Ruritan Club. She passed out some free ones and let them know she was selling them.”
“She also let her Grandpa Couchman and her bus driver know,” Melanie said.
Chloe said she likes the creative side of “making her own patterns” of potholders.
In addition, her business booth contains chocolate no-bake cookies to sell, made by Chloe.
“They are my favorite kind,” she said.
Chloe said she had a good day at the Fort Scott Farmers Market on June 3, selling 10 potholders and 11 bags of cookies. Her Mom is pondering a booth herself to sell her baked goods that she creates, and if that happens, Chloe will be selling more of her creations there as well.
It is $5 to set up a booth at Fort Scott Farmers Market, which meets every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon and Tuesday from 4-6 p.m. at Skutbitz Plaza, in front of the Fort Scott National Historic Site.
For more information on the market:
https://www.facebook.com/fsfma
Fort Scott Farmers Market Vendor Spotlight: Little Hands Baked Goods
We’re excited to introduce Alanna Scott and her family! You can find the Scott family on Tuesday afternoons and Saturday mornings. There are lots of little hands to help out, and their baked goods are becoming very popular. Since they sell out almost every time, you’d better come early!
Young Entrepreneur Series: Camren Lamb
This is first in a series of young entrepreneurs in the community. The series aims to highlight youth who are venturing out in their own businesses.
Please submit names of other recommended young entrepreneurs to be featured to news@fortscott.biz
Camren Lamb, 9, heard about entrepreneurship in January 2022, at the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Dare to Dream program, an adult entrepreneurship event.
Camren is the son of Melanie and Larry Lamb, rural Fort Scott.
Melanie attended the event and Camren came also.
“I asked if I could make a picture, so I sold my first art,” Camren said.
He sells artwork and plays a newly purchased guitar as part of his business.
Dacia Clark, with the Small Business Development Center, taught him and others in a April 2022 childrens workshop about developing a business plan, and other marketing basics, Rachel Carpenter with the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team said. The SBDC is housed in the HBCAT office at 104 N. National Avenue.
“Acton Children’s Business Fair provided the curriculum, and HBCAT helped coordinate the efforts,” Carpenter said.
In addition to selling his artwork, he plays music requests on his guitar for passersby.
“I played ukelele first, then guitar,” he said. The guitar was purchased from money he earned at the Children’s Business Fair in April 2022.
He doesn’t charge for for playing, he said.
“I use it to draw people (in to look at his artwork),” he said. “I take requests and tell them songs are free but I had a basket for artwork sales and people started putting money in for the music.”
He was selling at the Fort Scott Farmers Market for the first time on June 3. “This is my second time selling, the first time was at Buck Run Community Center at the Children’s Business Fair.”
Most recently he played guitar at the Shead Farm Festival, the Fort Scott Christian Heights Country Store and at the Friday Night Free Concert at the gazebo downtown.
He took ukelele lessons from Bob Solomonson and guitar lessons from Stephen Moses, he said.
Camren said this year his earnings will go to help the Show Me Christian Youth Home and he is also saving money for church camp.
Affordable High Speed Internet Project Coming to Bourbon County
TOPEKA, June 12, 2023 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Kansas State Director Christy Davis today announced a $49.9 million loan to connect thousands of rural Kansans to reliable, affordable high-speed internet. The project will improve service for 149 businesses, 821 farms and over 4,000 people in Bourbon, Cherokee, Crawford, Labette and Neosho counties.
“High-speed internet is essential in today’s world of online business, learning and communication,” Davis said. “This investment will help ensure rural Kansas remains a place of opportunity to live, work, and raise a family.”
This is the fourth funding round of the USDA ReConnect Program. Since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration, the Department has invested in 142 ReConnect projects that will bring high-speed internet access to 314,000 rural Americans.
Today’s announcement is part of a larger national announcement totaling $714 million in USDA investments in Kansas and 18 other states.
The Kansas details are:
- The Craw-Kan Telephone Cooperative Inc. in Kansas will receive a $49,954,702 loan to connect 4,189 people, 821 farms, 149 businesses and three educational facilities to high-speed internet in Bourbon, Cherokee, Crawford, Labette and Neosho counties.
Background: ReConnect Program
Applicants to ReConnect Program funding must serve a rural area that lacks access to service at speeds of 100 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 20 Mbps upload. Applicants must also commit to building facilities capable of providing high-speed internet service with speeds of 100 Mbps (download and upload) to every location in the proposed service area. Additionally, to ensure that rural households that need internet service can afford it, all awardees will be required to apply to participate in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). The ACP offers a discount of up to $30 per month towards internet service to qualifying low-income households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal Lands.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas, visit www.rd.usda.gov or contact the nearest USDA Rural Development state office.
USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, tribal and high-poverty areas. For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.
Artist Reception and Master Class at Artificers
Join Us at The Artificers ForPhillip OrtizOpening Reception and Master Class! |
|
|
|
|
|
This Friday! June 9th 6PM |
|
|
|
|
Artist Opening ReceptionMaster ArtistPhillip Ortiz, Mixed Media Artist |
|
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||
Kansas Historic Economic Development
Governor Kelly Announces Kansas Awarded Third Consecutive Gold Shovel for
Historic Economic Development
TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced today that for the third straight year, Kansas has won Area Development magazine’s coveted Gold Shovel Award. The back-to-back-to-back accolade has no precedent in state history and reflects three consecutive years of record-setting private-sector investment.
“Every day, my administration works to grow the economy so there are better opportunities for Kansans,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This award shows that our work is paying off, and as a result, more Kansans have good-paying jobs with which they can support their families and contribute to their communities.”
Kansas was recognized for its achievement in attracting high-value investment projects that will create a significant number of new jobs throughout the state. Five states were awarded the prestigious Gold Shovel in their respective population categories, with Kansas at the top of the list of states with fewer than 3 million residents.
Panasonic Energy’s $4 billion electric vehicle (EV) battery plant in De Soto was the largest capital expenditure in 2022, but it wasn’t the only one. There were 272 projects across the state totaling almost $7.4 billion in private-sector investment and nearly 13,400 jobs created or retained.
“Governor Kelly’s commitment to bring prosperity to communities across the state is being fulfilled by home-grown businesses and companies from around the world,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “A third straight Gold Shovel confirms our strategic plan for economic development is working.”
That strategic plan, the Kansas Framework for Growth, was unveiled by Governor Kelly in early 2021. Through the work of thousands of Kansans from the public and private sectors, the plan emphasizes:
- Talent development and retention
- Working with higher education institutions on job and business creation
- Innovation as a driver of opportunity
- Community assets and regional approaches
- Long-term growth policies
- Target business sectors
Almost 90% of the successes announced since the beginning of the Kelly administration came from one of the five target sectors. Over that time, Kansas has attracted more than $16.2 billion in private-sector investment and created or retained more than 57,000 jobs.
Area Development Magazine is a publication for economic development executives covering corporate site selection and relocation.