Attention Creative Thinkers & Resource Providers
PdC- Mar-Mac Inventors & Entrepreneurs Club Wednesday December 2
************************************************************** ************

The next Prairie du Chien -McGregor - Marqette Area Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club meeting will be held on
Wednesday December 2nd
Prairie du Chien City Hall 214 East Blackhawk Ave
Networking starts at 5:30, Program begins at 6:00 pm
Prairie du Chien-McGregor-Marquette Area meetings are held every first Wednesday of the month.

This month's topic will be “Social Networking Tools and Tricks - How to be Recognized in the Social Network World” with Tim Puyleart, Business Development Manager for IEA, Inc. in Minneapolis.

Mr. Puyleart is an environmental, health and safety (EHS) professional with over 18 years of experience in EHS. Two years ago, Tim entered the world of consulting and took on the responsibilities of business development. In the pursuit of new clients, Tim looked to the social networking world to expand the client base as well as network.

According to Puyleart, social networking is a key instrument in modern business development, working for businesses to promote products and services. His presentation will cover how to use Twitter, Flickr, LinkedIn, Facebook to grow a business and help customers find your business online and will include a live demonstration of these tools on the internet. Mr. Puyleart will discuss how he has used social networking to build a client base, including best practices and lessons learned, and how they have paid off for his business.

Whether you have an idea or just like to think business, plan to attend the Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club for a dynamic evening of networking with lots of creative people and plenty of resources to help you start or grow your business. Everyone is welcome. The Prairie du Chien-Mcgregor-Marquette Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club is supported by the Prairie du Chien Area Chamber of Commerce, the McGregor Marquette Chamber of Commerce and the Crawford County UW Extension Program in Economic Development. For more information about this and other I&E Club meetings, check out the website at www.driftlessentrepreneurs.com or contact Laura Brown 608-326-0223.

***********************************************************
Laura Brown
Community & Economic Development Educator
Crawford County UW Cooperative Extension
225 N. Beaumont Road, Suite 240 Prairie du Chien, WI 53821 608-326-0224 Fax: 608-326-0226

WISCONSIN CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH SELECTED TO ADMINISTER 2008 FLOOD RECOVERY PROGRAM

IN WISCONSIN

Program to Provide $6 Million of Support to Homeowners

 

Sun Prairie, WI, November 10, 2009 – The Wisconsin Conference of The United Methodist Church, working in partnership with Wisconsin Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (WIVOAD), has been selected to administer the 2008 Flood Recovery Program (FRP) by the State of Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services. In total, the Wisconsin Conference will manage a budget of $6 million, which will primarily be used to help homeowners in Southern Wisconsin whose residences were damaged during the flooding and storms in 2008.

 

Wisconsin was one of several states throughout the country that received part of a $600 million Federal Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services - Administration for Children and Families, Office of Community Service. A total of $15.9 in SSBG funds was granted to Wisconsin which must be distributed by September 30, 2010. The other $9.9 million of the SSBG will be going toward initiatives such as the Outreach Services administered by Lutheran Social Services: Project Recovery, system upgrades for

2-1-1 Wisconsin, Inc., and the hiring of a local flood coordinator for Gays Mills through the Wisconsin Emergency Management.

 

According to Karen Timberlake, Secretary of the State of Wisconsin Department of Health Services, “there are thousands of families and their dwellings still suffering from the damage caused by the floods of 2008. It is our goal to ensure these people, many who did not have flood insurance, receive the badly needed resources that we can provide through this grant money.”

 

The funds awarded to the 2008 Flood Recovery Program will be distributed to help repair damage to primary residences, replace items such as furnaces and appliances, and provide case management support to homeowners affected by the devastating floods and storms that ravaged the 30 counties in the summer of 2008. Residents must meet financial qualifications and other requirements in order to be eligible to receive FRP funds.

 

The Wisconsin Conference UMC Bishop Linda Lee is pleased that her organization was selected to administer the program. “United Methodists believe that our God-given purpose in the world is to bring transformation by living our faith enthusiastically,” said Lee. “We are so fortunate to have this opportunity to put our faith into practice, side-by-side with our ecumenical partners, including Wisconsin Voluntary Organizations Active in Disasters (WIVOAD) and United Methodist Committee on Relief.”

 

Homeowners who need support and were victims of the flood and storms in the 30-county area are asked to call the FRP Call Center (either dial 2-1-1 or 877-947-2211). An operator will take the homeowner’s initial inquiries and prequalify those who may be eligible to receive assistance. Homeowners will then be referred to FRP Case Managers throughout the Southern Wisconsin region for follow-up responses. Additional information about the program is available at: www.2008floodrecovery.org.

 

About the Wisconsin Conference of the United Methodist Church

The Wisconsin Conference of The United Methodist Church is headquartered in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. It provides a connection for ministry linking all United Methodist clergy and the 480 congregations across Wisconsin. For more information visit: www.wisconsinumc.org or contact Director of Communications, Michele Virnig at: mvirnig@wisconsinumc.org or 888-240-7328.

 

About the Wisconsin Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (WIVOAD)

Wisconsin Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster is a coalition of more than 25 voluntary, nonprofit organizations that respond to disasters as part of their overall mission. WIVOAD members share knowledge and resources throughout the disaster cycle -- preparation, response and recovery -- and help disaster survivors and their communities return to stability. Some of the members of the Wisconsin VOAD include: the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities, Impact 2-1-1, Lutheran Social Services, MN-WI Baptist Convention, Presbyterian Disaster Response, The Salvation Army, United Methodist Committee on Relief, WI Council of Churches, Aid Matrix, and more. For more information, contact Keith Lang, President of WIVOAD, and Director of Project Recovery, at: klang@lsswis.org or 608-834-4444.

 

The 30 counties in Southern Wisconsin designated as disaster areas in 2008 include: Adams, Calumet, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Manitowoc, Marquette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Ozaukee, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Sheboygan, Vernon, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha and Winnebago.

Dear VSN members,

I would like to extend an invitation to each of you to attend our first annual Harvest Challenge Tasting Gala and Reception on Friday December 11, from 6-8 PM to support the Vernon Area Farm to School program. The event is open to the public and will be held at the Viroqua High School Cafeteria.

The Harvest Challenge is a competition and unique event that brings students, teachers, farmers and local chefs together to learn about the National School Lunch Program and to work creatively to plan healthier and tastier school lunches.

Join us to sample a portion of each team's prepared school lunches at the reception from 6:00–7:00PM, participate in a silent auction, learn about the importance of incorporating fresh, local foods into school lunches and vote on your favorite menu! The judges will announce the winning school lunches at 7:30PM. Tickets are $10/individual, $3/student (under 18).

Competitors include Westby, Viroqua, Laurel and Youth Initiative High Schools. Teams will compete to win via votes in three categories: a panel of celebrity judges on predetermined culinary and nutritional criteria, peer votes for a favorite student menu, and popular vote, by those attending the Gala event.

Featured speakers include: Dr. Robert Knadle, Viroqua School District Administrator, Rufus Hauke of Keewaydin Farm and Marilyn Hurt, former Food Service Director of La Crosse Schools and school lunch historian. Her presentation "Agriculture is at the Root of the School Lunch Program"will tie together the rich history of school lunches with present day efforts to bring homegrown farm products back into today’s school cafeteria.

Participating local chefs are encouraging the students to learn about nutrition, the importance of local agriculture, and the culinary arts, while also emphasizing creativity in order to envision a future for school lunch in Vernon Area Schools. The four local chefs involved are Frank Wildingway of Driftless Cafe, Kristen Woodhouse of Organic Valley, Julie Ruef from Organic Valley and Marty Di Sciascio from Di Sciascio's Restaurant in Coon Valley.

 The Vernon Area Farm to School Initiative is a collaboration of local schools, farmers, distributors and community supporters with the goal of incorporating fresh produce and locally-grown foods into the Vernon area public schools.

To Purchase Tickets Please Contact: Bjorn Bergman PH 608-637-1540 or email at

berbjo@viroqua.k12.wi.us

For questions or to get involved, please contact:

Nicole Penick
Farm and Food Initiative Cord.
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 South Main St.
Viroqua WI 54665
www.kickapoovsn.org

608-637-3615
vsnnicole@gmail.com

Linking farmers and community for sustainability.

Hello,

How fitting that as the Driftless Region is enveloped in two beautiful Indian summer days, we send you our fall newsletter. This newsletter is a celebration of our 10th Birthday and includes memories of our past and a vision for our future. Enjoy this issue and if you would like more information or have any questions, please do not hesitate to call the VSN office at 637-3615.

 

We have some new faces in the VSN office and also some new email addresses. Here is a list of current VSN staff emails and we would love you if could update your contact list with the most recent information.

 

Emily Joy Rozeske, Office Manager

vsnemily@gmail.com

 

Nicole Penick, FFI Coordinator

vsnnicole@gmail.com

 

Gary Thompson, WQM Coordinator

vsngary@gmail.com

 

VSN General Email (or Email Emily Joy Rozeske)

vsngeneral@gmail.com

 

All Vernon County residents, the Comprehensive Plan Public Hearing will be Monday November 9th from 6-8pm at Western Technical College and Tuesday November 10th from 9-9:30 am at the Vernon County Courthouse. Please attend if you can and pick up a copy of the plan at County Clerk’s office in the Courthouse Annex.

 

Thank you and have a beautiful weekend!

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Emily Joy Rozeske

Office Manager
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665

 

(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

 

Join others concerned with stewardship of the Kickapoo Watershed
Become a member of the Valley Stewardship Network for all those who live, work and play in the Valley

This feature first ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

WisBusiness: Cranberry co-op station adds to good harvest for Wisconsin
11/2/2009

By Gregg Hoffmann
For WisBusiness.com

Cranberry producers are wrapping up their harvest season and all indications are that Wisconsin will top the country in cranberry production for the 15th straight year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service has estimated that Wisconsin will yield 4.0 million barrels of cranberries. That would be below last year’s record harvest, but will still put the state at the top of the list.

“Wisconsin growers are pleased with the outlook for this year’s harvest,” said Tom Lochner, executive director of WSCGA. “This is good news for a leading Wisconsin industry that continues to grow.”

A collection of producers, the Wisconsin Cranberry Cooperative, contributed to this year’s harvest, and had a new, state-of-the-art receiving station to work through near Warrens.

The Copper Road Receiving Station, owned by Kurt and Jill Rutlin, processed several thousand pounds of cranberries in its first year of operation.

“Overall, it was a nice crop,” Kurt Rutlin said during a recent tour of the facility. “We started here with some early varieties and were busy throughout the harvest season.”

Cranberries processed through the station via the co-op are marketed directly to customers around the world. “A lot of the berries through here went to bakeries that add cranberries to their baked goods,” said Rutlin. “We also sold to places that make dried fruit foods out of the berries and to pharmaceutical firms that make vitamin tablets.”

Some of the markets for the berries are as far away as Japan. Ocean Spray and other large cranberry producers buy berries from the co-op and also processed some of their berries at the Copper Road station. But, Rutlin emphasized that the co-op also markets to smaller, niche markets that some of the big producers are not that interested in.

“Ocean Spray and other big companies deal with very large volumes of fruit,” Rutlin said. “We also deal with smaller volumes and some smaller markets, through our own brokers.”

The new station allows the segregation of berries by individual producers when the fruit first comes to the loading area. The berries are then kept in a batch during the washing, drying and packaging processes.

“If a customer has a question about the berries they receive we can check back to the specific truckload, even to the marsh, where those berries came from,” said Rutlin, adding that quality control is very important to the station and the co-op.

Rutlin said similar stations were located to the east of Black River Falls and near Tomah.

Wisconsin cranberry producers provide nearly 60 percent of the nation’s supply of cranberries. They comprise the state’s largest fruit industry, contributing $350 million annually to the state’s economy and supporting, 7,200 jobs, according to the WSCA.

In recent years, the industry has lobbied the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other state and federal agencies to allow more marshes to be opened for growing of cranberries. The review process for such expansion is at various stages of approval, depending on the agency.

Industry spokesmen cite a growing market in Europe and Asia, where the fruit is not readily grown. In September, 18 representatives from 12 countries toured Wisconsin marshes at the start of the harvest season to learn more about the industry.

The tour was timed right after reports from the U.S. Cranberry Marketing Committee that exports increased by more than 18 percent in the last year. About 45 million pounds of berries were exported last year, and more than half of that supply came from Wisconsin.

Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon and Washington -- as well as Canada and Chile -- grow and export cranberries. Germany, France, Australia and Mexico are big markets for berries.

Rutlin said the industry’s marketing of research on health benefits of cranberries has been one reason worldwide interest has grown. “We sell to markets that made a powder of the berries and then make vitamin supplements in tablet and powder form,” he said.

The exact count of the 2009 harvest should be available in the next few weeks.

This feature first ran on www.wisbusiness.com

Hospital combines with brewery to "energize health care"

By Gregg Hoffmann

LA CROSSE - It might seem like a stretch to combine beer and health care in one idea, but City Brewery and Gundersen Lutheran Health System have accomplished just that with a unique renewable energy partnership.

The two companies have combined efforts to generate 8 to 10 percent of the electricity used on Gundersen Lutheran's campuses in La Crosse and Onalaska by using waste biogas from the brewing process.

The project launched Oct. 7 and has been operating effectively. It is projected to generate about 3 million kilowatt hours per year. As Corey Zarecki, the project engineer and efficiency improvement leader for Gundersen Lutheran, puts it, that's the environmental impact equivalent of planting 490 acres of forest or removing 395 cars from the road. It is enough electricity to power about 300 homes.

"One reason we have done this is to cut energy costs and move toward our goal of being energy independent by 2014," Zarecki said. "But, we also feel it is healthy for the community, the right thing for our patients and fits in with being good stewards of the environment.

"You've seen the emphasis in the country on the economy, health and energy. We feel this project and our overall goal includes all three."

City Brewery has had to pre-treat wastewater from its plant, which brews beer, energy drinks and other beverages, since the mid-1980s at its own treatment facility, before sending it to the La Crosse municipal treatment plant.

In the pre-treatment process, solids are removed and used for fertilizer and other uses. Biogas, including methane, is given off during the process, and the brewery flared the gas to dispose of it for several years. "People around here called it the eternal flame," Zarecki said. With that flame came some air pollution.

The combined project captures the biogas, cleans it and sends it through an engine at the City Brewery site. The engine generates electricity that is then sent to the area power grid. Xcel Energy pays Gundersen Lutheran for the electricity that is produced.

This can allow Gundersen Lutheran to reduce overall costs, savings which could be passed to customers and patients. The company states that it believes "part of the answer (to stemming health care costs) lies in finding solutions to our rapidly rising energy costs."

In addition, heat generated from the engine is captured and recycled back to the City Brewery's waste water treatment center to make it more efficient.

"This type of gas-cleaning system, as well as the partnership, is to our knowledge the first of their kind," Zarecki said.

The statewide efficiency group Focus on Energy also has been a supporter of the project. "They've been very helpful from the start," Zarecki emphasized.

Of course, methane projects have been undertaken around the state, region and country, using manure digesters, landfill emissions and other raw material sources. Using water from a brewery has its own set of challenges, Zarecki said.

"We've had to make adjustments based at times on what they are brewing," Zarecki said. "The volume of water changes on the weekends and at night. So, you are making adjustments daily, hourly at times."

Such adjustments are necessary in all pioneering technology applications, added Zarecki, an engineer by trade. "We've made a lot of adjustments in our overall program on energy as we develop it. All I know is that we will reach our goal of becoming 100 percent independent," he said.

Gundersen Lutheran is in various stages of discussions and development of wind energy projects, in part with Organic Valley cooperative and Western Technical College, and possible environmentally-friendly energy projects in the Mississippi River.

A new parking ramp on the La Crosse campus includes solar panels on the roof. The electricity from the panels could power six to seven homes.

Gundersen Lutheran also has undergone a program of "retrocommissioning." Retrofitting of light fixtures in six buildings on the two campuses led to energy cost savings of $245,000 per year. Air handlers that blow warm or cool air through the buildings were adjusted to run only when needed, at a cost savings of $78,000.

Adjustments to how boiler systems work, to allow for the capturing of some of the heat produced, led to $64,000 savings. A process called chiller/tower optimization programmed into the cooling system on campus buildings realized an estimated $65,000 in annual savings.

"Some of the changes we're making seem obvious, but the way the space is used in buildings over the years has changed," Zarecki said. "That's why retrocommissioning is important. It takes a look at how the building's needs have changed to make sure your systems are being used in the most energy efficient way."

Gundersen Lutheran has issued the following "promise" as part of its "Energizing Healthcare" program: "Gundersen Lutheran is committed to environmental stewardship and energy management programs that promote a healthy environment for our patients, their families, our employees and the communities we serve. We are dedicated to solutions that make environmental and economic sense, creating a healthier environment and lowering health care costs."

What is called the Gundersen Lutheran "Envision Program" includes energy management through efficiency and renewable energy, recycling, waste management and control and sustainable design of new facilities."

Zarecki, while holding a soda can, said the effort begins with developing a "green" mindset. "As one of our company leaders says, I could throw this (the can) 'away', but away is someplace. You have to think of where that place is and what impact it has."

For more on the joint project with City Brewery and the overall Gundersen Lutheran initiative, go to: http://www.gundluth.org/green/

-- Hoffmann has written many columns and features for WisPolitics.com and WisBusiness.com over the years. He will write the GreenBiz column monthly.

Here is an upcoming event that offers insight about farming in the Driftless Region…

 

Farming in the Driftless Region—Success and Challenges

 

On Thursday, Nov 12 at 7:00 a panel of local farmers will present their experiences and opinions on the success and challenges of farming in Crawford and Vernon Counties. This free event will be held at the Soldiers Grove Community room, cosponsored by Crawford Stewardship Project and the Soldiers Grove Public Library.

 

The four farmers who have volunteered to offer their perspectives include Darin Von Ruden, an organic dairy farmer from Westby area, member of the Westby Coop, www.westbycreamery.com and Farmers Union Representative. Bob Molini is a Crawford County organic dairy farmer and member of Organic Valley, www.organicvalley.coop. Dean Zimmerman raises pastured and grass fed livestock and markets locally his chickens, eggs, turkeys, pork and lamb,

www.couleeviewfarm.com, as well as working with the Crawford Area Growers Local Food Alliance. Josh Engel is an organic produce grower in Crawford County, marketing locally and regionally, www.driftlessorganics.com

 

Please come to learn and to offer your ideas at this community event. There will be plenty of time for community discussion. Refreshments will be served.

 

Call CSP at 608-735-4277 or the Library at 608-624-5815 for more information.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Emily Joy Rozeske

Office Manager
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665

 

(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

Attention Creative Thinkers & Resource Providers
Upcoming November Inventors & Entrepreneurs Club Meetings for Inspiration and Innovation

Thank you to all of you who attended the I&E Club "preview" Business Workshop and Resource Fair with Lisa Kivirist on October 7 in Prairie du Chien! If you missed the workshop you can find more resources about Eco-preneuring on Lisa's website at http://www.innserendipity.com/ecopren/ecop...jane-resources.html View some pictures from the event at http://crawford.uwex.edu/cnred/IEClub.html We're also hoping to have the audio of Lisa's presentation available for you to stream online very soon. Stay tuned..

****************************************

President of 7 Rivers Region to Speak at New Prairie du Chien I&E Meeting Nov 4

The next Prairie du Chien Area Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club meeting will be held on Wednesday November 4th at Prairie du Chien City Hall on Blackhawk Ave in Prairie du Chien. Networking starts at 5:30, and the program begins at 6:00 pm. Prairie du Chien Area meetings are held every first Wednesday of the month. The topic will be ““Growing a Culture of Innovation: Finding Opportunity in Tough Times” with Terry Whipple, the Executive Director of Juneau County Economic Development Corporation (JCEDC) and President of the 7 Rivers Region. Read more about Terry Whipple below.

****************************************

Vernon Crawford I&E Club Hosts Holiday Party With Founder of Rural Route 1 Popcorn Nov 11

The next Vernon Crawford Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club meeting will be held on Wednesday November 11th at Western Technical College in Viroqua. Networking starts at 5:30, and the program begins at 6:00 pm.

The topic will be “What Makes An Idea POP” with presenter and successful local entrepreneur Brad Biddick, owner of Rural Route 1 Popcorn. Brad will share his expertise, stories, and lessons learned along the path of developing multiple agricultural and popcorn businesses. Participants will have the opportunity to sample Rural Route 1 Popcorn products as part of our holiday party. Friends and family of the Inventors and Entrepreneurs club are encouraged to join us for holiday refreshments and celebration. Read more about Brad Biddick below.


ABOUT THE SPEAKERS

Terry has an extensive background in business development and a passion for creating a contagious environment for entrepreneurship. He is also adamant that the Midwest needs to foster a culture of entrepreneurism in order to compete economically in the 21st century. He will speak from his experience facilitating and nurturing the growth of successful entrepreneurial programs in west central Wisconsin. Terry will share his perspective on the Midwest’s entrepreneurial environment and culture; the characteristics of inventors and the constraints they face; what it's like to work with an inventor; how clubs provide a safe place to gather, explore ideas and gain education from peers; why a mix of inventors and entrepreneurs is important for critical networking to occur, what resources are available to assist inventors and entrepreneurs; and how to start a successful club. Economic developers will take home ideas, strategies and lessons to spur entrepreneurship. Terry received the SBA’s Region V and Wisconsin 2005 Home-Based Business Champion of the Year Award, the Wisconsin 2005 Innovation Champion Award for the development of innovative new programs, as well as the 7 Rivers Region Pyramid Award. He has served as an independent business consultant specializing in work with distressed small businesses and currently maintains his own private consulting business. He lives in rural Tomah, WI with his wife and 3 daughters.
_____

Brad Biddick learned his business savvy from a family of entrepreneurs that has sold seed corn in the area since 1906. He joined the family seed business in 1970 and led the business through expansion. Over the next decade, Brad developed interest in seed marketing and starting businesses and the popcorn business was added in 1983. Today the popcorn enterprise is a successful stand-alone business, and one of the region’s highlights on Route 18 in Montfort, Wisconsin with unique products sold nationwide.

Through this business development Brad has gained expertise in marketing, the food business, and trademarks. He has traveled worldwide and is an officer of two corporations and several LLC’s for agricultural production and popcorn businesses. Brad’s passion for a “better way” has expanded his awareness and continues to drive to contribute and excel in a very dynamic and changing world of agriculture, food, seed, science, and people.
_____

Whether you have an idea or just like to think business, plan to attend the Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club for a dynamic evening of networking with lots of creative people and plenty of resources to help you start or grow your business. Everyone is welcome. For more information about this and other I&E Club meetings, check out the website at www.driftlessentrepreneurs.com or contact Laura Brown 608-326-0223.

Hello,

Here is an update about the current hurdle that we must overcome concerning CAFO’s. We were not aware that the change to a general permitting process was underway. We should be encouraging everyone and anyone who cares about protecting our water and general community well-being to become a part of this process by contacting Tom Bauman to receive more information.

 

Thank you!

 

 

Begin forwarded message:

Dear ACES members and others,

Some of you may be aware that Petry has a WPDES permit in the works for his Darlinton Facility. According to the DNR’s fitchberg office, who met with the Petry contingent a few weeks ago, they are planning a major expansion there which will start next spring. Although Petry’s current focus is there, he may likey target Westby for a future cafo as it’s rumored that the calif. dairy men aspire to implement 10 new cafos here in wis.

As I stated in the below email to our state constituents, fighting the DNR proposed gen. Permit will be an imperative if we expect to keep the little local control that we have re. Cafo’s. I urge ACES, and others, to seriously consider taking aggressive action in opposing the Proposed DNR General permitting process for wis cafos. Please let me know if I can help out in any way.



Below is the text from that email about gen permiting:

Dear Concerned Citizens,

 I'm writing you regarding my concern about the proposed DNR WPDES/CAFO General Permitting process that is being proposed by the WDNR. I don't claim know a lot about this matter, only what I hear from the DNR, so if any of you have more info on it please reply with an update.

 I spoke with a DNR official from Fitchburg, Wis and he stated that the DNR hearing on this matter is just around the corner and if there's not strong op. to it, it'll likely go through and there will be "0" local control, and little local communication re. cafo permitting. The permitting process will all be "streamlined" and Madison will take care of it all. This is a DNR "program decision" so it's not a law proposed by the legislature. The DNR official emphatically encouraged me, if I'm concerned with local control, to get organized and promptly oppose this intuitive.

 You can bet that a number of business groups will be strongly supporting this general permitting initiative. However, I'm confident that it can be stopped by strong opposition. The only question is, are there enough people willing to voice there opposition to it?

 The DNR official told me that first step is to contact Tom Bauman, 608-266-9993 (Phone) thomas.bauman@wisconsin.gov, from the WDNR and tell him you want to get on the notification/mailing list about any meetings, hearings or updates re. the DNR's general permitting for WPDES/CAFO's. In the mean time, consider writing your state reps, organize, and plan on being present when this matter goes to hearing.

 Again, please reply to me if you have any updated info. on this matter.

 Thanks

John Fox

608.634.3786

 

Sincerely,

 

Emily Joy Rozeske

Office Manager
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665

 

(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

 

Join others concerned with stewardship of the Kickapoo Watershed
Become a member of the Valley Stewardship Network for all those who live, work and play in the Valley

Here is an update about the Vernon County Comprehensive Planning from Lynn
Chakoian the VCCP Commission Chair.


Hi Emily

Thanks for promoting comp planning. One correction though is that the
Vernon County plan is in two parts. You linked to the phase II (goals and
objectives) document, but the phase I document provides all the background
information that the phase II used to frame the goals. Phase I has the
following link:

http://www.co.vernon.wi.gov/VCCP/documents/PhaseI-Final.pdf

Also there will be a public hearing in Vernon County November 10 at the
daytime county board meeting for those who cannot get out at night.

thanks,
Lynn


> Sincerely,
>
>
>
> Emily Joy Rozeske
>
> Office Manager
> Valley Stewardship Network
> 124 1/2 S. Main Street
> Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665
>
>
>
> (608) 637-3615
> www.kickapoovsn.org
>
>
>
> Join others concerned with stewardship of the Kickapoo Watershed
> Become a member of the Valley Stewardship Network for all those who live,
> work and play in the Valley

Good Afternoon,

The time has come for public review of the Comprehensive Plans that have been drafted for each county in Wisconsin by the Comprehensive Planning Commission. This has been a two year process culminating in the adoption of these recommendations by the County Board this fall and submission to the state of Wisconsin in January 2010.

 

Please review your individual county’s plan and contact your County Board Member with any questions. Each county is at a different point in the final review process.

I have included links for the following counties:

 

Vernon County (Public Hearing IS November 9, 2009 at WTC from 6-8pm)

Comprehensive Planning Home Page

2009 Phase I Final Draft for Public Review

 

Crawford County (Public Hearing WAS September 29, 2009)

Comprehensive Planning Home Page

 

Monroe County (Public Hearing IS scheduled for 2010)

Zoning Home Page

 

Richland County (Public Hearing IS scheduled for 2010)

Zoning Home Page

 

Please take part in this process and give your input for the future direction of your county!

 

Sincerely,

 

Emily Joy Rozeske

Office Manager
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665

 

(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

 

Join others concerned with stewardship of the Kickapoo Watershed
Become a member of the Valley Stewardship Network for all those who live, work and play in the Valley

Dances With Elk; Fishes With Asshole

By Gregg Hoffmann

I came to fly fishing somewhat late by some standards, taking it up in my late 30s. I’ve had an off and on love affair with it since then. I say off and on because it really is a tougher way to catch fish than just throwing a worm at them, or even a spinner.

Some fly fishermen consider those types of fishing heresy, a violation against the religion they have made of fly fishing for trout. I do not go that far, and in fact at times wonder why I make it as tough on myself as I do.

I am a catch and release fisher, even when it is not required. I don’t like cleaning fish, to begin with, and also believe the population of trout stays healthier if we release them. That’s good for them, and for those of us who go after them by trying to figure out what bug they want to eat that day.

There are times I have found fly fishing discouraging when I could not figure out the right bug. I also have been blessed to have great fishing days, with multiple catches of browns and rainbows and even brookies who put up a good fight.

Some of the best experiences, and ones which make me understand a little better those who treat fly fishing as their religion, have not necessarily come from catching a lot of fish, or the size of what I caught. They have come, instead, through interesting, in some cases humorous and almost bizarre, relationships with nature, with the environment and other species who inhabited it with me on these particular days.

At least three of those experiences involve elk, not a specie you ordinarily associate with fly fishing. The first came years ago when my wife and I were fishing in a high country lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. I was wading in the lake and my wife was on one of the shores. We both started hearing a high pitch sound that resembled that of a hawk or eagle. As we searched the air, Pauline looked behind me and started pointing past where I was standing.

I turned to see at least 4-5 elk cows, leading several little ones through a small stream that was an outlet for the lake. They were bleating to the young elk to not dawdle and to not fool around with that strange looking creature with waders and the long pole. I watched these families cross no more than 20-30 yards from me. As the last mother elk passed at the end of the line, she looked at me, almost as if to say, “thanks for not messing with our children.”

A few years later, while fishing in RMNP’s Moraine Park, which has a wonderful meandering stream that runs through it, I laid on my stomach, dangling my line over a rock, under which a large rainbow was hiding. I suddenly became aware of some movement behind me, stood up and saw a herd of about 10-12 elk standing about 40 yards away and looking at me. They didn’t seem hostile or alarmed, so neither was I.

I laid back down to once again go after that rainbow and scared him away. I then rolled over to see if the elk herd was still there. All 10-12 elk had laid down, no more than 20 yards from where I had been laying, and quietly watched me. Apparently, they had thought laying down was a good idea.

My final elk/trout story came recently, and is the most bizarre of the three. I was fishing in Sprague Lake, a rather shallow lake in RMNP that has some good evening fishing. I was catching a few fish when suddenly a bull spike elk, probably around two years-old, came to the shore to the right of where I was situated, almost in the middle of the lake. Pauline was on the opposite shore from him, and I motioned for her to take some photos, with me in the foreground and the elk in the background.

As she did, the elk first started to paw in the muck at the edge of the water. He then waded about 20 yards into the water, no more than 30 yards or so from where I was standing, and started to “dance.”

He would leap into the air, come down and bow his head and antlers into the water and shake his head, sending water flying all around him. Then, he would start bounding in circles. This went on for about 15 minutes, as I watched, not concentrating on fishing any more, and Pauline took some wonderful shots.

The young bull then tired of his dance and went into the woods. He emerged a little later and this time looked straight at me and started walking into the water, his eyes intent on where I stood. He got within about 25 yards before I decided to start retreating, still casting as I backed up. He eventually lost interest, turned and left the lake.

That experience happened in the same lake where only a few years earlier I had caught a big brown trout by hand. That time, I was fishing near one of the shores of the lake when I heard a commotion behind me. I turned to see the big brown trapped among some logs in a shallow outlet. He was a dead man, no doubt doomed to die either in the talons of an eagle or hawk or from not having enough water to breath. So, I decided to rescue him.

Of course, he had no way of knowing of my good intentions, and instead fought my grasps for a good five minutes. I finally was able to cradle him against my waders, carry him to the lake and release him. He disappeared into the cold, clear water in a flash, without a word of thanks.

After that incident, one of my trout fishing friends and mentor told me I had earned the “trout tribal name” of “Grizzly Hoffmann” because I had caught a fish with my “paws.” That nickname stuck for several years, until my friend heard the story of the dancing elk. I was thus dubbed “Dances With Elk.”

I really liked that nickname, having been a big fan of Kevin Costner in “Dances With Wolves.” I was ready to proudly wear that name tag for years, but it only lasted a few weeks.

After our return from Colorado, my friend and I fished in the West Fork, in the Kickapoo Valley of western Wisconsin. I consider the spring fed stream my “home field” and one of the top streams in the Midwest if not the country. With my friend about 100 yards up stream, I got into a nice size brown, who came out of the water and took me all over the stream.

Just about when I thought he was ready to concede, he went deep, and I suddenly saw my line coming straight at me. Before I could maneuver in the water, the line slammed into my crotch as the fish swam right between my legs! I could feel him splashing around near my butt, grasped for him (after all I had caught a brown by hand before) and then felt him strip my line of the fly and swim off to freedom.

As I stood in the stream, rearranging my line and laughing, my friend who had watched it all and also was laughing, informed me I had a new nickname -- Fishes With Asshole. I’ll never like it as much as “Dances With Elk.”

Just a week or so later, while fishing on the last day of the Wisconsin season, not far from where the humorous incident had occurred, I had yet another experience. This one made me realize again while some talk about fly fishing in sacred terms.

I caught a fish in a pool that was about 15 yards wide and maybe 25 yards long. As I was releasing him, I looked down into the crystal clear water to see about six fish race by my boots. At first I thought they were suckers, since they often hang in groups and move in unison. But, then a group 8-10 raced by, and this time I could see they were trout, even was able to distinguish between browns and a few brook trout who displayed their reddish bellies as they raced by.

Then, came another group of 8-10, then more and more and more. The exodus lasted for what I would estimate as 2-4 minutes and included dozens, if not hundreds of trout, all racing upstream in a frantic manner. I watched in amazement.

I saw nothing that could have scared that many trout into fleeing upstream. My friend/mentor said I might have witnessed a spawning run, which trout do almost like the better known runs of salmon. Whatever caused it, I felt privileged to have witnessed it.

All these experiences have enriched my fishing life greatly. They have made me marvel more at the wonders of nature. They have made me laugh, feel excited, feel part of something bigger. One species sharing an environment with other species, interacting with them by hand, sight, hearing, even an asshole. The experiences have made me feel more at home in the world. If that’s treating fly fishing as a religion, then I guess I am a convert.

##

Good Morning,

 

Here is a great FREE event coming up October 24, 2009 in Gays Mills. I hope that some of you can make it out to see this amazing film. Included below is the press release from Crawford Stewardship Project about the event.

 

 

Evening of Movie and Popcorn with Supporter Opportunities
 

The film “Fresh”, by ana Sofia joanes, will be shown at 7:00 on Saturday, October 24, at the Gays Mills Community Building, 212 Main St in Gays Mills, sponsored by Crawford Stewardship Project, www.crawfordstewardshipproject.org. This film brings inspiration with practical solutions for a revision of our food system.

 

The event is part of the www.350.org world wide project to promote awareness to reduce the CO2 levels from the present 387.81 to a goal of 350, which many scientists have determined to be a safe level. This platform of a global network connects people across the planet.

 

Film discussion, CSP update, and an opportunity to offer suggestion and volunteer for CSP efforts will follow. Popcorn and cider will be provided at this free event.

 

“Fresh” celebrates the farmers, thinkers, and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Among several main characters, “Fresh” features urban farmer and activist, Will Allen, a 2008 McArthur’s “Genius Award” fellow; sustainable farmer and entrepreneur, Joel Salatin,, made famous by Michael Pollan’s book, “The Omnivore’s Dilemma”; and supermarket owner, David Ball, who is creating a new market model for our family farmers. “Fresh’s” focus on these inspiring individuals and their initiatives around the US provide us with actionable solutions. Go to www.freshthemovie.com for more film information. Contact Crawford Stewardship Project for more information on the event at 608-735-4277.

 

Hope to see you there!

 

Sincerely,

 

Emily Joy Rozeske

Office Manager
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665

 

(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

 

Join others concerned with stewardship of the Kickapoo Watershed
Become a member of the Valley Stewardship Network for all those who live, work and play in the Valley

Hello VSN Members and Friends,

VSN's Food & Farm Initiative Kickapoo Harvest: Gleaning for Healthy Communities is looking for youth and adult volunteers to help us prepare fresh fruit and veggie boxes for our summer fresh food gleaning project. Fresh food boxes will be packaged with locally harvested fruit and veggies from Pat Slattery's Farm and Turkey Ridge. Boxes will be delivered to elderly residents at Parkview Manor in downtown Viroqua.

Interested in joining us on the farm for some harvesting fun? We are looking for volunteers to help us harvest gleanable produce and fruit this Friday, October 16th from approximately 12:30pm-4:00pm. We will meet at the old Dahl Pharmacy parking lot and carpool from there to two, possibly three, farm sites. Please bring your own gloves, harvesting knife, clippers or scissors (may not be needed) and harvesting bucket or box. We will have some to share but depending on the number of volunteers we may run out.

We are also looking for volunteers to help us out on Friday, October 16th from approximately 4:00-6:30pm at the Viroqua High School Cafeteria. Volunteers will be washing, sorting and packing harvested food into boxes that will be delivered on the morning of Saturday, October 17th.

For those who may be busy on Friday, consider joining us on Saturday, October 17th from 10am-12:00pm. We are looking for volunteers who are interested in delivering fresh food boxes to those residents at Parkview Manor who are participating in the project. Food boxes will be delivered on Saturday morning at the kitchen of Parkview Manor. During this time (11am) a local chef Frank Wildingway will be providing a 1 hour cooking demonstration to the residents. Volunteers can also help with the cooking demo by handing out taste samples and helping the chef in the kitchen.

The Food & Farm Initiative needs at least 10 volunteers to help cover the Friday (harvesting and fresh food box preparation) and Saturday (box delivery) events. Please call Nicole Penick (608) 637-8568 or email vsnnicole@gmail.com if you are interested.

Our past three Gleaning Events have been a growing success and many of us agree that this is our most meaningful work to date! Many thanks to our farmers and our volunteers!

http://www.vernonbroadcaster.com/articles/...tures/01feature.txt

I hope to hear from you soon!

Nicole Penick

Food & Farm Initive Coordinator

Valley Stewardship Network

124 1/2 S. Main Street

Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665

 

(608) 637-3615

www.kickapoovsn.org

 

Join others concerned with stewardship of the Kickapoo Watershed

Become a member of the Valley Stewardship Network for all those who live, work and play in the Valley.

VSN thought you might be interested in this field-day just south of Gays Mills sponsored by our friends in the Kickapoo Initiative.

 

 

Kickapoo Neighbors,
 
Come join us Oct 17th at 9AM just south of Gays Mills for a hike and discussion with Jesse Bennet of Driftless Land Stewardship Llc. http://www.driftlesslandstewardship.com/
 
Jessie will lead a discussion on a wide range of issues of forest health and ecology of plant and animal communities including:
• pre-settlement conditions
• invasive plants
• clues to how our land has been managed in the past
• different management techniques to meet varied landowner goals
Please bring a bag lunch and water come with your hiking shoes and lots of questions. Our next gathering will be the third Saturday in January (Jan. 13th)-speaker to be announced.
 
DIRECTIONS:

From Gays Mills go south on River Rd (which follows Kickapoo's west
bank) to right turn onto O'Neil Ridge Rd to top of ridge and left onto
Gays View Rd. and follow flagging tape markers.

From the east, (County S and Hy 131), go North on 131 to left on Sand
Creek Rd, then right or north on River Rd, then left onto O'Neil Ridge
Rd., then left onto Gays View and follow flagging tape.


The Kickapoo Initiative
Jennifer M. Nelson Maggie Jones (mhjones@countryspeed.com)
49369 Hickory Lane 608-872-2297
Steuben, Wisconsin 54657
608-476-2301

Dear friends of Crawford County-

Please check out the latest issue of Community Development Connection below or view the pdf file with charts and graphics at http://crawford.uwex.edu/cnred/documents/O...ctionNewsletter.pdf For your convenience you will find newsletter text only below.

** This month I am formally introducing “Economic Snapshots” as a new feature of this newsletter. Avid readers of the Wisconsin State Journal will recognize these as regular articles produced by my colleagues at the Center for Community and Economic Development. I hope these Crawford County regional versions will help you better understand how our economy has changed and continues to change. The snapshots will cover everything from labor to housing to farming. If there’s a topic you are particularly interested in, if you’d like to see the data, or to reproduce these for a newspaper of community newsletter, please let me know! You'll find this month's snapshot attached separately as an image file. The snapshot archive may be found on my wesbite http://crawford.uwex.edu/cnred/index.html

This newsletter is intended to facilitate information sharing between elected officials, plan commissioners, community leaders, regional organizations, entrepreneurs and business owners in the Crawford County, Wisconsin area. You'll find local events and news related to community and comprehensive planning, economic development, land use, and local government. If this newsletter has been forwarded to you and you would like to receive it monthly by email or post please email me at laura.brown@ces.uwex.edu.

Please pass this on to others who might be interested. Items for the Dec-Jan newsletter are due by November 15th .

Thanks and best
Laura Brown, Crawford County Community Development Educator, 608-326-0223

Good Morning,

 

Below is a press release from the Center for Rural Affairs that is hosting a Rural Issues Forum on October 5, 2009 here in Viroqua at Western Technical College. If you are interested in attending please contact Virginia Wolking virginiaw@cfra.org , (402) 687-2103 ext. 1017.

 

 

 

MEDIA ADVISORY

From the Center for Rural Affairs - September 23, 2009 Contact: Virginia Wolking, virginiaw@cfra.org , (402) 687-2103 ext. 1017 or Steph Larsen, StephL@cfra.org , (402) 687-2103 ext. 1014

 

Center for Rural Affairs to Host Rural Issues Forums and Policy Trainings Western Wisconsin Location for Community Discussions

 

LYONS, NE - Center for Rural Affairs organizers Steph Larsen and Virginia Wolking will be conducting several Rural Issue Forums and Policy Trainings in western Wisconsin on October 5, 6 and 7.

 

"Whether you're passionate about agriculture, rural development, health care, energy or another rural issue, join us to talk about what's happening in your rural community," said Virginia Wolking. "We will talk about strategies that have worked in the past as well as emerging tools to shape public opinion and public policy. We will learn from each other and share ideas for building upon our successes to win more policy victories for rural people and rural communities."

 

Organic Valley farmer cooperative is working with the Center of Rural Affair to co-sponsor the Viroqua event, the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service is co-sponsoring the Menomonie event and the Northeast Entrepreneur Fund is co-sponsoring the Superior Event.

 

Individuals interested in attending a rural issues forum, leadership training or for both can RSVP by contacting Virginia Wolking at (402) 687-2100 or virginiaw@cfra.org . There is no charge for attending the forum or the leadership training, and supper is free as well.

 

What: A Rural Issue Forum and Policy Training in western Wisconsin.

 

When and Where:

Monday, October 5th

Viroqua, WI

Western Technical College

Room 115

220 South Main Street

 

Tuesday, October 6th

Menomonie, WI

Menomonie Public Library

600 Wolske Bay Rd

 

Wednesday, October 7th

Superior, WI

Village of Superior Hall

6702 Odgen Ave.

 

Agenda For All Meetings:

4:30-5:30 PM Rural issues forum

5:30-6:00 PM Supper for leadership training participants

6:00-7:00 PM Leadership training

 

For more information visit: www.cfra.org/09/wisconsin/forums or contact Virginia Wolking at virginiaw@cfra.org or (402) 687-2103 ext. 1017.

 

      

      The Center for Rural Affairs was established in 1973 as an unaffiliated nonprofit corporation under IRS code 501(c)3. The Center for Rural Affairs was formed by rural Nebraskans concerned about family farms and rural communities, and we work to strengthen small businesses, family farms and ranches, and rural communities.

      

      

Sincerely,

 

Emily Joy Rozeske

Office Manager
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665

 

(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

Hi folks- My apologies for the large posting. Just a reminder to please join us for this informational meeting tomorrow night. Please come and help to spread the word! Very best- Laura Brown, Crawford County UW Extension
 
Public Invited to Comment on First Draft of the County Comprehensive Plan at Informational Meeting on September 29

 

Residents, land owners, and local officials are invited to a public informational meeting for the Crawford County Comprehensive Plan on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 from 6:30-8:30 pm at the Seneca school gym. The evening will include an update on the planning process, an opportunity to provide input on goals statements in the draft plan, and discussion time with members of the Crawford County Comprehensive Planning Sub-Committee. The meeting is free and open to the public.

 

The draft comprehensive planning document will serve as the County’s guide for land use, transportation, agricultural natural and cultural resources, housing, transportation, utilities and community facilities, and economic development. The plan covers only unincorporated areas of the county and provides specific recommendations for ways to implement goals. The draft document is the result of eighteen months of meetings of the County Planning Sub-Committee in collaboration with the Mississippi River Planning Commission and the University of Wisconsin Extension Office. Public input was gathered through a countywide tax bill survey in 2007, a public open house in October 2008, and input from citizens and plan commissions throughout the process.

 

Citizens may provide additional input on the plan by contacting any of the Sub-Committee members, attending monthly county comprehensive planning subcommittee meetings, or attending Land Conservation Planning & Zoning meetings. Contact and meeting information can be found at www.crawfordcountywi.org. Draft portions of the county plan and other local town plans as well as meeting minutes and plan documents are posted online for public review at www.crawfordcountywi.org/planning/index.htm.

 

The County Sub-Committee intends to present a final version of the plan for adoption by the County Board prior to January 1, 2010. Counties, towns, or villages in Wisconsin that wish to enforce zoning or subdivision regulations must have their own comprehensive plan in place by January 1, 2010, to comply with state statutes. For more information about the county comprehensive plan or the comprehensive planning process contact Laura Brown, UW Extension Community and Economic Development Educator at 608-326-0223.

 

###

 

****************************************** *****************
Laura Brown
Community & Economic Development Educator
Crawford County UW Cooperative Extension
225 N. Beaumont Road, Suite 240 Prairie du Chien, WI 53821 608-326-0224 Fax: 608-326-0226
laura.brown@ces.uwex.edu
www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/crawford

Dear friends - I thought you might be interested in this great event for new and existing business owners and interested citizens focusing on "Eco-preneurship" to be held at 6 pm in Prairie du Chien on October 7. You'll find the release and a flyer attached.
Very Best- Laura Brown
 
University of Wisconsin Extension
September 15, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CONTACT: Laura Brown, Crawford County UW-Extension Community Development Educator,

(608) 326-0223, laura.brown@ces.uwex.edu

 

October 7 Business Workshop & Resource Fair to Feature Keynote
“How ECO-preneurs are Leading America’s Rural & Small Town Renaissance”

 

Prairie du Chien- Positive change is brewing in America’s countryside as increasing numbers of entrepreneurs launch creative new small business that take advantage of the rich food and agriculture resources in rural Wisconsin. The public as well as new and exiting business owners are invited to learn more at a business workshop and resource fair on Wednesday, October 7, from 6:00-9:00 pm at the Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin City Hall at 214 East Blackhawk Avenue featuring the presentation “How ECO-preneurs are Leading America's Rural Renaissance" by Lisa Kivirist, business owner, author and entrepreneur. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn through inspiring stories, browse business start-up and marketing tools, network and share ideas and resources. The session is free but space is limited. Pre-registration is required by contacting Laura Brown by September 25, 608-326-0223.

According to keynote speaker Lisa Kivirist “ECO-preneurs see their business as a tool to transform local communities by changing the food system, emphasizing cooperation over competition, being stewards of the land, valuing meaningful work over simply earning a living, and often, integrating their children and family into their livelihood.” Kivirist is the co-author of the award-winning book, “ECOpreneuring” and local innkeeper of Inn Serendipity in Browntown, Wisconsin. Inn Serendipity, a nationally-recognized bed and breakfast, features local, seasonal cuisine and is completely powered by the wind and the sun. The keynote presentation will explore the impact of a significant, transformation erupting across rural and small town America: entrepreneurs are launching green businesses and leading the sustainable revitalization of our countryside.

Kivirist also directs the Rural Women’s Project, a venture of the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service, and will be facilitating this workshop throughout Wisconsin. This workshop brings together various tools, resources and networking opportunities for women to help champion both new start-ups and showcase the stories of successful entrepreneurs already running businesses that promote healthy and fresh foods, sustainable agriculture, and a vibrant local economy.

“Existing business owners as well as those seeking to start new ventures are encouraged to attend this free event,” explains Laura Brown, Crawford County UW Extension Educator. “Encouraging small, green micro-enterprise start-ups will help stimulate positive economic vibrancy in our community by creating self-employment opportunities that also contribute to community health and wellbeing” adds Brown. During the last recession from 2000 to 2003, micro-enterprise employment grew in Wisconsin while it fell for other employers.

This seminar is presented through the Rural Women's Project, a venture of the Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) in cooperation with the Crawford County UW Extension Office, Couleecap, and Prairie du Chien Downtown Revitalization, Prairie du Chien’s Main Street Program.

Dear friends-
Please join me to bask in the glorious weather and adventurous activities this weekend in Crawford County!

Saturday September 19 for the Kickapoo BRAVE (Bluffs, Rivers And Valleys Event)
Bicycle Ride and Harvest Dinner 9 am - 9 pm in Gays Mills Wisconsin ~

A celebration of the glorious scenic working farms, bountiful local foods, and creative spirit of Crawford County, Wisconsin. Held in concert with Crawford County Celebrates and the Soldiers Grove Art Festival. Tickets available for the bicycle ride (starts at 9 am, $35 includes dinner) or dinner only (starts at 4:30 pm, $15)! Buy your tickets online now- http://www.crawfordcountywi.com/brave.htm Please help spread the word by forwarding this email!

 
     
  
Ride features stops at Driftless Organics, Star Valley Flowers, Mount Sterling Cheese Coop, and the Ferryville Farmers Market, with optional stops at local orchards.
Join us for the ride and dinner only or dinner only! Refreshments by local farms and beverages starting at 3:00 at the Lions Park on the Kickapoo River in Gays Mills.
Gourmet harvest dinner starts at 4:30 (vegetarian option) featuring fresh seasonal foods from local family farms prepared by the Driftless Café. Donations will be accepted to support the Crawford County Farm to School program. Dinner and live music by Tim and the Floppy Cowboys and the Pie City Ramblers
 More information below and online at http://www.crawfordcountywi.com/brave.htm
General Information & Schedule

 Gays Mills is located along the Kickapoo River in Southwest Wisconsin, in the heart of the scenic Kickapoo Valley. The ride will start at 9 am from Riverside Park in Downtown Gays Mills, located on Highway 171 (please note: this is a new location) . Registration sign-in will begin at 7 am, where registrants will be given t-shirts, dinner tickets, and gift bag. A brief welcome/ orientation meeting will take place at 8:45. There will be a mass start at 9 am, so please be on time.

 
 
7 am

8:45

9:00

4:30

 

4:30

7 pm
   
 Registration open

Welcome/ Orientation

BRAVE Ride, Mass Start

Harvest Dinner

Catered by Driftless Cafe

Music by Tim and the Floppy Cowboys

Music by Pie City Twisters
   
 

 
 
 

Daycare

This will be a family-friendly event. The 4-H Junior Leaders will provide daycare for children ages 2 through 8 at the site. Please indicate on your registration if you need daycare services.

 

Routes

You will have a choice of two routes beginning and ending in Gays Mills. The shorter 20-mile ride will stay in the river valley and take you to the Driftless Area Art Festival in Soldiers Grove, while the longer 100 kilometer ride will take you over the ridge to Ferryville and the Mississippi River. This year all of the routes are paved, but beware of loose gravel on seal-coated roads. Riders will be provided with a map and a list of rest stops. Light refreshments and bathroom facilities will be available at designated rest stops. Cell phone access is not available throughout the county but a sag vehicle will be driving the routes for rider safety.

 

         

Route Map Topographic Map

 

 

back to top

 

Harvest Dinner

Included in your registration fee is a Saturday evening celebratory Harvest Dinner in Gays Mills at Riverside Park. Serving will start at 4:30 pm, offering early-returning riders an opportunity to eat after completing their ride. The dinner will feature fresh, seasonal foods grown by family farmers – catered by the Driftless Café – as well as breads, deserts, and wines from around the Driftless region. Live entertainment will begin at 4:30 pm. Tickets are $15 for the dinner only. Please consider and additional contribution to the Crawford County Farm to School Program.

 

Costs

This year, we are offering more options:

$35 Ride with full registration (includes the ride, dinner, t-shirt, and gift bag)

$25 Ride without dinner

$25 Youth with full registration (18 and under)

$15 Youth without dinner

$15 Dinner only (children ages 8 and under are free)

$__ Additional Contribution to Crawford County Farm to School Program

To order dinner tickets only at $15 per person (no charge for ages 8 and under), please email: info@crawfordcountywi.com

 

Contact Information

If you have any further questions, please contact Eric Frydenlund, Crawford County Tourism Council Coordinator, at 866-452-7967, or email info@crawfordcountywi.com
 


******************************************************* ****
Laura Brown
Community & Economic Development Educator
Crawford County UW Cooperative Extension
225 N. Beaumont Road, Suite 240
Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
608-326-0224 Fax: 608-326-0226
laura.brown@ces.uwex.edu
www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/crawford

Hello VSN Members and Friends,
 
VSN is happy to announce that the Vernon County Farm to School Program has successfully received another year of AmeriCorps funding. As a result, we will be hiring two new Farm to School positions including a Food Procurement Coordinator and a Nutrition Educator. Please see the announcement below.
 
VIROQUA AREA SCHOOLS

Looking to hire two AmeriCorps Farm to School Members to assist with Nutrition Education and Local Food Procurement. Both positions are part-time and include a paid stipend including possible education credits. Applicants should be passionate, self-motivated individuals who have an interest and experience in supporting local agriculture and increasing access to local foods in area schools. Please send a cover letter and resume to Marilyn Volden, Food Service Director, Viroqua Area Schools, 100 Blackhawk Drive, Viroqua, WI 54665 or email application materials to mlvolden@viroqua.k12.wi.us For more information, contact Marilyn Volden, 608-637-1645. Applications will be accepted until positions are filled. Screening of applicants will begin immediately. EOE.

Greetings everyone,
 
With summer coming to an end, a new school year begining, and the fall season upon us, you are probably experiencing some changes in your daily / weekly schedule. All of us here at VSN are experiencing some changes of our own!
 
Do to our two year committment for Board members, we have had to say our goodbyes and thankyous to some, and welcome others who have committed to serve with our organization. We also have just recently hired a new part-time office manager, and she is busy getting her "feet wet", learning some of the history and background of the organization.
 
We are looking forward to introducing these fine individuals to you, at our Annual Meeting, scheduled for Oct. 8th, at Green Man Music Hall, here in Viroqua. Mark that date on your calendars, and plan on joining us for an enjoyable, relaxing, and entertaining evening. More details on that gathering coming soon!
 
Finally, the main purpose of this message.... Because of the complexity of everyone's schedule, we are moving our monthly Board Mtgs. from the third Wed. of each month, to the third Tues. of each month. As always, you are invited to join us to express your ideas, raise your concerns, or just sit in and listen.
 
Thanks to all who continue to support us, and work to preserve and protect our Watershed!
 
GT
 
 
Gary Thompson
Valley Stewarship Network
124 1/2 South Main St.
Viroqua, WI> 54665
608-637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

Hello VSN Members and Friends,
 
Check out this great new program being offered by Natural Resource Conservation Service. Learn more at an upcoming event scheduled for Wednesday, September 9th.
 
Learn more about the

NEW Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP)

In Viroqua, WI on Sept. 9th from 7-9pm

 

CSP rewards agricultural producers (crops and livestock) as well as owners of forested land with cash payments based upon the positive impacts of their conservation activities. It represents a new approach to how our nation supports farmers and ranchers by placing emphasis on current land management and future stewardship practices that enhance conservation of our natural resources.

Join representatives from the Wisconsin Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), Land Stewardship Project, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, GrassWorks, Wisconsin Farmers Union, Valley Stewardship Network, and Vernon ACES for an informational meeting on the NEW Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) in the basement of the Medical Center, attached to the Vernon Memorial Hospital on Hwy 14 in Viroqua, Wisconsin on Wednesday September 9, 2009 from 7-9 PM.

The meeting will be presented in two parts. The first part will be a short overview of who is eligible, what type of operations would benefit from this program, and what is required to apply for CSP. There will then be a short break with refreshments. The second part will be a working session, with NRCS personnel present to help farmers understand the Conservation Measurement Tool used to rank the applications for funding.

Bring along your FSA aerial farm map, as well as any conservation plan, nutrient management plan, organic system plan or other overall farm management information that would be a good resource to help complete a picture of your farm’s conservation enhancing practices.

There is no charge for this meeting. For more information, contact MOSES at 715-778-5775 or harriet@mosesorganic.org or 800-551-GROW.

The Conservation Stewardship Program is a voluntary working lands conservation program. To download a fact sheet on the new CSP, visit LSP and MOSES online at www.landstewardshipproject.org and www.mosesorganic.org.

Invitation:

Vernon County land and water dept. will be hosting an informational meeting concerning Jersey Valley at Jersey valley Park this Sunday at 9:00am.

All concerned parties should try to attend, if possible.

 

Because the La Crosse area had the coldest July since 1891,fishing has continued to produce, if using correct methods. September’s expectations continue to run high.

Please forward to all,thanks

Sincerely,

Bryan”Trapper” Voldahl –Secretary WFSC

Avalanche- in the heart of the Driftless Area

Just in case some of you were planning on coming but had not yet RSVP'd:


The Crawford County Housing Needs Discussion scheduled for Wednesday,
August 26 5:00-6:30 PM at Prairie du Chien City Hall has been postponed
until further notice. For more information about county housing
including updated foreclosure data please contact Laura Brown at the
Crawford County UW Extension office at 608-326-0223.

Have a great weekend-
Best- Laura Brown


********************************************************** *
Laura Brown
Community & Economic Development Educator Crawford County UW Cooperative
Extension
225 N. Beaumont Road, Suite 240
Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
608-326-0224 Fax: 608-326-0226
laura.brown@ces.uwex.edu
www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/crawford

Another opportunity to learn more about our local geology, this workshop is sponsored by our friends to the south, Crawford Stewardship Project (See message below)
 
Gary Thompson
Valley Stewarship Network
124 1/2 South Main St.
Viroqua, WI. 54665
608-637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org
 

 

Karst Identification & Reporting Workshop & Field Trip
 

Join Dr. Kelvin Rodolfo, professor emeritus of University of Illinois-Chicago for a presentation on karst geology and field trip to see local karst features on Saturday August 22. Presentation is at 10-12 at the Soldiers Grove Community Room. If you wish, bring your own lunch and join others for a local field trip to view karst features at 12:30.

 

The event is co-sponsored by the Soldiers Grove Library and Crawford Stewardship Project. Coffee and lemonade are provided. Following the presentation, Dr. Rodolfo will answer questions and explain the Wisconsin Geological Survey's Interagency Karst Reporting Form. Landowners may wish to complete the form and submit it for later verification of karst land features. This is one of several first steps leading to a karst study of Crawford County. The more information gathered, the more complete and accurate the study will be.

 

Crawford County is one of a number of areas in Wisconsin underlain by karst geology. "Karst" refers to an area where bedrock, such as limestone or dolomite, has been dissolved by water. Karst regions are generally characterized by connected cracks and layers between rocks that easily transport water. Sinkholes, shallow soils, sinking streams, and springs are found in karst areas. These areas are potentially vulnerable to contamination from pollutants traveling directly to groundwater through shallow soils overlaying fractured bedrock. Dr. Rodolfo lives with his wife, Kathy in rural Viroqua.

 

Crawford Stewardship Project Soldiers Grove Library

PO Box 284 102 Passive Sun Drive

Gays Mills, WI 54631 Soldiers Grove, WI 54655

608-735-4277 608-624-5815

Hi folks-
 
I'm passing this on because I thought you might be intersted in checking out a new interactive online news outlet for the greater Prairie du Chien (Clayton, Grant and Crawford county) Area www.pdctoday.com They are also on twitter and facebook. News and releases may be sent to Dan Moris danmoris@pdctoday.com Please pass this on to others who might be interested!
 
Very Best- Laura Brown
 
***********************************************************
Laura Brown
Community & Economic Development Educator
Crawford County UW Cooperative Extension
225 N. Beaumont Road, Suite 240
Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
608-326-0224 Fax: 608-326-0226
laura.brown@ces.uwex.edu
www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/crawford

Hello VSN Members and Friends,
 
VSN's Food & Farm Initiative Kickapoo Harvest: Gleaning for Healthy Communities is looking for youth and adult volunteers to help us prepare fresh fruit and veggie boxes for our summer fresh food gleaning project. Fresh food boxes will be packaged with locally harvested fruit and veggies from Keewaydin Farms and Ridgeland Harvest Farm. Boxes will be delivered to elderly residents at Parkview Manor in downtown Viroqua.
 
We are looking for volunteers to help us out on Friday, August 14th from approximately 4:00-6:30pm at the Viroqua High School Cafeteria. Volunteers will be washing, sorting and packaging harvested food into boxes that will be delivered on the morning of Saturday, August 15th.
 
We are also looking for volunteers who are interested in delivering fresh food boxes to those residents at Parkview Manor who are participating in the project. Food boxes will be delivered on Saturday morning, August 15th from 10:00am-12:00pm at the kitchen of Parkview Manor. During this time (11am) a local chef will be providing a 1 hour cooking demonstration to the residents. Volunteers can also help with the cooking demo by handing out taste samples and helping the chef in the kitchen.
 
The Food & Farm Initiative needs at least 10 volunteers to help cover the Friday (fresh food box preparation) and Saturday (box delivery) events. Please call Jessica Luhning (608) 637-8568 or email jessicavsn@frontiernet.net to sign-up. Please sign-up by August 12th.
 
Our July Gleaning Event was a wonderful success and many of us agreed that this was our most meaningful work to date! Many thanks to our farmers and our volunteers!
 
http://www.vernonbroadcaster.com/articles/...tures/01feature.txt
 
I hope to hear from you soon!
Jessica Luhning
Projects Coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665

Creative Thinkers and Resource Providers
The Inventors & Entrepreneurs Club Invites You
to treat your CREATIVE side!!


The next Inventors and Entrepreneurs (I&E) Club meeting is Wednesday, August 12th at Western Technical College in Viroqua. Come early to network at 5:30, the program starts at 6:00 pm.

The speaker this month will be Chuck Sara, Patent Attorney with Dewitt Ross & Stevens Law Firm in Madison, back by popular demand. He will talk about managing Intellectual Property, specifically Patents, Copyrights, and Trademarks.

Everyone is welcome! Share ideas with other creative thinkers and find resources to help you. Existing businesses might also find ways to expand their markets or improve their business. New ideas are just a spark away! Remember, the meetings are free, the second Wednesday of every month, so join us when you can. Check out the new website at www.veda-wi.org/inventors_club

Hope to see you there!
Sue & Laura

Susan Noble
Executive Director, Vernon Economic Development Association
402 Courthouse Square, Banta Building Suite 207, Viroqua, WI 54665
608.637.5396
snoble@veda-wi.org
Check out our new website at www.veda-wi.org

DNR Secretary Hearing on July 28th!
Greetings all,



Whether you’re a hunter, angler, or you just like spending time outdoors, a DNR Secretary who best represents your interests is one who makes natural resource decisions based on science, not on the winds of political change.
Right now, you have the opportunity to make sure the bill to restore an Independent DNR Secretary takes one more important step forward. On Tuesday, July 28, the Assembly Natural Resources Committee will listen to your testimony about why you think they MUST pass AB 138- the bill to Restore the Independent DNR Secretary.

This is your one chance to have the undivided attention of the members of the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. Tell them why the Independent DNR Secretary is so very important to you.

We need YOUR SUPPORT to make SURE AB 138 passes through the committee with a strong vote if we want to get this bill all the way to the Governor’s desk!

Legislators need to hear from EVERYONE that cares about conservation integrity! Please RSVP below if you plan to testify or attend!

Tuesday July 28th, 1:00PM at the State Capitol, Room 417 North, Madison, WI

Let us know if you plan to testify or attend by clicking here.

Take a load off at the WLCV Open House on the day of the hearing! We invite you to stop by the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters office (just two blocks from the Capitol) throughout the day. We’ll have sodas, light snacks, and a live broadcast of the hearing. Better yet, join us at our office after the hearing for some well-deserved refreshments. We’ll recap the day and plan our next steps as AB 138 heads to the full Assembly. Please join us!

Are you unable to attend the hearing in Madison? You can still let legislators know that you support an Independent DNR Secretary. Click ACT NOW below to share your comments with the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. WLCV will hand-deliver your letter on the day of the hearing.


Deadline for responding: Please take action by July 26, 2009.

Edited by author 07-19-2009 07:44 AM
Karst Indentification & Reporting Workshops & Field Trips
Saturday, August 1, 10-12 Presentation with Dr. Kelvin Rodolfo. Bring your own lunch. The 12:30 field trip to see karst features will include viewing karst features and visiting Phil Burgess� rock collection in Prairie du Chien.� Event is at Century Hall in Wauzeka. Sponsored by Crawford Stewardship Project, 608-735-4277. Coffee and lemonade provided.

Saturday, August 22, 10-12 Presentation with Dr. Kelvin Rodolfo. Bring your own lunch. The 12:30 field trip will visit examples of karst features nearby. Event is at Soldiers Grove Community Room, Cosponsored by Crawford Stewardship Project, 608-735-4277 and Soldiers Grove Library. Coffee and lemonade provided.

Dr. Kelvin Rodolfo professor emeritus of University of Illinois-Chicago will show a power point on karst geology. Following the presentation, Dr. Rodolfo will answer questions and explain the Wisconsin Geological Survey's Interagency Karst Reporting Form. Landowners may wish to complete the form and submit it for later verification of karst land features. This is one of several first steps leading to a karst study of Crawford County. The more information gathered, the more complete and accurate the study will be.

Crawford County is one of a number of areas in Wisconsin underlain by karst geology. "Karst" refers to an area where bedrock, such as limestone or dolomite, has been dissolved by water. Karst regions are generally characterized by connected cracks and layers between rocks that easily transport water. Sinkholes, shallow soils, sinking streams, and springs are found in karst areas. These areas are vulnerable to contamination from pollutants traveling directly to groundwater through shallow soils overlaying fractured bedrock.

 

Gary Thompson

Valley Stewardship Network

124 1/2 South Main St.

Viroqua,WI. 54665

608-637-3615

www.kickapoovsn.org

MTovD3

Dam Challenge includes T-shirt design

Details of the 7th annual Kickapoo Reserve Dam Challenge have been released.

The event will be held Oct. 3 at KVR. Competitors will paddle seven miles on the Kickapoo River, bike 14 miles and run three miles.

Registration opened June 1 and will run until Sept. 16. Late registration will take place after Sept. 16 and carry a $15 fee. There is no same day registration.

You can register at http://kvr.state.wi.us/damchallenge. A new feature of the event is a T-Shirt design contest. The winner will receive a $50 cash prize. The design will be reproduced on the 2009 T-Shirt for the event.

The winner will be picked through online voting. Deadline for submitting a design is Aug. 7.

 Creative Thinkers and Resource Providers
The Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club invites you
Wednesday July 8
6:00 PM
Western Technical College
220 South Main Street Viroqua, Wisconsin

“Social Networking Tools and Tricks”
 with Tim Puyleart, Business Development Manager for the Institute for Environmental Assessment, Inc. (IEA)

 The Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club has moved to Viroqua and now meets on the second Wednesday of every month, at Western Technical College. Networking starts at 5:30 and the program begins at 6:00 pm.

This month’s topic is - How to be recognized in the Social Network World! Twitter, Flickr, LinkedIn, Facebook? Do you know what these can do for your business? How do your clients find you? Can Social Networking pay off in the client development / marketing world? Speaker, Tim Puyleart is the Business Development Manager for the Institute for Environmental Assessment, Inc. (IEA). He will discuss how he has used these forms of networking to build a client base and reach out to potential clients. The presentation will give best practices and lessons learned from Tim's own journey with Social Networking as well as an overview of each of several of these sites.

Whether you have an idea or just like to think business, join us for a dynamic evening of networking with lots of creative people. Everyone is welcome!

Hope to see you there!

Susan Noble
Executive Director, Vernon Economic Development Association
402 Courthouse Square, Banta Building Suite 207, Viroqua, WI 54665
608.637.5396 snoble@veda-wi.org
Check out our new website at www.veda-wi.org

Valley Stewardship Network Food & Farm Initiative’s

Kickapoo Harvest: Gleaning for Healthy Communities

Summer 2009 PILOT PROJECT SCOPE

Project Description

Kickapoo Harvest: Gleaning for Healthy Communities is a grass-roots initiative aimed at getting healthy, locally produced food into the hands and mouths of those who need it most.

 

The basic premise of the summer 2009 pilot project is to engage area youth in supervised harvesting of excess “un-marketable” produce and fruit grown on area farms that will then be distributed to interested residents at Park View Manor, an apartment complex located in downtown Viroqua which is home to mostly senior citizens and other people living on a fixed, limited income. Harvested produce and fruit will be cleaned and nicely boxed by volunteers before being distributed to Park View Manor residents. In addition, area chefs will offer cooking demonstrations and recipes to residents along with their gleaned food boxes. The pilot project will be implemented in the summer months of July-October, 2009. Additional gleaned food items will be distributed to area food pantries and processed for use in Viroqua Public School lunch menus throughout the 2009-2010 school year.

 

Volunteer Description and Summary

The Valley Stewardship Network (VSN) is actively seeking adult and youth (ages 12+) volunteers to assist in monthly gleaning events during the 2009 summer months of July, August, September and October. The gleaning dates are as follows:



· July 17

· August 14

· September 18

· October 16



 

A gleaning day will consist of one group of volunteers harvesting fresh produce and fruit from 2-3 area farms in the morning hours while a second group of volunteers will help during the afternoon hours with the washing and packing of the gleaned food items into nice, family food boxes that will be distributed to Park View Manor residents and area food pantries.

 

Each gleaning group (one group - harvesting and one group - washing/packing) will consist of at least 5 youth volunteers and 2 adult volunteers. Members of the VSN Food & Farm Initiative Steering Committee will be on-hand to assist and direct the volunteer groups.

 

The harvesting volunteers should expect to work 4-5 hours and each volunteer should bring their own water, gloves, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen, and sun-hat. Volunteers will meet at the Viroqua High School before carpooling to the participating farm(s).

 

The washing/packing volunteers should expect to work 4-5 hours and each volunteer should bring their own water, gloves, and closed-toe shoes. Volunteers will meet at the Viroqua High School and all washing and packing will be done in the parking area and school cafeteria.

 

Volunteer Sign-up is Requested. Call Jessica Luhning at 637-8568 or email jessicavsn@frontiernet.net to sign-up or for more information!

***Many thanks to the participating farmers - Driftless Organics, Keewaydin Farms, Harmony Valley Farm, Ridgeland Harvest Farm, Turkey Ridge, Dave Miles and Pat Slatery!!!

Avalanche Wisconsin Goes Wireless
West Fork Sportsmen’s Club, located in Avalanche Wisconsin is excited to offer wireless internet (Wi Fi) at our club grounds/campground. Our campground is the only wireless campground in Vernon County. We wanted to bring our sites up to date with the year 2010. Many other improvements are in the planning stages, to be implemented soon.

 Family camping style is encouraged. Very reasonable rates.

 All quite sports are encouraged to visit our website at: westforksportsmansclub.org

WFSC- Community leaders focused on outdoor recreation.

 Submitted by Bryan Voldahl Secretary WFSC

Hello VSN Members & Friends,
VSN is Hiring!
Office Manager: Exciting professional service opportunity with environmental non-profit. 32 hrs/wk; modest pay with opportunity to grow within organization. Seeking dedicated staffer with excellent communication skills, comfort with public and some financial skills. Grant writing experience a plus. Send cover letter and resume by June 20 to Valley Stewardship Network (email preferred): vsn@frontiernet.net or mail to: 125 ˝ S. Main Street, Viroqua, WI 54665. Visit www.kickapoovsn.org.

Hello everyone,

 

Tomorrow is the Community Organizing for Sustainability Webinar. It’s the final session of this series and will be held in room 236 A, (next to the Extension office) from 11:30-12:30 p.m.

 

If you are planning on attending this session, please let me know so I’m sure to have plenty of handouts printed. Of course walk-ins are always welcome.

 

Thank you,

 

Karen Snitker

Crawford County UW Extension

Program Assistant

225 N. Beaumont Rd.

Prairie du Chien, WI 53821

(608) 326-0223 Phone (608) 326-0226 Fax

http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/crawford/index.html

Hello VSN Members and Friends,

For those interested in learning how to identify karst features on the landscape (sinkholes, disappearing streams, etc.) there will be a unique opportunity June 18, 2009 to be trained in these skills. Drs Ken Bradbury and Fred Madison of the Wisconsin Geologic and Natural History Survey will lead a classroom discussion from 10 am to about noon, followed by lunch and an afternoon fieldtrip to sites near Viroqua. The day will start at the Vernon Memorial Hospital community rooms (lower level of the Medical Building.) Lunch will be provided at the hospital or you can bring a sack lunch.

This field day is supported by the grant awarded to the City of Viroqua by the Nuzum Foundation Kickapoo Valley Reforestation Fund. This grant money will be used to investigate and map karst features, soil dynamics, and land use with the ultimate aim to understand this complex geology and highlight areas vulnerable to groundwater contamination.

Those interested in participating in this educational session should call Lynn Chakoian at 637-2060 or email chakoian@mwt.net to register. The only cost may be a minimal one for lunch depending on the number of registrations.

Hello VSN Members and Friends,

Kickapoo Valley Chautauqua 2009 - Saturday, June 6th Viroqua Eckhardt Park 2pm

Community Conservation and Valley Stewardship Network are featuring a series of Chautauquas to introduce the idea of creating a voluntary Kickapoo Community Sanctuary from the lands we live on. Please come to one or more of these events to enjoy the event and learn more about the Kickapoo community Sanctuary.

Hello VSN Members & Friends,
 
VSN has a terrific opportunity to raise money for the organization by providing volunteers for the Kickapoo Country Fair, July 25 and 26 in LaFarge.


For each hour of volunteer work provided, VSN will be paid $7. Work shifts are 2 1/2 hours long, and you can work as few or as many shifts as you wish.



In addition to helping boost the bank account of the VSN, volunteering also has quite significant personal perks!


They include:


 FREE weekend pass into the fair (includes the Brett Dennen concert)
– value $10.00

 

 2009 Kickapoo Country Fair t-shirt
o Volunteer groups may wear their own group T-shirts while
volunteering, if preferred

 

 There will be prize drawings for volunteers each day
o Volunteers must be on time, as well as sign-in and sign-out
 

 $5.00 food vouchers
o One per day worked
o Good at on-site food vendors, only

 
It's definitely a win-win situation for all concerned.

 
SO, if you are willing to volunteer, we have been requested to concentrate on the Parking and Grounds Team, where duties may include:

 
--Direct traffic / parking
--Assist vendors, exhibitors with loading and unloading
--Assist with loading and unloading of farm tour busses
--Maintain the parking area and take care of grounds issues that may arise.

Shift times are as follows:


Saturday, July 25


Start End

Shift A 7:00 AM 9:30 AM
Shift B 9:15 AM 11:45 AM
Shift C 11:30 AM 2:00 PM
Shift D 1:45 PM 4:15 PM
Shift E 4:00 PM 6:30 PM
Shift F 6:15 PM 8:45 PM
Shift G 8:30 PM 11:00 PM


Sunday, July 26


Start End

Shift A 7:00 AM 9:30 AM
Shift B 9:15 AM 11:45 AM
Shift C 11:30 AM 2:00 PM
Shift D 1:45 PM 4:15 PM
Shift E 4:00 PM Clean Up


TO SIGN UP TO VOLUNTEER, PLEASE FILL OUT THE ATTACHED "2009 registration form" (in .pdf format).



Also, PLEASE RETURN THE REGISTRATION FORM TO THE VALLEY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK OFFICE (not to the Kickapoo Country Fair) NO LATER THAN JUNE 12. See Mailing Address Below.


Any questions, contact the VSN office at 637-3615.



Jessica Luhning
Projects Coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665
 
(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

This column first ran on www.wisbusiness.com

GreenBiz: Buying local food helps farmers, schools and the environment

By Gregg Hoffmann

A vast majority of people in the world live within 10 miles of their food sources, but in the United States much of our food travels as far as 2,000 miles from the farm to the table.

While that system allows us to eat relatively fresh fruits and vegetables in winter in Wisconsin, it adds costs, has adverse environmental effects through transportation, raises questions about health and "food security" and takes money out of the local economy.

As transportation costs increase, and other factors change, such a system looks unsustainable over the long run. So, groups around the state are in various stages of organizing and running Community Food Systems.

From Vernon County in the southwest part of the state to Madison, Milwaukee and elsewhere, a variety of CFS projects can be found. A CFS is defined as: "a collaborative network that integrates sustainable food production, processing, distribution, consumption and waste management in order to enhance the environmental, economic and social health of a particular place."

Ken Meter, CEO of Crossroads Resource Center in Minneapolis, recently reported on an economic analysis for the food and farm system in southwest Wisconsin, including Monroe, Vernon, Richland and Crawford counties. The research has been backed, in part, by the Valley Stewardship Network, in cooperation with the Vernon County Economic Development Association and the Crawford County UW-Extension office.

One of the major findings of the analysis is that consumers in southwest Wisconsin spend $208 million buying food from outside the region. If consumers purchased 25 percent of their food directly from local farmers, it would produce $33 million of new farm income every year. That would offset current farm losses.

"Local food systems may be the best path toward economic recovery in this country," Meter told a recent gathering of about 100 people in Viroqua. "A farm and food economic system should build health, wealth, connections and capacity.

"Our current food system fails on those goals. It separates people from those who produce the food. It creates wealth for some and not for others."

The current system -- based on large farming domestically and imports from China, Mexico, Chile and other countries -- treats farm products and food as commodities and doesn't look at the impact on those who produce the food and eat it, Meter maintains.

Meter's statistics present a rather sobering picture of the food system in America overall and Wisconsin. State farmers as a whole make about $1.9 billion less than they did in 1969, when figures are adjusted for inflation, Meter claims. Wisconsin farmers have suffered the fourth worst loss of income of any state in America, he said.

In the country, farm income in 2008 was less than it was in 1929, when adjusted for inflation, Meter said. "And 2008 was considered one of the best for farm incomes in recent history," he said.

The current farm and food system encourages farmers to borrow beyond their means and become as big as possible. Arizona and New Mexico, where huge feed lots have been established, are two states that have shown increases in farm income.

But large operations raise concerns about environmental impact and health, Meter maintains. Plus, there's evidence the large operations aren't sustainable over the long run, he adds.

The Wall Street Journal reported recently that the United States could be close to becoming a net food importer. "This is in a country where we have prided ourselves in farm country for years on being able to feed the world," Meter said.

Because of these flaws in the system, Meter claims momentum is building for local farm and food systems. If you survey Wisconsin, there's evidence backing him up.

The Farm Fresh Atlas has become a go-to directory for those seeking to link farmers and consumers in direct buying arrangements. It is published by the REAP (Research, Education, Action and Policy on Food) Group, the Dane County Farmers' Market, the UW-Madison Center for Integrated Agricultural Systems and the Friends of the Dane County Farmers' Market.

You can find producers and markets for cheese and dairy, vegetables, fruit, eggs and many other goods. Farmers' markets around the state are listed. So are CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) groups through which consumers can receive weekly fresh produce and other foods for a membership fee. See more: http://www.farmfreshatlas.org

Madison is a hotbed for CSAs and other innovative farmer-to-consumer programs. Of course, the market on the Capitol Square has become a tradition.

The Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition is active in maintaining a list of participating farmers, publishing guidelines on how to cook farm-fresh produce and with the Partners Share Program, a program that helps lower income people afford organic produce.

One of the concerns about organic farm produce is that people with more expendable income have been the traditional buyers, Meter admitted. However, programs like Partners Share are very helpful, he said.

By no means are CFS and CSA programs only found in small towns, rural areas and the state capital. Milwaukee has its share of programs, too. The Milwaukee CSA Initiative links urban dwellers with farmers around southeastern Wisconsin for transactions at share fees that range from $20 to $25 per week. The Initiative also maintains a directory of area farmers, drop off sites and markets.

Perhaps the best known program in Milwaukee is Will Allen's Growing Powers Inc. Allen was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship for his work in the urban center. Using low-cost farming technologies, such as raised beds, aquaculture, and heating greenhouses through composting, Growing Power grows a vast amount of food year-round at a two-acre farm site within the Milwaukee city limits.

The organization has grown to other farm sites in and around the Milwaukee and Chicago areas. "We started locally and now do work internationally," Allen said in MacArthur Foundation video when he received his fellowship in 2008. "More than a million people die annually because of poor food. It's happening here in the inner cities. I believe no matter what their income, people deserve access to safe, affordable food, grown naturally."

Growing Power provides training on how to grow food and puts on workshops all over the country for children and adults.

Of course, in rural areas, CSAs are looked at as potential boosts to the local economy as well as a way of feeding people. Meter said the loss of farms hurts merchants and service businesses in the small towns in rural areas.

"It can have devastating effects on many areas of the local economy," Meter said of farm failures.

Schools often also are hurt. In some rural areas of Wisconsin, almost 50 percent of the students qualify for federally subsidized meals programs. Farm-to-school programs around the state have helped local farmers and school meal budgets.

Americorps and other organizations provide grants for schools that participate in farm-to-school programs.

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection also has become more active in recent years in maintaining a statewide local food guide and providing grants. This past year, 94 applicants sought more than $3 million in grant money, but DATCP had only $225,000 to distribute.

Meter believes the demand for grants and other funding will continue to grow because momentum is building rapidly for a better farm and food system.

"More and more people want very healthy food that we know the source of," Meter said. "It's especially important in low income areas, inner cities and in farm country. The momentum is amazing. People are saying we need to change the system.

-- Hoffmann has written many columns and features for WisPolitics.com and WisBusiness.com over the years. He will write the GreenBiz column monthly.

Upcoming Class to Focus on Community Organizing for Sustainability

A class on “Community Organizing for Sustainability” will be offered as a part of the “Building Communities Class Series: Focus on Sustainability” on Tuesday June 16 from 11:30AM-12:30PM at the Crawford County Administration Building, 225 North Beaumont Road in Prairie du Chien, conference room 236. This is a free, monthly, one-hour class series offered one Tuesday each month. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lunch. This session explores how a community can get started with sustainability, developing leaders and the role of businesses and local governments in sustainability efforts. Presenters will offer examples that include study circles, early adopter projects, comprehensive planning, and local sustainability alliances. Presenters will include Mary Rehwald, Community Educator and Local Community Organizer in Ashland, Wisconsin. The Focus on Sustainability series is offered by Crawford County UW Extension and sponsored by Vierbicher Associates in Prairie du Chien. Programs are broadcast via the internet and phone. Please register in advance for the Building Communities Series by contacting the Crawford County Extension Office at 326-0223 or visit http://crawford.uwex.edu/cnred/index.html to read about upcoming classes.

***

 
*********************************************** ************
Laura Brown
Community Development Educator
Crawford County UW Cooperative Extension
225 N. Beaumont Road, Suite 240
Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
608-326-0224 Fax: 608-326-0226

Creative Thinkers and Resource Providers
The Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club invites you

Wednesday June 10
6:00 PM
Western Technical College
220 South Main Street Viroqua, Wisconsin

“Turning a Product into a Business” with Peter Weber,
co-founder/owner/operator of Potter’s Crackers of Madison


The Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club has moved to Viroqua and now meets on the second Wednesday of every month, at Western Technical College. Networking starts at 5:30 and the program begins at 6:00 pm.

Peter gives a lively presentation covering the first months of starting a business including: product development, regulation, packaging, labeling, getting your first accounts, dealing with distributors, and setting the scope of the business. He will use his experience with Potter’s Crackers to also share stories and lessons learned.

Peter grew up in a small bakery in New Glarus, worked as a chef in Madison throughout college, and spent a year in Europe on a culinary expedition. He earned a BS degree in Food Science and a MS degree in Industrial Engineering / Minor in Business at UW – Madison. He was also a Fellow at Standford Business School - Food Business Entrepreneurship. He is a founding partner of three businesses including Potter's Fine Foods - specialty crackers, Pubbites - "Bar food made better" and Betty Brown's Butters - "Specialty spiced butters for your restaurant". Peter is also the author of Career in Food Science - Chapter 13 - Food Business Entrepreneurship.

Whether you have an idea or just like to think business, join us for a dynamic evening of networking with lots of creative people. Everyone is welcome!

Hope to see you there!
Sue

Susan Noble
Executive Director, Vernon Economic Development Association
402 Courthouse Square, Banta Building Suite 207, Viroqua, WI 54665
608.637.5396
snoble@veda-wi.org

Dear friends of Crawford County-

Please check out the latest issue of Community Development Connection at http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/crawford/cnred/index.html

This newsletter is intended to facilitate information sharing between Crawford County town and village elected officials, plan commissioners, community leaders, regional organizations, and local business owners in the Crawford County Wisconsin area. You'll find local events and news related to community and comprehensive planning, economic development, and local government. If this newsletter has been forwarded to you and you would like to receive it monthly by email or post please email me at laura.brown@ces.uwex.edu.

Please pass this on to others who might be interested. Items for the June newsletter are due by the 15th of each month.

Thanks and best- Laura Brown, Crawford County Community Development Educator, 608-326-0223

Hello VSN Members and Friends,
 
If you haven't noticed there is a movement afoot to turn southwest Wisconsin into a local food paradise. Are you or someone you know interested in starting a local food business? If so, come check out Peter Weber of Potter's Crackers in Madison who will provide a discussion on “Turning a Product into a Business”. Peter will give his talk at the next Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club meeting Wednesday, June 10th at the Western Technical College. Networking starts at 5:30 and the program begins at 6:00 pm.
 
Peter gives a lively presentation covering the first months of starting a business including: product development, regulation, packaging, labeling, getting your first accounts, dealing with distributors, and setting the scope of the business. He will use his experience with Potter’s Crackers to also share stories and lessons learned.
 
Peter grew up in a small bakery in New Glarus, worked as a chef in Madison throughout college, and spent a year in Europe on a culinary expedition. He earned a BS degree in Food Science and a MS degree in Industrial Engineering / Minor in Business at UW – Madison. He was also a Fellow at Standford Business School - Food Business Entrepreneurship.

He is a founding partner of three businesses including Potter's Fine Foods - specialty crackers, Pubbites - "Bar food made better" and Betty Brown's Butters - "Specialty spiced butters for your restaurant". Peter is also the author of Career in Food Science - Chapter 13 - Food Business Entrepreneurship.

Whether you have an idea or just like to think business, join us for a dynamic evening of networking with lots of creative people. Everyone is welcome!

Hope to see you there!
 
Jessica Luhning
Projects Coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665
 
(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org
 
Join others concerned with stewardship of the Kickapoo Watershed
Become a member of the Valley Stewardship Network for all those who live, work and play in the Valley

 
VALLEY STEWARDSHIP NETWORK'S
2nd ANNUAL FRIENDRAISER CELEBRATION


Date: Saturday, June 27

Time: 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Location: Kickapoo Valley Reserve Visitor Center

Cost: $20.00/person (payable at the door)

 

VSN’s 2nd Annual Friendraiser is a celebration of community, connection and stewardship of the Kickapoo River Watershed. This year’s Friendraiser will feature a presentation by Steven Apfelbaum, restoration ecologist and author of Nature’s Second Chance. Steven will conduct a book-signing after his presentation. We will offer a silent auction of items donated by local citizens and businesses. Free hors d’oeuvres and drinks will be served prior to the presentation followed by dessert. All food and drinks will be sourced as organic, sustainable and local as available.

 

Come and join us! A wonderful time was had by everyone who attended last year's event...let's make this year's celebration even better!

 

Jessica Luhning
Projects Coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665

(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

Join others concerned with stewardship of the Kickapoo Watershed
Become a member of the Valley Stewardship Network for all those who live, work and play in the Valley

Edited by author 05-28-2009 07:20 PM
Hello VSN Members and Friends!
 
As you may already know VSN is proud to announce that our newsletter has gone "Tree Free"!
 
I have attached our spring newsletter for your reading pleasure.

2009_Spring_Newsletter.pdf

Please feel free to share with those you feel would be interested in VSN's good work here in the Kickapoo Valley. VSN runs a newsletter edition every spring and autumn.
 
The newsletter will also be available on our website www.kickapoovsn.org.
 
Happy Reading!
 
Jessica Luhning
Projects Coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665
 
(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org
 
Join others concerned with stewardship of the Kickapoo Watershed
Become a member of the Valley Stewardship Network for all those who live, work and play in the Valley

Vernon County could be leader in local farm and food economy

By Gregg Hoffmann

Vernon County is off to a good start in developing a local farm and food economy. In fact, it could have the potential to become a leader in what is developing into a nationwide movement.

Ken Meter, economist and president of the Crossroads Resource Center, based in Minneapolis, emphasized those points in presenting “An Update on the Southwest Wisconsin Local Farm and Food Economy” Thursday, May 21, at the Vernon Memorial Hospital community conference facility.

Meter developed his report for Vernon, Crawford, Monroe and Richland counties through funding by the Valley Stewardship Network’s Food & Farm Initiative in cooperation with the Vernon Economic Development Association and the Crawford County UW Extension Office.

“The discussion here has been one of the more advanced discussions I’ve had on local food anywhere in the country,” said Meter, who has done reports in 38 regions of 18 states. “With the success of CROPP in this county, and other organizations and people, you have a lot of foundation to work with.”

Meter is working with VSN in assessing how a food system that emphasizes more direct sales from local farmers to local consumers and institutions can be developed. Such a system requires a “collaborative network that integrates sustainable food production, processing, distribution, consumption and waste management in order to enhance the environmental, economic and social health of a particular place.”

VSN formed its Food & Farm Initiative in 2007 to respond to local food security issues. The Initiative’s seven-member Steering Committee is putting the finishing touches on an assessment and will soon make it available to the public.

Jessica Luhning, Projects Coordinator for VSN, gave a brief overview of the assessment before introducing Meter. Look for more on the VSN Initiative in the June Business Profile on the VEDA site.

Meter gave a rather sobering look at the farm and food economy in the four-county region and nation as a whole. “Most studies have been good at looking at commodities, but now looking as much as where the food is produced, and by who, and where it is eaten,” Meter said of conventional research into farm and food systems.

He said a local farm and food economy should build health, wealth, connections and capacity. The current system fails to accomplish these goals and instead often separates people from those who produce the food, and creates wealth for some and not for others, Meter emphasized.

Farmers in the four-county region that was studied steadily have been losing income for years, Meter said. They have experienced negative cash flow from 1994 to 2007.

They are not alone. Income for U.S. farmers in 2008, considered a decent year for farm incomes, was lower than it was in 1929 when adjusted for inflation. Wisconsin farmers ranked as the fourth biggest losers of income in the country.

Rising costs, such as fuel, labor and other factors, have contributed to those losses, but the overall structure of the farm and food industry has flaws that have hurt farmers in the region and nation, Meter contends.

Lending institutions, and to some degree the government, have encouraged farmers to get bigger, borrow more and ship their products farther. The average American lives at least 1500 miles away from the sources for much of his food.

Much like the recent problems in the housing industry, a farm and food system based on “bigger always is better” cannot be sustained because of high debt and other factors, Meter said.

The quality of food from such a system also cannot be guaranteed. Large farming operations also often create concerns about environmental impact and health, Meter said. So does food imported from China, Mexico, Chile and other countries.

Under the current system, the Wall Street Journal recently reported that the U.S. could soon become a net food importer, Meter said.

A local farm and food economic system can change this, Meter contended. For example, consumers in Southwest Wisconsin spend $208 billion on food from outside the region. If those consumers would purchase 25% of their food directly from local farmers, it would produce $33 million of new farm income every year -- enough to offset current farm production losses.

Small farmers also could benefit from a local farm and food economic system, and 58% of the farmers in the region sell less than $10,000 of goods per year. Only 11% sell more than $100,000, according to Meter’s studies.

Direct sales in the region range around 0.8% of overall sales. As small as that is, it is twice the national figure, Meter said.

The VSN Initiative already has some of the building blocks in place for a local system. Five schools currently buy food from local farmers for lunch programs. There are 13 Community Supported Agriculture programs, through which local residents pay annual fees and get weekly boxes of produce from local farmers. More than 60 farmers sell products locally in Vernon County.

Meter praised the efforts in the region and added that he believes “local food may be the best path toward economic recovery.”

##

For more on this topic and other economic development stories in the Driftless Area, go to http://www.veda-wi.org.

WFSC Wi-Fi
 Because of a recent donation to the WFSC

toward the instalation of wireless internet by a very generous member, we will be able to offer wireless internet to all the members very shortly. My goal is to have it up and running by the annual meeting/election on Sat. June 6th. Please keep in mind of our annual meeting .Food and beverages will be served to all attendees.(free) Wi Fi is coming to Avalanche. My hope is to enhance the camping ratio during the slack time of July and August. This will help with our goal of supporting more conservation efforts. We need your support to spread the word of having the only wireless campground in a three county area. The summer newsletter will be out soon. Dates are available for cabins in June.

 

          Trapper Secretary WFSC

          Avalanche Wi –in the heart of the Driftless Area

Hello VSN Members and Friends!
 
Ken Meter speaks about our local food & farm economy tomorrow night at 6:30pm!
 

“An Update on the Southwest Wisconsin Local Farm and Food Economy”
Ken Meter, Economist and President of the Crossroads Resource Center

 

Thursday, May 21st from 6:30-8:30 pm
Vernon Memorial Hospital

(new medical office building)

Community Conference Rooms A & B

 

 

Did you know that we are losing $376 million every year here in SW Wisconsin (Vernon, Crawford, Richland and Monroe counties) with our current food consumption and conventional farming activities? Did you also know that we have all the assets and resources right here to turn this around to build healthy, sustainable communities based on viable family farms and businesses, a healthy environment and a strong workforce?
 
Everyone is invited to attend an upcoming presentation by renowned rural economist Ken Meter, CEO of Crossroads Resource Center in Minneapolis. Ken will discuss highlights from a new report regarding the Southwest Wisconsin's Local Farm and Food Economy compiled for Vernon, Crawford, Monroe and Richland Counties.
 
The Southwest Wisconsin Local Farm & Food Economy Report was funded by the Valley Stewardship Network’s Food and Farm Initiative in a cooperative effort with Vernon Economic Development Association and the Crawford County UW Extension office.

We hope to see you all there!! Pass this email on to others who may be interested. There is no charge to attend but donations are encouraged. Local beverages and snacks will be served.

Jessica Luhning
Projects Coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665

(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

Join others concerned with stewardship of the Kickapoo Watershed
Become a member of the Valley Stewardship Network for all those who live, work and play in the Valley

Thawing the Cold War under the desks

The bell rang, followed by the air raid signal. It was time to go under the desks for Garrett Hartmann’s 6th grade class.

“OK, students under your desks,” said Mrs. Krahn, one of many teachers who had no first names back in the 1950s. “We’ll stay in that position for 5 minutes, then next week go down in the cafeteria shelter. Remember, we are doing this in case the Russians come some day.”

Garrett often thought the weekly exercise was kind of dumb. Tommy Schmidt and the other guys would make faces from under their desks. Mike Sands would find things on the floor, and if they looked edible down them. Yuk.

Some of the guys took advantage of the situation and would try to look up Suzie Wilson’s dress, as she sat crunched up on the floor. “Mrs. Krahn, Tommy is looking at my undies,” Suzie yelled. “Am not,” Tommy retorted. “Am too,” thought Garrett about Tommy.

Mrs. Krahn, the principal, the students’ parents all said the weekly drills were important. The Russians hated us Americans, they said. Some day they might invade this country or shoot missiles at us. We had to be prepared.

Even President Dwight Eisenhower said it was important. And, he had been a war hero before he became president, Garrett’s parents told him. So, he must know. Ike and other important people called it the Cold War. They had been to war and said it was hell. Garrett some times wondered how it could then be Cold.

Every week, as Garrett sat on the floor, he wondered about the Cold War. Why would the Russians want to come to Salem, Wisconsin? There was nothing there except a gas station, some bars and a lot of farm implement places. Maybe they didn’t have John Deere in Russia.

Garrett also wondered if kids in Russia were sitting under their desks, and in shelters. He thought of asking Mrs. Krahn, or his parents, or even Ike in a letter, but he never did.

“OK, students, get back to work. Open your math books to Page 12,” Mrs. Krahn said. Yuk.

**************************

A lot of years had passed since Garrett and his classmates went through those air raid drills. He had never asked Mrs. Krahn or his parents, or written Ike, about that question concerning whether kids in Russia did the same as he and his classmates every week.

The Cold War was basically over, thanks to the regimes of Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev. At least that’s why the governments of the two countries wanted you to think. Garrett thought it was more likely generations of kids from America and Russia, who had tired of sitting under their desks, grew up and thought it was all bullshit. So, they didn’t pay any attention to it anymore.

In the early 1990s, Garrett had a first hand opportunity to learn that he was, in part, correct. He was now a journalist and taught at a university. He was asked if he could host a Russian professor for a few days. The prof, named Oleg Rashokoff, was making the rounds of the Midwest, talking about the effects of the easing of relations between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

Garrett has said he would consider it if he could interview Oleg one-on-one. Garrett’s wife, Patricia, looked forward to the experience.

So, Garrett went out and bought some vodka and Miller beer, and on a Monday night in April, Oleg Rashokoff came to visit. It was a little awkward at first, but Oleg was an out-going type who was willing to talk about his family.

His father, George, was head of linguistics at Kiev University, where Oleg also taught. Oleg and his wife has just had a son, who was actually born in Philadelphia, since Oleg was a visiting prof at Penn.

As the night went on, it became significantly less awkward. Garrett found himself pondering that question he never asked Mrs. Krahn, his parents or Ike. What better guy to ask than another Baby Boom generation representative, who had grown up in the Soviet Union.

“You know,” Garrett started after taking sip of his Miller. “Because of you guys, we had to go under our desks once a week and in the bomb shelter once a month when we were in grade school.”

Oleg looked thoughtfully at Garrett, hesitated for a minute and then said in a deep voice, “You know, because of you guys, we did the same.”

The question was answered, and Garrett’s suspicions were verified. Russian kids were indeed doing the same thing he and his classmates had to do, in large part because of fear of each other, fostered by propaganda.

That Q&A opened up a long night of wonderful discourse. Oleg eventually came to live with Garrett and Patricia for a summer, while he taught a comparative propaganda course at Garrett’s university.

Garrett and Oleg talked about writing a book on how two baby boomers grow up learning to fear and hate each other, largely because of the BS spewed out by their governments during the Cold War.

The two learned they had much in common. They became friends.

******************************

Not more than six months after Oleg had left Garrett and Patricia, and returned to Philadelphia, bad news arrived. Oleg, who was only in his early 40s, had been diagnosed with brain cancer. He underwent treatment, but was not given a good chance of recovery.

Garrett and Oleg had already started on their writing project. It came to a halt. Garrett also was helping Oleg get some of his writing done before the split-up of the Soviet Union published, since Oleg dare not try to make it public before that time. That too halted as Oleg was too fatigued during treatments to edit the works.

“How unfair,” Patricia said when they heard the news. Garrett felt a deep disappointment, both because of the halt in his professional work with Oleg and because he really had come to know and like the man. He had gone to Philadelphia shortly after that summer was over, and met little Georgie, Oleg’s son, and Yelena, his wife. It was almost as if he knew them; Oleg has talked so much about them during the summer.

Over time, Garrett got back into his work routine. He kept up with Oleg’s situation through periodic phone calls, and through mutual friends. Then, one day, he received a call.

“Gar, this is Oleg,” the voice said on the other end of the phone. “Yeah, Oleg, how are you feeling?” a surprised Garrett said.

“Better,” Oleg said. “In fact, good enough to come to New York when you make your presentation next week.” Garrett was scheduled to make a presentation at NYU on how journalists get caught up in propaganda. It was work that had been started with Oleg.

Garrett had lost his enthusiasm for the presentation once Oleg became ill, but he felt a sudden surge of energy and a possibility. “Oleg, just how well are you feeling? I have two hours for the presentation, and I’d love if you could take an hour of it from the Soviet side, just like we planned that summer,” Garrett said.

There was a brief moment of silence on the other end. “You would do that for me,” the deep voice said. “Definitely, in fact, you’d be doing me a favor because two hours can be a long time,” Garrett said. Again, a moment, and then, “I think I can do it; see you in New York.”

For the next week, Garrett felt mixed emotions, of joy from the thought of working with Oleg again to concern that it might be too much for a man in Oleg’s condition. The second emotion took precedent on the night before the presentation when Oleg, patch on one eye, showed up looking haggard and fatigued from the train trip up from Philadelphia.

“Are you sure you’re up to this?” Garrett asked Oleg. “Yes, I’ll be fine with a good night’s sleep,” the deep voice said, fatigue evident.

“I’ve made a mistake; it’s too much for him,” Garrett told Patricia later that night. He hardly slept at all, largely out of concern for Oleg.

The next day, a different man from the one who came up via train the night before showed up. Oleg looked great, showed no sign of fatigue and was ready to go.

“Thank you, my friend, for giving me this chance,” Oleg told Garrett right before the presentation started.

To put it mildly, Garrett and Oleg knocked them dead for the next two hours. It was like they had rehearsed for days, which of course they had not. The 100 or so people at the conference gave them a standing ovation when they ended.

You could tell Oleg was thrilled as he shook hands with people. A man, whose work had to be kept secret for so long, had showed what he could do. Garrett was thrilled for him.

“C’mon, let’s celebrate with a Miller and vodka,” Garrett told Oleg. “I can’t drink alcohol with my medication, but a coffee would be good,” Oleg answered.

Oleg, Garrett and Patricia drank coffee for a couple hours at one of those wonderful sidewalk cafes in Manhattan. You would never had known Oleg was ill. It was how the two men had dreamed it could be during their summer together.

Finally, Garrett and Patricia walked with Oleg to Times Square. From there, the Russian had to go one way to catch his train, and the two Americans had to go the other to their hotel.

“Just think,” Oleg said in his deep voice. “Two boys raised to fear and hate each other, who went under their desks in fear they would be bombed by the other’s country, meet and become friends, and can be together in this place where the world meets.”

It was poetic. The three friends embraced and went on their ways. A block away, Garrett turned to watch Oleg disappear into the busy New York streets. He would never see his good friend again.

Oleg’s cancer came back with a rage. He died only a few weeks after he had parted with his American friends in Times Square.

Garrett some times finds himself imagining that Oleg is in heaven, sitting under his school desk, waiting for the day that his friend joins him.

##

** Wanted: Local Aspiring Food Entrepreneurs **
Survey to Assess Interest in Crawford Vernon County Community Commercial Kitchen

You are receiving this email because we thought you or someone you know might be interested in starting a food related business in the Crawford-Vernon County area. We have created a short survey to gauge interest in a community commercial kitchen. The proposed facility would be a fully certified, commercially equipped kitchen and would offer business support services to local growers and producers of food products, caterers, restaurants, chefs, special event food vendors, bakers, groups or organizations.

Please take a moment to complete the online survey at http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB2296KJGA8SF

(one per computer) or request a paper copy from Laura Brown, UW –Extension at 608-326-0223 or Laura.brown@ces.uwex.edu. Deadline for completing the survey is Wednesday May 27, 2009.

This survey was developed as a collaborative effort between the Crawford County UW Extension Office, the Opportunity Center in Prairie du Chien, the Vernon Economic Development Association, and the Kickapoo Kitchen Project. Your response will help us accurately assess potential community interest and use of a facility. Survey results will be posted online after May 27 at www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/crawford/cnred/index.html.

Please forward this email to others who may be interested in taking this survey. Thank you for your time and suggestions!

Laura Brown, Crawford County UW Extension
in collaboration with the Opportunity Center, the Kickapoo Kitchen Project, and Vernon Economic Development Corporation

We will meet at Christie's apiary on Saturday the 16th, 1-3pm. (between Westby and Coon Valley)
Write back or call if you need directions, this is where we met in March.
 
Mandy
489-2162
 
Those who got nucs through the club: Please remember to bring your empty boxes back if you haven't already done so, or made other arrangements with Kerry, so we can get our deposits back!

Hello VSN Members & Friends,

Interested in regional sustainability...check out the Kickapoo Green Builders Guild Meeting Thursday, May 14th at 6:30pm.


WHERE: Firehouse Restaurant (804 S. Main St., Viroqua)
WHEN: Thursday, May 14th - 6:30pm Gathering / 7:00 Discussion
WHAT: A Regional Sustainability Forum - a Facilitated Round-Table Discussion

This event is intended to provide a forum for collaboration between several groups all working toward a common goal of local energy and economic independence in our communities. A special invitation is extended to the newly-convened Vernon County Energy Planning Group.

Possible topics for discussion might include:

Creation/Administration of an OFFICE OF ENERGY INDEPENDENCE
Creating a local green-built home for this office
Adoption of a framework for this regional sustainability initiative (e.g. The Natural Step for Communities)
Network and position our communities for Economic Stimulus Plan (ARRA) and other grant support
Revisit John Murphy's Green Drinks initiative

This event is open to the public and admission is free.

If you haven't done so, please bookmark their website www.kickapoogreen.org for more information, member pages, as well as ongoing announcements of upcoming events.

Thanks,

Jessica Luhning
Projects Coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665

(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

Join others concerned with stewardship of the Kickapoo Watershed
Become a member of the Valley Stewardship Network for all those who live, work and play in the Valley

Hello VSN Members and Friends,
 
1% Wednesdays at Viroqua Food Coop
 
This Wednesday, May 13th 1% of all VFC proceeds will go to support the Valley Stewardship Network! Please consider stopping by the Co-op for your favorite local food item, cup of coffee, dinner fixins' or what the heck...all your grocery needs for the month!!
 
We are so very thankful to VFC and the community for choosing VSN as one of the local organizations to receive 1% Wednesday proceeds. Funds will go to support our important work here in the Kickapoo Region like water monitoring at your favorite swimming or fishing hole and making sure healthy, local foods are served in school lunches. Our work depends on your support!
 
We'll see you at the Viroqua Food Coop this Wednesday!! Tell your friends VFC is the place to be this Wednesday!!
 
Jessica Luhning
Projects Coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665

A Boomer’s Stories

These stories are fictional short stories adapted from actual experiences of Gregg Hoffmann, who was born in 1949, thus putting him soundly in the middle of the Post-WWII Baby Boom generation.

At age 60, he decided to write them for several reasons: 1) people seemed to like to hear them over the years, and besides some were creatively-enhanced even during those oral tellings, 2) turning 60 had affected him emotionally and made him decide to start recording his own stories, not just those of others as he had for decades as a journalist, 3) they might spark memories and help build perspective on the experiences of a generation, and 4) for one of the few times in a 39-year writing career the author was having a bit of a writer’s block and felt somewhat disconnected from a craft he had thoroughly loved. So he decided to go back to one of the first bits of advice he had ever received -- write about things you know.

If these are never published, it’s fine. The author is not creating them strictly with publication in mind, since he’s had to do that for almost four decades. He’s doing it for the reasons already-related, and to regain the love for writing. No deadlines, no length limits, just the joy and reward of converting feelings and thoughts into words put in the right places.

Some of the pieces will be posted on the Driftless Writers Blog of Driftless web site.

******************************************

A Rainy Night In Lumbermen Haven.

By Gregg Hoffmann

It was one of those nights that the Pacific Northwest is known for. Steady rain fell, a cold rain, not the kind that brings wonderful aromas to the air in the spring or summer. This type of rain brought a stuffy nose and the chills.

Garrett had been traveling for a couple months with his two friends, the Marini brothers. They had promised they would travel for as long as they could afford it after they finished college, and before they had to join the working world for the next four or five decades. Thanks to failed draft physicals in two cases, and a stint in Vietnam by Roberto Marini, they could follow through on their promise, so packed the car with some tents and duffel bags of ragged clothing, and hit the road.

Garrett and his travel partners had learned early they were not alone. A generation of young people were on the road -- hitchhiking, putting along in old Volkswagen vans, living in makeshift communes. Garrett wanted to be a writer so he soaked up the atmosphere along the road.

 It was 1971, and distrust was the norm in America. Division over political views, Vietnam, length of hair, outlooks on gender and race, what it meant to be American was commonplace. But, when young travelers ran into each other on the road there was an instant connection.

In the Rockies, Montana and Idaho, the three travelers had been one step ahead of the snow, as October in the high country often brought. In the state of Washington, you had to be in real high country to get the white stuff in October. At lower elevations, near the coast, instead the cold rains came.

It would not be a good night to spend in a tent, with the likelihood of waking up the next morning with damp canvas drooping inches from your nose. Maybe they’d all cram themselves in the car, as they had when it got cold in Montana, for the night. But, before thinking of sleep, they needed food.

The rain was coming down heavy enough that it was hard to see along the highway. The time was closing in on 10 in the evening, so many places were closed, and in the Pacific Northwoods there aren‘t many places to begin with.

“Hey, that looks like a light up ahead on the right,” Richardo Marini shouted out, breaking what had been a long silence as the tired travelers squinted through the rain.

“What does it say? Can you read it?” Roberto asked. After a pause, Garrett said, “I think it says Olympia, the beer.”

“That’s the place for us,” Roberto exclaimed already pulling over onto the shoulder of the road. “I could use something to wash my food down.”

The three rushed through the rain and entered the log structure, called Lumbermen Haven. Inside, the place was empty. “Anybody here,” Garrett asked.

After a moment or two, a voice that sounded like a female’s answered, “yeah, hold your horses.” A woman, who had to tip the scales at 270, waddled out from a room behind the bar.

“What you boys want?” she asked. “How about some Olympia, and I’ll take a burger,” Garrett said. Roberto and Richardo wasted no time adding, “me too.”

Somehow you could tell the woman didn’t want to talk a whole lot. She might have been Native American, but it was hard to tell. She went to work on the grill, and soon you could hear the sizzling of the grease from fatty ground meat.

“Sounds good,” Garrett said. But, then another sound started that alarmed him. A deep, gravel-like, hacking cough came from the back room, where the woman was cooking. Once, twice, three times. In the next 10 minutes, she must have coughed 50 times.

“Do you hear that?” Garrett asked of the Marinis. “What?” Richardo asked. “That hacking cough this woman has,” Garrett returned. “Yeah, so what, it’s raining outside. She’s probably getting lugies she can’t get rid of,” Roberto hypothesized in not a very intellectual way.

“Hey, this is the Pacific Northwest. The highest incidence of TB left in the country is out here,” said Garrett, who was the factoid of the trio. “Bullshit,” Roberto said. “Don’t blow it away” Garrett came back. “Maybe we should sneak out of here,” Richardo added. “Hell no, I want a burger,” Roberto insisted.

So, the traveling trio stayed, and when the burgers came they were happy they did. Big thick, juicy burgers, with enough grease to add flavor.

“Great burger,” Garrett said. “Thanks,” the woman answered before being cut off by another round of hacking. The trio looked at each, but this time with a silence that said, “who cares.”

“Kinda dead in here tonight, must be the weather,” Roberto said. “It’s early yet,” the woman spewed out between coughs.

The three young men enjoyed their burgers and beer, and caught up on the day, and what they might do for the night. It felt good to be in a dry place and have it virtually to themselves.

About a half hour later, two big, strapping men with hair you could not have grabbed with a tweezers came in. “Hi Berta, a couple beers and burgers,” they yelled to the portly woman in the back room. “Coming up,” she said.

Garrett and the Marinis sneaked a peak at the two men in flannel shirts and jeans. The two men probably did the same at one point.

Over the next 10-20 minutes, 8-10 more guys who could have been clones of the first two entered. They obviously were lumbermen, and this indeed was their haven.

As mentioned earlier, it was a time of division in America, and one of the symbolic dividing points was the length of hair. Roberto Marini had long hair to his shoulders. Richardo had a big fro, and Garrett had bushy hair. All had straggly moustaches. All three were somewhat unkempt after almost two months on the road.

The lumberjacks weren’t exactly fashion plates, but their combined hair, if shaved, might not have matched the hair in the traveling trio’s staches. The three started to eat and drink their beers quicker. Roberto gave Garrett a look that said, “let’s get out of here.” They could feel the tension of the times.

But, before the trio could gulp down their last bites and swallows, one of the big guys from across the bar asked, “who’s the Cubs fan?”

All three of the traveling buddies had to think for a moment, and then Garrett remembered he had a trunk in the back of the car with a sticker on it that read, “Cubs In ‘69.” The hapless Cubs had gone into the last month in first place, only to lose the pennant that season to the New York Mets.

Garrett swallowed hard and said, “I am,” expecting to starting taking abuse that many heaped on once they found out you followed a team that was a perennial loser.

“I am too,” the big man said. “I was a steel worker in Gary before I got into lumbering and went to a lot of games at Wrigley.”

Several of his buddies started kidding him about being a supporter of a perennial loser, thus taking the target off Garrett’s back. What happened over the next couple hours could not have been more unexpected.

These three hippies, with long hair and two months of travel wear and tear on them, talked with these large men with bulging biceps and that shortly-cropped hair about first sports, then the Midwest and other areas of the country, on to family and other places you could get a good burger, you name it.

Vietnam, race and gender, politics, even the varying lengths of their hair didn’t really matter. When somebody did start down those paths, the group almost collectively put up a mutually-understood red flag, as if to say, “we know we won’t agree on those things so why go there.” It was as if they had all decided, for one night, to concentrate on the similarities they had as human beings, not what inevitably would have divided them.

They laughed, bought each other drinks (the lumberjacks did most the buying since they likely could tell Garrett and the Marinis had little money) and generally enjoyed a camaraderie in this relatively small log structure with the portly, coughing barkeep and cook named Berta. It truly was a haven, and not just for those lumbermen.

When Garrett and the Marinis finally ambled out of the bar, well after closing time, it had stopped raining and almost seemed to have warmed up enough to pitch the tents. It was almost like the Lumbermen Haven, for one night during a time of great division, had expanded its boundaries to include three young men who weren’t lumbermen and had extended its warmth and comfort beyond the log structure into the forest of the Pacific Northwoods around it.

##

Dear friends of the Vernon - Crawford Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club-


*** The Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club is moving from Gays Mills to Viroqua! ***

The club will now meet on the SECOND WEDNESDAY of every month, at Western Technical College and starting the program EARLIER, at 6:00 pm. Doors will open at 5:30 pm. We will no longer meet in Gays Mills. Since we don't have emails for everyone who attends please help spread the word by passing this information on. The next meeting will be held on

Wednesday, May 13th
6:00 PM
Western Technical College
220 South Main Street, Viroqua
“Turning Opportunity into Success” with Ivan Davis

Speaker Ivan Davis is back by popular demand. Davis is a serial inventor and has six businesses of his own. “Now is the best time to come out with new products and businesses,” according to Davis. He will talk about how to find and multiply new opportunities, identifying consumer trends toward quality products and his experience in how buying local and green really works. Ivan will have his usual array of new inventions and products to show and will share his perspective on how to work at marketing.

Join us for a dynamic evening of networking with lots of creative people. Everyone is welcome!

Hope to see you there!
Sue & Laura

Susan Noble
Executive Director, Vernon Economic Development Association
402 Courthouse Square, Banta Building Suite 207, Viroqua, WI 54665
608.637.5396
snoble@veda-wi.org
************************************************************
 
Laura Brown
Community Development Educator
Crawford County UW Cooperative Extension
225 N. Beaumont Road, Suite 240
Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
608-326-0224 Fax: 608-326-0226
laura.brown@ces.uwex.edu
www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/crawford

Hello VSN Members and Friends!
 
Mark your calendars for a special presentation on your local food and farm economy. Did you know that consumers in southwest Wisconsin spend $208 million buying food from outside the region every year? As local eaters, if we purchased 25% of our food directly from farmers, it would produce $33 million of new farm income every year – enough to offset current farm production losses! Revitalize Main Street, ensure adequate funding for our schools, keep small family farms viable...the possibilities are endless.
 
Everyone is invited to attend an upcoming presentation by renowned rural economist Ken Meter, CEO of Crossroads Resource Center in Minneapolis. Ken will discuss highlights from a new report regarding the Southwest Wisconsin's Local Farm and Food Economy compiled for Vernon, Crawford, Monroe and Richland Counties.


“An Update on the Southwest Wisconsin Local Farm and Food Economy”

Ken Meter, Economist and President of the Crossroads Resource Center

 

Thursday, May 21st from 6:30-8:30 pm
Vernon Memorial Hospital

(new medical office building)

Community Conference Rooms A & B

 

Ken is the creator of "Finding Food in Farm Country" studies. He examines food systems and creates reports using hard economic data to demonstrate the importance of developing local, sustainable food systems. His reports have been adopted in 38 regions in 18 states. These reports have transformed the discussion of farm and food economics, and launched a national discussion on local foods as economic development. Ken has made over 150 presentations nationally on local food systems. He has conducted state-wide analyses in Minnesota, Iowa, California and Hawaii to document economic losses suffered in America’s farm communities. He paints a picture of local food systems that can inspire people to take action to improve their own economies. Read more about Ken’s work at www.crcworks.org/econ.html

 
The Southwest Wisconsin Local Farm & Food Economy Report was funded by the Valley Stewardship Network’s Food and Farm Initiative in a cooperative effort with Vernon Economic Development Association and the Crawford County UW Extension office.

We hope to see you all there!! There is no charge to attend but donations are encouraged. Local beverages and snacks will be served.

Jessica Luhning
Projects Coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665

(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

REMINDER: COMMUNITY FUND APPLICATIONS DUE BY MAY 1

The Crawford County Community Fund is accepting grant proposals for up
to $5000 for projects that help revitalize the economy of Crawford
County. Proposals must be received by May 1, 2009. The Crawford County
Community Fund supports economic development or infrastructure projects
which enhance the economic well-being of Crawford County residents,
including business growth and retention, product innovation, job
creation, tax-base improvement and personal development. Individuals
and private businesses are not eligible to receive funding.

Proposals will be evaluated based on: the project's benefit to the
county's economy on as wide a basis as possible including geographic
scope, financial need, and potential for success. Selected projects
will benefit residents of Crawford County regardless of race, creed,
color, sexual orientation or political views. Please find the
application attached or download it from the Crawford County Community
Fund website
http://www.cfsw.org/CrawfordCountyCF.asp or by contacting Sue Conley,
Executive Director, Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin, Inc.
800-995-2379. Applications must be received by 4:00 p.m. May 1, 2009.

Members of the Crawford County Community Fund Board include Jim O'Meara
(President), Ron Leys, Nicole Fortney, Tom Martin, Alice and Gerry
Boehm, Eric Frydenlund, Bob Moses, Sherry Quamme, Pete and Nora Knapik ,
Nicole Fortney, Corrie Schmidt, and Carol Roth. Additional board
members are welcomed and are encouraged to contact existing board
members or Sue Conley of the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin
800-995-2379 for more information.

The Crawford County Community Fund provides opportunities for
individuals and groups to contribute time and money toward the
betterment of Crawford County. The Community Foundation of Southern
Wisconsin, the fund's umbrella organization, is a tax-exempt, publicly
supported, nonprofit organization whose mission is to match personal
philanthropy with community need. Tax-deductible contributions may be
made payable to Crawford County Community Fund and sent to: PO Box 13,
Seneca, WI 54654-0013 or c/o CFSW, 26 S. Jackson Street, Janesville, WI
53548.

Please help spread the word by passing this on to others who may be
interested in applying.

Hello VSN Members & Friends,

PBS Frontline has created a television broadcast on the health of two of America's critical waterways. Tune in to this great production on Tuesday, April 21st (8-10pm CT). The broadcast is titled POISONED WATERS, a two-hour investigation and report card on two iconic American waterways, Chesapeake Bay and Puget Sound. For more information and to view a trailer, please visit:

http://www.pbs.org/frontline/poisonedwaters/

Thanks!

Jessica Luhning
Projects Coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665

(608) 637-3615

Hello everyone,

 

The focus of the April 21, 11:30-12:30 webinar is Local Food Networks: Food Localization as a Sustainability Strategy.

Learn about this rapidly growing sustainability strategy and how it's helping to reshape our food system and our communities.

 

As usual pre-registration isn’t necessary, however, if you believe you’ll be attending, would you send me a reply?

 

The workshop will be held as usual in the Conference Room next to the Extension Office – room 236.

 

Thank you,

 

 

Karen Snitker

Crawford County UW Extension

Program Assistant

225 N. Beaumont Rd.

Prairie du Chien, WI 53821

(608) 326-0223 Phone (608) 326-0226 Fax

http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/crawford/index.html

Dear VSN Members & Friends,

Enjoy the sunshine and lend a helping hand at the Kickapoo Reserve this Saturday!

KVR is having their Spring Annual Clean-up on Saturday, April 18, 2009 from 8AM – 11:30AM.

All volunteers are asked to pick up roadway litter (not just in the Reserve – anywhere in the area).

Stop at the Visitor Center for garbage bags, orange vests and a commemorative gift, while they last.

Advance sign-up is required.

Please call 608-625-2960 or email kickapoo.reserve@krm.state.wi.us

If you cannot make it on that day, we would be happy to supply you with bags and vests on a more convenient day. You can volunteer to clean up anytime between now and May 1st, when we open the trails for horses and bicycles. Just let us know you are coming.

Bonus Opportunity!

The Annual Midwest Crane Count is on the same day, Saturday April 18, 2009 from 5:30AM – 7:30AM.

Help the International Crane Foundation monitor the population of Sandhill Cranes as they return to their breeding grounds.

Again:

Advance sign-up is required.

Please call 608-625-2960 and ask for BEN JOHNSTON or email kickapoo.reserve@krm.state.wi.us

An organizational meeting regarding “how to count” will be at the Reserve on Tuesday evening, April 14th from 6PM – 8PM

 

Many thanks!

Just a reminder that this Saturday the 18th is our monthly meeting. We will meet at Organic Valley this month, around the back of the building. (If you are late they may be down at the hives, follow the walking trail down the hill and to the right) Anyone new who needs further directions, reply here or call 489-2162.

Our bees should be arriving later this month, so we will go over where to meet on pick up day, and how to install them when you get home. Hopefully everyone who ordered bees has their woodenware put together/painted, deep frames with foundation ready (10/hive), an entrance reducer, a feeder of some sort, pollen patties also recommended.

Reminder that dues are $40/family after your first meeting should you decide to join.

Bee seeing you!
Mandy

Currant Breaks WFSC Spring 09 4/12/09
 

Another spring has started to arrive here in the West Fork valley. We had another nasty winter. Get over it! Let’s camp, fish and enjoy your free time.

Fish’in has picked up lately. Fish are rising to Midges and BWO. Nymphing always seems to produce some action. Very soon the early Caddis hatch will start and things will get busy.

 Emerald Ash Borer invasive beetle has invaded western Vernon County in the Victory area, on the Mississippi River. WFSC has had a policy in place for years that prohibits transferring firewood from outside the county .Do NOT transfer firewood from outside Vernon County. If caught, intentionally bring in, you may be asked to leave. We do not need all our Ash trees dead from a brought-in invasive pest. Local firewood is available at all times.

 WFSC, in conjunction with Living Water’s Bible Camp and the Wisconsin DNR will be releasing approximately 2500 wild strain Brown Trout on Tuesday, April 22. Meet at Livings water’s at 9:00 AM. Living Waters is located two miles north of Westby on highway 27 to Rio Ave .Help needed of all ages. Our next batch of Trout to raise, supplied by the Wisconsin DNR, will be wild strain Brook Trout.

 Our Treasurer, June Widner handles all reservations of the cabins, camping fees, and membership fees. Inquire across from store building in Avalanche. Her phone number is 608-634-4512

 The annual meeting and elections will be held at the clubhouse on Sat., June 6th at 7:00 pm. This year we will serve complementary pork sandwiches with sides and beverages. Your participation will be greatly appreciated.

 My thought is to build some more camping shelters this year.

 Boy scouts and Southeastern Wisconsin T.U. will be utilizing the lowest shelter from June 3rd thru 7th

Shabazz Class will be here from Friday, May 08 thru 15th.The instructors are asking for help with fly fishing instruction on Sunday, May 10th thru Thursday May 14th.

 After researching what it costs for the WFSC to operate our club grounds for the year, your officer’s have decided that we can get by another year without raising camping fees or membership fees. We considered that you must be a member to camp on club grounds. Membership does have its advantages. Our electric rates have increased by 50% since the last camping rate increase. Our property taxes have doubled in the last 10 years. Yet, we decided with the overall economic crises, we want to provide a great value to the membership. The only way this happens is because the WFSC owns everything free and clear. With the past two devastating floods, we are still solvent and intend to stay that way. We have had plenty of help from other organizations that feel it’s important to keep our little piece of little Montana operating. We hope you agree.

 We hope that you find the time to utilize the club grounds very soon. See you soon.

                    Bryan “Trapper” Voldahl Secretary WFSC

                    Avalanche,Wi - in the heart of the Driftless Area

Movies and Popcorn Benefit for Crawford Stewardship Project

   

“The Organic Opportunity: Small Farms & Economic Development”

 

“King Corn”

 

Friday April 24, 2009, 7:00 p.m.

Seneca Town Hall, 21041 Town Hall Rd

$3 Donation

 

Join us for an evening of entertainment, inspiration, and short CSP update.

 

“The Organic Opportunity”, a documentary by Chris Bedford, explores Woodbury County, Iowa’s story of hope and practical solutions for rural communities. It is not just about organic food—it is a story that demonstrates how local communities can create a different food system which provides its citizens with wonderful food, makes it possible for young farmers to remain in the community and farm, while simultaneously improving the local economy. And Woodbury County did it without any federal program funding. An inspiring film.

 

“King Corn”, directed by Aaron Woolf, is a “gentle, meandering film in the Truth-Seeking Comic Hero genre, as practiced by Michael Moore and Morgan Spurlock,” according to Matt Seitz of the New York Times. Follow the story of Mr. Cheney and Mr. Ellis as they move to rural Iowa to grow corn on their great-grandfather’s farm. This film offers insights and sparks conversation.

 

Contact CSP for more information, 608-735-4277, csp.county@gmail.com

Spring Bird Field Day
May 23rd
 
Hello VSN Members & Friends,

Join us for a great opportunity to learn about neotropical migrant birds. We will welcome their arrival with Craig Thompson, a bird specialist from the Department of Natural Resources.(Warning; Craig has a wicked sense of humor!)

One of the very best ways to know what birds are around your home or in the forest or grasslands you are hiking in, is to be able to recognize their songs.

We will be addressing the best ways to learn birdsong and also in depth discussion of bird habitat and what they need to survive and keep their populations strong. We will go for a hike into the forest to hear and see what birds have arrived.

This event is limited to 20 participants.

Please email mhjones@countryspeed.com or call Maggie at 609-872-2297 to sign up. Please give your name, phone number and email (or snail mail) address. Bring a bag lunch. We will start sharp at 8AM and be done at noon. You will be sent a map of the location in south east Crawford County.
Donations will be accepted for printing expenses of handout material.

Sponsored by Valley Stewardship Network, Kickapoo Initiative, and Crawford Stewardship Project

Hello VSN Members and Friends,
 
Please consider writing a letter to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) requesting that a full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) be performed on the proposed Petry CAFO in Vernon County. The WDNR weighs all public comment when determining whether to perform an EIS. I have attached a letter template for you to use prepared by ACES - Alliance Concerned for Environmental Safety.

If you want to pass on copies of your letters to elected folks:

Sen.Kapanke@legis.wisconsin.gov

Rep.Nerison@legi.wisconsin.gov

Governor Jim Doyle
P.O. Box 7863
Madison, WI 53707

If you feel it's beneficial for your County Board Supervisor to know your position, forward them a copy, too.

 
Thank you for your help!
Jessica Luhning
Projects Coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665
 
(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

Hello VSN Members and Friends,

The Alliance Concerned for Environmental Safety (ACES) will be holding an informational meeting about CAFOs for local community members at 7:00 pm, March 26th, 2009 at the Vernon Memorial Hospital, Lower Level Community Room.

The topic for discussion will be "The State of Wisconsin's CAFO permitting process". Perspectives will be given by Westby area farmer Darin Von Ruden, who has concerns about the process, and Gordon Stevenson of the WDNR Runoff Management Section, who will review the present process structure. Each will give brief presentations, followed by an exchange of responses between presenters, and then we will open up discussion with the audience for questions and comments. We have allowed two hours for addressing this important topic, and please come early as seating is limited.

While there is no admission fee, ACES would like to use this opportunity to raise funds to help in supporting the local opposition, through publicity, yard signs, and other costs related to the campaign.

Directions to the Vernon Memorial Hospital, Lower Level Community Rooms; enter through the main hospital entrance, off the east side parking lot, follow signs to elevator, take elevator to the lower level. If you have any problems locating this space, you may inquire at the informational desk. For more information you may call Leah at 634-4261.

  
Hello VSN Members and Friends,
 
Let's welcome Spring!! Please join us for this exciting, FREE event on Thursday, March 19.

Birds, Plants and Animals of Forests, Prairies and Savannahs


Please mark your calendars for Thursday, March 19th and join Craig Thompson and Armund Bartz, both DNR Endangered Resources experts to learn more about our great Spring awakening. With birds arriving back from their wintering grounds, and the critters and plants of our savannahs and prairies soon in their most active time of year, the depth of knowledge and enthusiasm of these two experts will add to your enjoyment and understanding of our area.

Every year tens of millions of birds from North America migrate to Central and South America to spend the winter. The challenges they face on their beleaguered wintering grounds are significant and growing. If we want to make sure our beloved birds - Baltimore Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Indigo Buntings, Wood Thrushes and warblers - return to serenade us every Spring, we need to ensure important wintering grounds in Latin America are protected. Learn how you can help support Wisconsin's innovative international efforts to protect our migratory birds.

Join us at 7PM, in the Community Room of Vernon Memorial Hospital Medical Office Building (lower level), 507 S Main Street, Viroqua. Refreshments and social time immediately following the presentation. Sponsored by Kickapoo Initiative, Valley Stewardship Network and Crawford Stewardship Project. Contact CSP, 608-735-4277 or VSN, 608-637-3615 for more information.


--
Crawford Stewardship Project
PO Box 284
Gays Mills, WI 54631
608-735-4277
http://www.crawfordstewardshipproject.org
 
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, WI 54665
(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

March 21, 2008 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Location, Christies Honey Farm – E6404 Eide Rd. Westby, WI
1) Open Meeting
2) Take attendance, membership/dues, downpayment on nucs if not already sent.
3) Meeting objectives
B) Peek in hive
C) Make decisions for splits
D) Mite checks
E) What is your yard plan? Discuss location, equipment needed for start-ups
4) Organic Valley Colony Management Team (OVCMT) tasks
A) Equipment readiness check, relocate equipment to yards
B) Check all hives, clean out bottom boards, feed
c) Make decisions for splits
Q & A time
Show and Tell
Next meeting date and review
Close meeting
April 18, 2008 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Location, Organic ValleyHQ – LaFarge, WI.
1) Open Meeting
2) Take attendance
3) Meeting objectives, Organic Valley Colony Management Team (OVCMT) & members
A) Install packages/ dividing colonies/ feed/ pollen,
update on nucs from Jordan, decide when/where to pick up
B) Queen and brood inspection
C) Mite checks
D) What is your yard plan?
E) Queen excluders on parent colonies/ hive body on divide
F) Queen and brood inspection/ mite check/ Feeding/ medication and mite control
G) Pollen and nectar sources
4) Organic Valley Colony Management Team (OVCMT) tasks
A) Equipment readiness check, relocate equipment to yards
B) Ready feeders and feed, pollen patties
C) Mite checks/ divide colonies as needed
Q & A time
Show and Tell
Next meeting date

Hello all,
Attached is the shedule/locations for the next two meetings.
March will be hosted by Christie Homstad at her bee yard at:
E6404 Eide Rd
Westby WI 54667
This is at the corner of Eide and Spring Coulee Rd. between Westby and Coon Valley. (Spring Coulee Rd. roughly parallels 14 on the north) Write Christie at: echomstad@msn.com if you need detailed directions.

This will be a working meeting, so bring your gear if you have it:
Veil/ gloves/ bee suit?
Hive tool/smoker

(In case of very bad weather, we may move the meeting to Christie's shop in Coon Valley and see her extracting set-up.)

Remember to bring your dues ($40/family) if you plan to join HOB, and if you have ordered nucs through the club and not paid Kerry your down payment, please settle up on that. (e-mail him at: jvauditor@aol.com if you have questions on your nuc order or payment due, I believe he asked for half now, balance when you get the bees.)

See you then!
Mandy

Call Your Legislators TODAY! Gov. Doyle Reverses Position
on Independent DNR Secretary!

Dear VSN Members and Friends,

Just days after nearly 600 conservationists representing more than 80 organizations lobbied legislators in support of a return to an Independent DNR Secretary on Conservation Lobby Day, Governor Doyle breaks his long-standing promise to restore conservation integrity.

In a letter to citizens dated March 3, 2009, Governor Doyle stated, 'I believe that a system that has a strong board and a quality secretary appointed by the governor is the most effective.' Prior to this reversal, Governor Doyle had publicly supported an Independent DNR Secretary since serving as Attorney General.

This change of heart is incredibly disappointing because restoring an Independent DNR Secretary was selected BY CITIZENS as one of four Conservation Priorities for the 2009-2010 legislative session. During listening sessions held last fall, hundreds of citizens voted on the 4 Conservation Priorities, which have since been endorsed by more than 80 Wisconsin conservation organizations.

Citizens have been calling for an Independent DNR Secretary since 1995 when appointment authority was removed from the Natural Resources Board and given to the Governor. And on Conservation Lobby Day last week, citizens asked their legislators to support LRB 0132/2, the Independent DNR Secretary bill. Since then, sixty legislators have signed on to co-sponsor this bill. (See the list of current co-sponsors below.)

Please call YOUR LEGISLATORS TODAY and reiterate your support for the Independent DNR Secretary. They need to know that YOU support LRB 0132/2--even if the Governor doesn't! *Please call the Capitol numbers listed below.* PLEASE let us know if you make the calls simply by replying to this email.

If you would like to call the Governor's office and encourage him to change his mind, that number is: 608-266-1212.

   Senator Dan Kapanke (R)
State Senate District 32
608-266-5490 (Capitol)
608-782-3975 (District)

  
   Representative Lee Nerison (R)
State Assembly District 96
608-266-3534 (Capitol)
608-634-4562 (District)

  
  

(If your legislators and their contact info did not appear above, you can call the Legislative Hotline at 1-800-362-9472.)

Hello VSN Members and Friends,
 
Let's welcome Spring!! Please join us for this exciting, FREE event on Thursday, March 19.

Birds, Plants and Animals of Forests, Prairies and Savannahs


Please mark your calendars for Thursday, March 19th and join Craig Thompson and Armund Bartz, both DNR Endangered Resources experts to learn more about our great Spring awakening. With birds arriving back from their wintering grounds, and the critters and plants of our savannahs and prairies soon in their most active time of year, the depth of knowledge and enthusiasm of these two experts will add to your enjoyment and understanding of our area.

Every year tens of millions of birds from North America migrate to Central and South America to spend the winter. The challenges they face on their beleaguered wintering grounds are significant and growing. If we want to make sure our beloved birds - Baltimore Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, Indigo Buntings, Wood Thrushes and warblers - return to serenade us every Spring, we need to ensure important wintering grounds in Latin America are protected. Learn how you can help support Wisconsin's innovative international efforts to protect our migratory birds.

Join us at 7PM, in the Community Room of Vernon Memorial Hospital Medical Office Building (lower level), 507 S Main Street, Viroqua. Refreshments and social time immediately following the presentation. Sponsored by Kickapoo Initiative, Valley Stewardship Network and Crawford Stewardship Project. Contact CSP, 608-735-4277 or VSN, 608-637-3615 for more information.


--
Crawford Stewardship Project
PO Box 284
Gays Mills, WI 54631
608-735-4277
http://www.crawfordstewardshipproject.org
 
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, WI 54665
(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

Hello VSN Members and Friends,

 **RESCHEDULED EVENT**

METHANE DIGESTERS: FACT AND FICTION

Thursday, April 2nd at 7pm
 
Come and learn more about the science behind Manure Digesters and their relationship to Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). Please join us for an evening with Jim Poehling, a registered professional engineer in Wisconsin for over 30 years.

Jim is vice president engineer of First Supply LLC in La Crosse and a partner in JMP Commissioning. He is LEED (Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design) certified and is passionate about sustainable farming practices, and will address the myth about Manure Digesters being the "silver bullet" solution to properly managing large volumes of animal waste.

Jim designed a heating system for a small scale digester and understands how they work. He will inform us about digester problems, their prohibitive cost and the truths and falsehoods of how digesters affect clean air and water. This timely presentation is brought to you by Crawford Stewardship Project and Valley Stewardship Network. Presentation is at 7:00 pm in the Community Room of Vernon Memorial Hospital Medical Office Building (lower level), 507 S Main Street, Viroqua. Refreshments and social immediately following this free presentation. Contact CSP at 608-735-4277 or VSN at 608-637-3615 for more information.


--
Crawford Stewardship Project
PO Box 284
Gays Mills, WI 54631
608-735-4277
http://www.crawfordstewardshipproject.org
 
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 South Main St.
Viroqua, WI. 54665
608-637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org
garyvsn@frontiernet.net

The Inventors & Entrepreneurs Club Invites You to treat your CREATIVE side!!

 *** Tuesday, March 10, 6:30 pm ***
 Gays Mills Community Building, 212 Main Street
Click here for a map of Gays Mills

This month’s topic
"Creating a Step by Step Guide to Developing Your Marketing Plan" with speaker
Mark Thorne, Marketing Consultant with Lacrosse Sign

The discussion will include how to define your core message, good media for advertising, creating a marketing budget, defining what makes your business unique, and common mistakes in branding.

Please help us spread the word by bringing some friends along or forwarding this message. Remember, the meetings are free, the second Tuesday of every month, so join us when you can! Networking starts at 6:00, meeting at 6:30. For more information contact Sue Noble at Vernon Economic Development Association 608-637-5396 or Laura Brown at Crawford County UW Extension 608-326-0224

NEW!! The Youth Entrepreneurship Club starts prior to the Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club at 5:00. The agenda for this meeting includes a tour and business discussion with Joe Brandt, owner of the Village Greenhouse, and planning for a youth business trade show. Young people and adults are welcome at either meeting. You'll find a flyer for the meeting attached. For more information about the Youth Entrepreneruship Club contact Amy Mitchell or Laura Brown at Crawford County UW Extension 608-326-0224

Hope to see you there!

***********************************************************
Laura Brown
Community Development Educator
Crawford County UW Cooperative Extension
225 N. Beaumont Road, Suite 240
Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
608-326-0224 Fax: 608-326-0226
laura.brown@ces.uwex.edu
www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/crawford

Hello VSN Members and Friends,
 
The following event has been cancelled due to the winter storm predicted for Thursday, February 26th. The event will be rescheduled for a later date.

Thursday, February 26th, 2009, METHANE DIGESTERS: FACT AND FICTION
 
Come and learn more about the science behind Manure Digesters and their relationship to Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). Please join us for an evening with Jim Poehling, a registered professional engineer in Wisconsin for over 30 years.

Jim is vice president engineer of First Supply LLC in La Crosse and a partner in JMP Commissioning. He is LEED (Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design) certified and is passionate about sustainable farming practices, and will address the myth about Manure Digesters being the "silver bullet" solution to properly managing large volumes of animal waste.

Jim designed a heating system for a small scale digester and understands how they work. He will inform us about digester problems, their prohibitive cost and the truths and falsehoods of how digesters affect clean air and water. This timely presentation is brought to you by Crawford Stewardship Project and Valley Stewardship Network. Presentation is at 7:00 pm in the Community Room of Vernon Memorial Hospital Medical Office Building (lower level), 507 S Main Street, Viroqua. Refreshments and social immediately following this free presentation. Contact CSP at 608-735-4277 or VSN at 608-637-3615 for more information.


--
Crawford Stewardship Project
PO Box 284
Gays Mills, WI 54631
608-735-4277
http://www.crawfordstewardshipproject.org
 
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 South Main St.
Viroqua, WI. 54665
608-637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org
garyvsn@frontiernet.net

Hello VSN Members and Friends,
 
The Valley Stewardship Network, Family Farm Defenders and the Crawford Stewardship Project invite you to attend the following upcoming event!
 
Food Sovereignty: Food, Agriculture & Democracy
Featuring John Ikerd
Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics,University of Missouri Columbia
(Sponsored by Driftless Speakers)
 

Friday, March 13 - Sunday, March 15, 2009
Living Waters Bible Camp
E8932 Reo Avenue, Westby, WI 54667
 
 
**Registration Required**

 
Please contact Family Farm Defenders (608) 637-7136 (www.familyfarmdefenders.org) or
Valley Stewardship Network (608) 637-3615 (garyvsn@frontiernet.net) for registration and event details.

Hello VSN Members and Friends,
 
Another Fabulous Presentation by CSP with Valley Stewardship Network

Thursday, February 26th, 2009, METHANE DIGESTERS: FACT AND FICTION
 
Come and learn more about the science behind Manure Digesters and their relationship to Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). Please join us for an evening with Jim Poehling, a registered professional engineer in Wisconsin for over 30 years.

Jim is vice president engineer of First Supply LLC in La Crosse and a partner in JMP Commissioning. He is LEED (Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design) certified and is passionate about sustainable farming practices, and will address the myth about Manure Digesters being the "silver bullet" solution to properly managing large volumes of animal waste.

Jim designed a heating system for a small scale digester and understands how they work. He will inform us about digester problems, their prohibitive cost and the truths and falsehoods of how digesters affect clean air and water. This timely presentation is brought to you by Crawford Stewardship Project and Valley Stewardship Network. Presentation is at 7:00 pm in the Community Room of Vernon Memorial Hospital Medical Office Building (lower level), 507 S Main Street, Viroqua. Refreshments and social immediately following this free presentation. Contact CSP at 608-735-4277 or VSN at 608-637-3615 for more information.


--
Crawford Stewardship Project
PO Box 284
Gays Mills, WI 54631
608-735-4277
http://www.crawfordstewardshipproject.org
 
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 South Main St.
Viroqua, WI. 54665
608-637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org
garyvsn@frontiernet.net

West Fork Opposes CAFO
Letter to the Editor:

West Fork Sportsmen’s Club strongly opposes the proposed Petry Trust CAFO to be located near Westby. Is the Petry Trust a proven good steward of the land and water? Is 3200 cows a good thing on 300 acres with only eight months of manure storage?(4480 animal units) As a community minded outdoor conservation club focused on outdoor recreation, we as an organization can not endorse this operation. Trout fishing in our area amounts to a million dollar industry per year, every year. In today’s economic times, it would be best to preserve this industry. It is our hope that the rigid permitting process will not let this CAFO to be built. The sad reality is that the local people of Vernon County do not have much say in the decision. All we ARE saying is the CAFO will not be welcomed. CAFO’s are far from a family farm. The WFSC endorses family farms. Please keep our waters,air and land free from extensive animal pollution. A large very local landowner has already stated that this CAFO will never rent his land while he is living. Perhaps other local landowners will decide the same.

             Signed, Robert Blumreich President

             Bryan Voldahl Secretary/Author

Creative Thinkers, Resource Providers, and Existing Business Owners
The Inventors & Entrepreneurs Club
invites you to treat your CREATIVE side!
See information about the NEW Youth Entrepreneurship Club below

 *** Tuesday, February 10, 6:30 pm ***

 Gays Mills Community Building, 212 Main Street.
Click here for a map of Gays Mills

This month’s topic
Proven Tax and Financial Tips for a Successful
Business
With Marty McEvoy, CPA, CFP

In today’s challenging business climate, what strategies and practices will help ensure that you have the information to make the best decisions for your business? McEvoy is a Certified Public Accountant, Certified Financial Planner, and Certified Life Success Consultant. He has over 37 years experience in helping people and businesses achieve financial growth and success. Marty has started, owned, and sold many successful businesses. He developed and sold many multi-million dollar construction projects. He has coached and mentored CPA’s, financial planners, real estate agents, business owners, doctors, dentists, and lawyers. In addition, he has studied human development, human potential, and success for past 25 years.

The Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club isn't just for new businesses! Existing business owners will benefit from our great speakers and opportunities for networking and sharing. Please help us spread the word by bringing some friends along or forwarding this message. Remember, the meetings are free, the second Tuesday of every month, so join us when you can! Networking starts at 6:00, meeting at 6:30.

******** Please consider coming early to support the new *******

Youth Entrepreneurship Club
Tuesday February 10
from 5:00-6:15
Gays Mills Community Building

 Participants will be identifying areas of interest for activities and field trips, meeting other young entrepreneurs, and exploring the idea of starting a “team business.” New ideas are welcome! We are also seeking more adults to participate in a club planning and facilitation team. Let us know if you’re interested by contacting Amy Mitchell or Laura Brown at 608-326-0223 You will find a flyer for the club attached. Thanks for helping to spread the word!

***********************************************************
For the safety of participants our winter programs are occasionally cancelled due to unsafe roads or inclement weather. Please ALWAYS call our office in advance to confirm.

Laura Brown
Community Development Educator
Crawford County UW Cooperative Extension
225 N. Beaumont Road, Suite 240
Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
608-326-0224 Fax: 608-326-0226
laura.brown@ces.uwex.edu
www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/crawford

Another Fabulous Presentation by CSP with Valley Stewardship Network

Thursday, February 26th, 2009, METHANE DIGESTERS: FACT AND FICTION
 
Come and learn more about the science behind Manure Digesters and their relationship to Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs). Please join us for an evening with Jim Poehling, a registered professional engineer in Wisconsin for over 30 years.

Jim is vice president engineer of First Supply LLC in La Crosse and a partner in JMP Commissioning. He is LEED (Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design) certified and is passionate about sustainable farming practices, and will address the myth about Manure Digesters being the "silver bullet" solution to properly managing large volumes of animal waste.

Jim designed a heating system for a small scale digester and understands how they work. He will inform us about digester problems, their prohibitive cost and the truths and falsehoods of how digesters affect clean air and water. This timely presentation is brought to you by Crawford Stewardship Project and Valley Stewardship Network. Presentation is at 7:00 pm in the Community Room of Vernon Memorial Hospital Medical Office Building (lower level), 507 S Main Street, Viroqua. Refreshments and social immediately following this free presentation. Contact CSP at 608-735-4277 or VSN at 608-637-3615 for more information.


--
Crawford Stewardship Project
PO Box 284
Gays Mills, WI 54631
608-735-4277
http://www.crawfordstewardshipproject.org
 
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 South Main St.
Viroqua, WI. 54665
608-637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

Greetings all,
 
Just a reminder to those who have registered, and to those who may still be interested in attending, that you are invited to come and learn more about VSNs water monitoring programs, this coming Saturday! We will gather with present monitors and program support staff, for an over- view of our Water Monitoring Programs and a review of gathered data, and an exercise in macro invertebrate identification.


Chris Clayton, Level II Citizen Based Monitoring Program coordinator, Kris Stepenuck, Wisconsin Volunteer Stream Monitoring coordinator [Water Action Volunteers (WAV)], and WDNR biologist Michael Miller will assist me with this half day workshop.
 
    
 KCWMs End of the Season Gathering - Jan. 31, '09 - 9:30 am - 3:00 pm. - Kickapoo Valley Reserve (KVR) Visitor Ctn., LaFarge (http://kvr.state.wi.us/category.asp?linkca...inkid=949&locid=115)
 
Agenda:
 
9:30 am. - Welcome / juice and coffee
 
10:00 - Opening comments, introductions - Gary
 
10:15 - Intro to WAV - Kris Stepenuck


 10:25 - Level II WQM Program and data review - Chris Clayton
 
11:30 - lunch provided courtesy VSN (optional PP presentation " Watersheds and Water Quality" - Mike Miller)
 
12:10 pm. - Macro-invertebrates - sample process, ID w/ scopes, Why?
 
2:45 - Program opportunities and Questions?
 
3:00 pm. Farewells and Thank you!
 

There is no commitment to further involvement with our sponsored programs by attending this event, so please come and learn more about why we monitor rivers and streams in our region!
 

Please RSVP by calling the VSN office or contacting Gary (see below)

 
Thanks everyone, I look forward to gathering with you in the New Year!
 
GT

 
Gary Thompson
Water Quality Monitoring coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 South Main St.
Viroqua, WI. 54665
608-637-3615
garyvsn@frontiernet.net

Monday, Jan. 26

This week re-starts "Hoffmann's Almost Weekly Blog," which will deal with political and other issues that affect the Driftless Area. Obama's emphasis on green industry and incentives for developing environmentally-friendly approaches to business and life in general fits beautifully with the Driftless Area.

Many organic farmers and others have adhered to that approach for years, even decades. Since the area still is primarily agriculture, alternative energies such as wind, bio-mass, etc. also are natural to the region and could promote additional business development while not harming the environment.

A coordinated effort is needed to make sure the region as a whole capitalizes on the additional funding that will come from Obama's economic stimulus package and other initiatives. VEDA and other county organizations already have started on these efforts and should be applauded, but a true Driftless region approach is needed.

Hello VSN Members and Friends,
 
Are you interested in renewable energy and energy efficiency measures to reduce your residential, business or on-farm energy usage and expenses? If so, you are in good company!
 
You are invited to attend a free public informational meeting with representatives from Wisconsin's Focus on Energy, La Farge Electric Coop and the Vernon Electric Coop. The meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 21st from 7-9pm at the La Farge Community Center (State Street 1 block North of Main Street).
 
Did you now that Focus on Energy has cash-back rewards and several grant programs to help cover the costs associated with installing energy efficiency measures and renewable energy projects? Come and find out how you can take advantage of these programs to help you and your community become more energy secure.
 
This meeting has been organized by a group of citizens who are inspired by and believe Change is Coming.
 
Thank you!
Jessica Luhning
Projects Coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665
 
(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

Hi all, Just want to clarify a discrepancy in what I sent last night. The meeting will start at 11:00am, the PDF was picked up from last year and is wrong.
Apologies, Mandy

Hi all,
The first meeting of HOB for 2009 will be at Danne's Ambrosch Honey Farm extracting facility in Galesville. We will meet at 11:00 for a meeting/tour of the operation, and then break for lunch (bring a sack lunch, there is nowhere near to get a fast lunch) and discussion. After lunch, we will work on any cleaning/construction of woodenware that members want to bring. (building hive bodies or supers that you may have ordered as a kit, putting foundation in frames, etc.)

RSVP to Mandy at 489-2162 or Danne at (608) 386-2359 so we know how many to expect.
Attached is an outline of topics we'll cover.

Bring a lunch if you plan to stay and work on hive boxes or frames. Dress warm – the warehouse has minimal heat!

Directions are below, if you want to carpool (or follow someone) call Mandy – we could meet in Rockton or maybe at the Reserve and caravan.

Directions to Danne's honey facility:

From I-90 in LaCrosse:

Take the WI-157/US-53 N exit- EXIT 4- toward WI-16/LA CROSSE/ONALASKA. (0.27 miles)

Turn LEFT onto US-53 N/WI-157 W. Continue to follow US-53 N. (17.97 miles)

US-53 N becomes WI-93 N/WI-54 W. (0.54 miles)

Turn RIGHT onto CR-K (Mill Road). (0.27 miles)

From County K, you will see a large 2 story brick warehouse factory w/ large quonset hut buildings. (Between County K and the RR tracks) Drive around to rear of factory, look for chain link fence w/ gate (on the West side of the complex – off 8th Street) drive thru gate go 10 feet turn right park by small green door. Go in small green door Ambrosch Honey Farm is up ramp on the left, Danne's cell # (608) 386-2359 if you cannot find.

(If you are doing Mapquest or similar, use 20244 West Mill Rd. as a destination address.)

This column first ran on http://www.onmilwaukee.com

Sections of two highways in Western Wisconsin could become official Scenic Byways in 2009.

Citizens for a Scenic Wisconsin (CSW) has proposed state Scenic Byway status for State Highway 33 from Portage to La Crosse. Planning for Highway 60, from Lodi to The Great River Road near Prairie du Chien, also is underway.

To date, only The Great River Road, which runs along the Mississippi River, has National Scenic Byway designation in Wisconsin. Highways that are in the state byways program can be considered for the national program.

CSW cites several purposes and advantages of the Scenic Byway designation. Through the program, tourism is further promoted and cooperation between local governments and businesses and civic groups encouraged.

Special signing is posted along Scenic Byways. Other brochures and marketing tools are available. Preservation of natural scenic attributes and historic places also can be made easier.

Scenic Byways also can be designated an All American Road and -- again -- be eligible for federal funding. Some of that funding, especially for infrastructure along the roadways, could be increased under the Obama Administration.

The 114-mile proposed byway of Highway 33 is mostly a rural two lane highway, It begins in Portage along the Wisconsin River, then runs west just north of the Baraboo Range through Baraboo to Reedsburg.

One of the most scenic sections runs through Wildcat Mountain State Park near Ontario. Switchbacks give you the feel of mountain driving through that area and views of the Kickapoo River Valley are spectacular.

Highway 33 then becomes a high ride road running through Middle Ridge, St Joseph and to La Crosse. Along that section of the road is Leo & Leona's tavern, the historic bar that has been previously featured in this column, and Irish Hills golf course, another previously-mentioned highlight of the area.

The proposed route includes sections in Columbia, Sauk, Juneau, Vernon, Monroe and La Crosse counties. It would begin at US Hwy 51 in Portage, cross I-90-94 and proceed west.

A series of meetings will be held along the proposed route of Hy. 33 in 2009 with the goal of completing the first stage within a year.

The Lower Wisconsin State Riverway Board already is working with local units of government to designate Hy. 60 from the Interstate near Lodi to the Great River Road near Prairie du Chien as a Scenic Byway.

Gov. Tommy Thompson signed the Lower Wisconsin State Riverway legislation in 1989. The Riverway currently extends 92.3 miles from near Prairie du Sac to the confluence with the Mississippi River, near Prairie du Chien and encompasses 79,275 acres. The Department of Natural Resources is responsible for administering a land acquisition program within the project boundaries.

Although the Scenic Byways Program is administered through WisDOT, local groups can propose byways on a voluntary basis. This grassroots approach "ensures a strong local commitment to the promotion and long-term preservation of a scenic byway," according to the WisDOT Web site.

In the eastern part of the state, the Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive and Great Lakes Circle Tour have America's Byways designation. The America's Byways program does provide benefits, but does not include some of the natural area protection and other aspects of the state and National Scenic Byway program, according to CSW.

Greetings all,
 
As another monitoring season came to a close, VSN staff began the process of planning for the '09 season. We would like to extend an invitation to anyone interested in learning more about our water monitoring programs, to gather with present monitors and program support staff, for an overview of our Water Monitoring Programs and a review of past Watershed monitoring data.
 
There is no committment to further involvement with our sponsored programs by attending this event, so please come and learn more about why we monitor rivers and streams in our region!

Chris Clayton, Level II Citizen Based Monitoring Program coodinator and Kris Stepenuck, Wisconsin Volunteer Stream Monitoring coordinator [Water Action Volunteers (WAV)] will assist me with this half-day workshop.
 
Chris will present monitoring data trends as well as lead a discussion on the purpose and goals of the Level II Program. Kris will answer questions attendees may have about the WAV Program, and provide us with an overview of the macro-invertebrate sampling process, and its importance as an indicator for water quality and stream health.
    
Kickapoo Citizen Water Monitors (KCWM) End of the Season Gathering - Jan. 31, '09 - 10:00 am - 3:00 pm. - Kickapoo Valley Reserve Visitor Center, LaFarge
 
Tentative Agenda:
 
9:30 am - Welcome / juice and coffee
 
10:00 - Level II WQM Program and data review
 
12:00 pm - Lunch provided courtesy of VSN
 
1:00 - WAV Program overview; Macro-invertebrates - sample process, ID w/ scopes, Why Monitor Stream Life?
 
2:45 - Program opportunities and Questions?
 
3:00 pm - Farewells and Thank You!
 
Thanks everyone, I look forward to gathering with you in the New Year!
 
GT

 
Gary Thompson
Water Quality Monitoring coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 South Main St.
Viroqua, WI. 54665
608-637-3615
garyvsn@frontiernet.net

Just a heads up... details and map to come the week of Jan.12th
We will meet on Jan. 17th in Galesville at Danne's warehouse/honey extracting facility.

This will be our first meeting of 2009, and a chance for you to bring any used equipment needing a "going over", hive kits you want to build, frames that need foundation installed, etc. and have an experienced beekeeper help get you ready for spring!

If you don't have any equipment, this is a good time to find out what you need to get started, where to get it, etc. If you just are curious about beekeeping, or what our club "Hands-On Beekeeping" is all about, feel free to come that day and chat!

We may be able to set up a couple of carpools. Watch your e-mail that week for specifics!
Mandy McGee
489-2162

Hello VSN Members and Friends,

 

The Valley Stewardship Network (VSN) has a long history of supporting local farmers, most notably through its recent Food and Farm Initiative. However, we strongly object to the confined animal feeding operation (CAFO) proposed for the Westby area. A CAFO means industrial-scale animal production, the kind of operation that historically has put family farms out of business. CAFOs take advantage of local communities and their resources while sending the profits elsewhere.

 

Not only would a CAFO not benefit local farmers, but it might very well decrease property values, threaten air quality, and harm our waterways. Studies have proven these claims, but so have the experiences of people who live near CAFOs. A 1500-cow operation in Thief River Falls, Minnesota recently produced so much hydrogen sulfide that the health department ordered nearby residents to evacuate. One evacuee said, “It’s so strong and so sour and so potent that it takes your breath right away. We’ve had neighbors throw up in their driveways.”

 

Air quality is a universal concern, but here in the Coulee region our wells, streams, and rivers are especially vulnerable to the potential effects of large-scale livestock operations. Beneath our towns and fields lies a fragile Karst geology. The land is full of caves, cracks, crevasses, and sinkholes that provide channels for unrestricted surface drainage to our aquifers. Faulty manure storage and runoff from field-applied wastes can quickly contaminate our water supply with excessive nitrogen, phosphorus, and harmful bacteria.

 

We know there's a better way to operate agriculture facilities because we see examples all around us. Throughout the Coulee region small-scale farmers strike a balance between maximizing profit and the wise use of soil, air, and water resources.

 

Citizen action can prevent or limit the negative effects of CAFOs. Last month a Rock County Circuit Court judge ruled in favor of the Town of Magnolia's proposed controls on a new 1500-head operation. The town chose to protect water quality beyond state-mandated environmental guidelines by restricting landspreading of manure, requiring specified crop planting and rotation, and other measures. (See: http://www.wispolitics.com/index.Iml?Article=143835)

 

Please join the VSN board and staff in contacting our lawmakers. Tell local and state officials that you oppose a CAFO in the area. Help educate them about the unique land and water features that make our region beautiful, fragile and appealing to tourists and residents. Urge them to support farming that promotes good health, prosperity, and protection of our natural resources.

 

Contact information for state officials:

Dan Kapanke – phone: (608) 266-5490 or (800) 385-3385

            e-mail: Sen.Kapanke@legis.wisconsin.gov


Lee Nerison – phone: (608) 266-3534 or (888) 534-0096

            e-mail: Rep.nerison@legis.wisconsin.gov

 

For more information on CAFOs please see:

- “CAFOs Uncovered,” a report from the Union of Concerned Scientists, online at: http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/foo...cafos-uncovered.pdf

- Article on Dairy CAFOs from Families Against Rural Messes (FARM), online at: http://farmweb.org/Articles/Dairy%20CAFO%2...20for%20Meatrix.doc

- “Putting Meat on the Table: Industrial Farm Animal Production in America,” a report from the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production, online at: http://www.ncifap.org/_images/PCIFAPFin.pdf

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Valley Stewardship Network Board and Staff

 

Michelle Ballweg

Tamara Dean

Kathy Fairchild

Jamie Johnson

Maggie Jones

Jessica Luhning

Bill Motlong

Dan Peper

Angie Scotland

Joe Swanson

Gary Thompson

Ron Uhe

This column first ran on http://www.onmilwaukee.com

Norskedalen Offers Winter Fun For All

By Gregg Hoffmann

Norskedalen means Norwegian Valley, and if you have some Norski blood in you a trip to this nature and heritage center will have extra meaning.

But, the Vernon County based facility offers winter, and year-around, fun to people of all backgrounds. Norskedalen is dedicated to preserving, interpreting and sharing the natural environment and cultural heritage of the area surrounding Coon Valley in southwest Wisconsin.

The grounds are rich in natural beauty and diversity, encompassing about 400 acres of scenic coulee (valley) along Poplar Creek. Cross country and snowshoeing trails are available throughout the winter.

While skiing, snowshoeing or hiking the over six miles of trails, you travel through pine plantations, over the cold, clear, creek, past many springs bubbling up through the ice into crystal pools and spilling into the creek, along wooded hillsides and rocky outcrops of goat prairies, and along the valley floor. During warm weather months, you can find flora and fauna that are unique to the area.

A winter highlight is An Old Fashioned Christmas, an annual tradition. It was held Dec. 6-7 this year. It includes a crafts and artisans fair, traditional Norwegian baked goods and other food, sleigh and wagon rides, music and other events.

From February through April, Norskedalen offers educational programs one Saturday per month. The programs are called Saturday Smorgasbords.

At 2 p.m. on Sundays, from February through December, the Always on Sunday programs are held. The programs feature regional authors sharing their latest books, experts in a variety of nature, heritage and history related topics, travelogues, and more.

Other events at Norskedalen throughout the year include Sweet, Sweet Spring in March, A Midsummer Festival and Skumsrud Ice Cream Social in summer, a Threshing Bee and Twilight Tour in September and Civil War Heritage Days, Forest Field Days and Ghoulees in the Coulee in October.

If you are interested in history, you need not be Norwegian to appreciate the historic preservations that are part of Norskedalen.

The Bekkum Homestead seeks to recreate a typical local farm at the turn of the century. The first buildings were moved to the site beginning the summer of 1982 from neighboring farms.

Nearly all of the artifacts were donated by local families with major financial support provided by Owen and Dorothy Bekkum. The homestead is comprised of a house, summer kitchen, springhouse, corncrib, granary, outhouse, chicken coop, machine shed, stable, barn, blacksmith's shop and storage shed.

The Skumsrud Heritage Farm is a 43 acre property just west of Coon Valley that was given to Norskedalen by Lloyd Thrune and his sister Ruth Thrune, in 1983. It was their wish to see the log house, built by their grandfather Nels Skumsrud in 1853 and considered to be the oldest surviving house in the area, preserved for the future. They further wished that the property would be used to perpetuate the Norwegian heritage of the area.

The property is a historic open-air museum owned and operated by Norskedalen as a museum and cultural center for classes and events. It has 11 restored pioneer log buildings nestled in a picturesque valley with a creek and croplands surrounded by forested hills.

These historic buildings and natural beauty of the grounds led to filming of segments of a recent movie, "Fort McCoy," at Norskedalen.

Norskedalen began in 1977 as an outdoor laboratory and arboretum, when Dr. Alf Gundersen and his wife, Carroll. donated the 112 acre Gundersen farm, to the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Foundation. They established an arboretum in memory of Alf's mother, Helga Isaksaetre Gundersen.

Acquisition of the adjoining properties as well as the Skumsrud Thrune home farm was made possible by bequests from the Wehrer Trust, the Paul E. Stry Foundation, Inc. and the Thrune families.

The Thrune Visitors' Center was constructed in 1982 in memory of Richard Thrune by his wife Ethel, with a major expansion and renovation of the center completed in 1991. The Stry Foundation's funding made this renovation possible.

The center includes a meeting hall, gift shop, heritage and nature rooms with displays, the Jennifer Lee Marker Memorial Library and Norskedalen's offices.

Visitors to Norskedalen can begin here, where they can sign in and view a short video giving a beautiful overview of all the facility has to offer. Trail maps and other informational handouts are available at the Visitors Center.

You can rent the facilities at Norskedalen for birthdays and other events. You also can rent a 130-year-old cabin, built by Per and Anne Paulsen, on the grounds.

In nearby Coon Valley, cabins are available at Roger's Cottages and DiSciascio's, which also operates a wonderful Italian restaurant. Just up the road from Norskedalen can be found Coulee Cabins. Motels and B&B facilities also can be found in Westby and other surrounding communities.

Hello,

Like every other public charity The Cornucopia Institute sends out an end of the year appeal to our membership. You should receive this soon in your mail, if you haven’t already. Not only do the dollars help us fulfill our mission but, over the years, the many handwritten notes of support and encouragement are worth a million bucks to our staff and volunteers in terms of morale.

The growth in the organic market has slowed markedly because of the economic downturn. Reports indicate it is still growing but at a much slower rate. And that has caused some of the large corporate players to start undercutting family farmers on pricing—endangering their livelihoods. So this is a highly-critical time in the organic community.

I'd like to make a suggestion (recently covered on National Public Radio) that you please consider, this holiday season, giving a gift to the charity or charities of your choice in honor of a beloved friend or family member.

Not only will this convey your feelings of admiration but it will also introduce them to a charitable cause that you believe in.

We obviously hope that The Cornucopia Institute will once again be on your list of worthy causes. If you make a contribution to Cornucopia in honor of someone they will receive a gift card, our newsletter and we will introduce them to the social-justice component of how we all make our food purchasing decisions.

And it couldn't be easier to make a gift or memorial contribution. Just click on DONATE, you will be connected to our secure server. If you do this right away, Saturday at the latest, and regardless of the level of your donation, if you include an extra four dollar contribution, we will have a card sent to your recipient before December 24.

Whether it is the local food bank, a group fighting to protect our environment, or The Cornucopia Institute, making a contribution in someone's name will have a lasting impact.

So, doesn't Uncle Henry have enough ties hanging in his closet?

In all seriousness, our membership of, primarily family farmers, and their urban-allies, has grown markedly again in 2008. We are humbled by your confidence in us and your past financial support. Thank you!

We hope you and yours have a happy and meaningful holiday season,

Will Fantle
Mark Kastel
Cofounders

Dear friends of Crawford County-

I apologize for this mass email but I didn't want to leave anyone out.

As many of you know I and many dedicated Crawford County residents have been involved in a campaign to start a Community Fund for Crawford County as a part of the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin. Interest earned on this invested money will be used to fund charitable projects in Crawford County's communities, forvever.

The Crawford County Community Fund has currently raised $18,845 toward the $25,000 goal and needs an additional $6,155 COMMITTED BY MONDAY, DECEMBER 22.

An anonymous donor challenged the community with a matching gift of up to $25,000 to establish this endowment fund through CFSW. The generous donor will match gifts dollar for dollar up to $25,000 but all donations must be committed by December 22, 2008, to be eligible for the match. The matching grant will help Crawford County reach the minimum amount of $50,000 needed to establish a community fund through CFSW. You will find more information about the fund online at http://www.cfsw.org/CrawfordCountyCF.asp

These are tough economic times for everyone but I hope you will consider this unique giving opportunity to make a difference and build community self sufficiency right here in Crawford County. Please consider making a gift or sharing this information with groups, board, or businesses that may be interested in helping the board meet this challenge. To be sure your gift is used to meet the match by the December 22 deadline please let the board know about your donation by RSVPing to this email, contacting any of the Community Fund board members listed below, or contacting Sue Conley, Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin, Inc. 800-995-2379 sueconley@cfsw.org Checks may be made out to the Crawford County Community Fund and mailed to PO Box 13 Seneca, WI 54654-0013 or 26 S. Jackson Street, Janesville, WI 53548.

Crawford County Community Fund Board Members

Alice and Jerry Boehm
Nicole Fortney
Eric Frydenlund
Bob Moses
Carol Roth
Sherry Quamme
Jim Omeara
Ron Leys
Tom Martin
Pete and Nora Knapik
Rick Busch

Best wishes for a safe and glorious holiday season to you all! - Laura Brown

************************************************************
For the safety of participants our winter programs are occasionally cancelled due to unsafe roads or inclement weather. Please ALWAYS call our office in advance to confirm.

Laura Brown
Community Development Educator
Crawford County UW Cooperative Extension
225 N. Beaumont Road, Suite 240
Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
608-326-0224 Fax: 608-326-0226
laura.brown@ces.uwex.edu
www.uwex.edu/ces/cty/crawford

Good Morning,
 
I am forwarding this message on to you for one reason...please log on to the website link below and sign the petition urging Obama to make a wise choice for Secretary of Agriculture.
 
Thank you,
Jessica Luhning
Valley Stewardship Network
 
Begin forwarded message:
 
We're in the final run for Ag Secy. Unfortunately, two Monsanto men are near the top of the list. Below is a link to a simple petition with four candidates that have been endorsed by leading food and farm people. Could you sign it and send it on in your circles? Our only hope is many voices together.


Thank you


Nancy Poer





http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/#form
 
As a society at large, we have lost the connection between food, water, air and health. Food, our vital resource of nutrition and energy, our basic component of health and vigor, has largely become, a processed, fungible commodity. For the most part, we have lost our regional food systems and economies, and in the last century, we have lost 97% of our food species along with 90% of our farmers. Biological diversity is not an abstract concept. It is life itself: the life of people, nature, and our planet. A high price is being paid with the health of our people and the health of our natural environment. Doing nothing will increase the distance and disconnections between food and health, the disjointing separation between eater and producer, the steady increase in food-related preventable diseases and the continued deterioration of our planet’s greatest treasures; biological diversity and healthy ecosystems.


We need a Secretary of Agriculture who understands the health and environmental impacts of food production and who will work with both sustainable agriculture and industrial agriculture to create a secure food system based on:


1) Regional food systems
2) Renewable energy based farming systems
3) Human nutritional needs
4) Health to consumers, land and the environment.


Please add your voice to the petition below encouraging President-Elect Obama to consider a Sustainable Choice for our next Secretary of Agriculture.


Atina Diffley, Organic FarmingWorks


 
From Dave Murphy of Clear Lake :

We would like to invite to sign this live petition effort to encourage President-Elect Obama to consider a Sustainable Choice for our next Secretary of Agriculture.

The letter is at: http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/
 
Time is of the essence…

Within the next few days President-Elect Obama will be naming one of the most important posts in his cabinet — our next Secretary of Agriculture. For those of us who care about the environment, sustainability, healthy food, animal welfare and creating local food systems, NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT.

A groundswell of grassroots support is needed to encourage President-Elect Obama to nominate a Secretary who will bring sustainable change to the United States Department of Agriculture.

A grassroots effort has taken flight.

We invite you to JOIN US in this grassroots effort by signing this live letter advocating a Sustainable Choice for the next Secretary of Agriculture.

Current signers to this letter include Rick Bayless, Michael Pollan, Wendell Berry, Marion Nestle, Bill McKibben, Wes Jackson, Catherine Sneed and Alice Waters among many others.

Please join them by once again casting your vote for change by supporting a Sustainable Choice for our next Secretary of Agriculture.

Help make this type of change possible by signing this letter. Our work has only begun.

PLEASE SIGN this letter at: http://www.fooddemocracynow.org

And then FORWARD to all your friends.

As you may know that this effort has appeared in numerous blogs, including Grist, Salon and in the New York Times online:

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/200...-pitch-to-obama/?hp

We thank you for joining this grassroots effort!

Sincerely,
Dave Murphy
Clear Lake, Iowa

This column first ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

Green businesses preferred in southwest Wisconsin
12/8/2008

By Gregg Hoffmann

If you’re looking at doing business in parts of southwest Wisconsin, you’d better make it as green as possible.

Environmentalists, organic farmers, citizens groups and an increasing number of elected officials have made it clear that the environment needs to be part of any business equation.

That was clear in recent protests over a coal ash dump site in Vernon County, which eventually led to Dairyland Power scrapping plans to establish the landfill. It became clear again in similar opposition to a coal blend power plant in Cassville. The PSC rejected plans for that plant.

It was clear over a year ago when hundreds protested establishment of a large pig farm, which would house more than 1,000 animals as a CAFO (Confined Animal Feeding Operation). Plans for that farm did move forward.

Two more examples came to the forefront in recent weeks. Petry Trust of Rockford, Ill., is doing a preliminary investigation into possibly locating a 1,000-plus animal unit dairy in Vernon County.

Just a day or so after that story broke, Organic Valley, a successful organic food cooperative, announced it is talking to Western Technical College and Gundersen Lutheran about erecting two wind turbines in 2009 at its Cashton distribution center.

That announcement was made at a press conference in La Crosse on the Homegrown Renewable Energy Campaign. It was launched by Wisconsin Farmers Union, Clean Wisconsin, the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute and RENEW Wisconsin.

The owner of Petry Trust, Jeff Petry, owns "significant" amounts of agricultural real estate in Wisconsin and Illinois and has farmed himself in the past. Petry leases most his agricultural real estate and owns one other dairy facility in the Darlington area.

Bourgault said Petry owns the facility in Darlington, but leases it to a California company. The Darlington facility is permitted through the DNR for up to 2,500 animal units or about 1,800 dairy cows, but there are currently not that many animals on the property.

The testing for the possible Vernon County dairy operation will begin at one of the possible sites along West Smith Road, where Petry owns about 300 contiguous acres. A spokesman for Petry said the site would be selected with a number of factors in mind and with all state and local regulations taken into consideration.

Opposition to so-called “factory farms” has been strong in the past. Concerns are for the amount of manure produced by such farms, storage of the waste in winter and possible runoff. Parts of the Driftless Area are susceptible to pollution from runoff because of the karst geology in the area.

The Petry spokesman said the group is well aware of the concerns and plans on “taking additional measures for our own piece of mind.” He said the dairy operation would fit into Vernon County’s “agricultural tradition.”

Organic Valley’s proposal is the latest in that organization’s emphasis on the environment and sustainability. The co-op’s headquarters in La Farge and distribution center near Cashton are both “green-built” buildings. Other measures are regularly taken to promote sustainable agriculture by the co-op.

BEST Energies Inc., which has a biodiesel plant in Cashton, and the village of Cashton also might become partners with Organic Valley, Western and Gundersen Lutheran in the wind turbine project.

The Homegrown Renewable Energy Campaign promotes four of the initiatives recommended this year by Gov. Jim Doyle’s Global Warming Task Force: create a Biomass Energy Crop Reserve Program to pay land owners to plant bioenergy crops such as switchgrass that can be used for fuel, create a Renewable Fuels for Schools and Communities Program to help fund sources for biomass heating systems in schools and government buildings, develop a program to set utility payment rates to fairly compensate small renewable energy producers and set a low carbon fuel standard.

Southwest Wisconsin rapidly is developing into a hotbed for those, and other green business practices. If the Petry dairy operation makes sure it takes all the precautions to avoid problems with runoff and other environmental issues, it will be welcomed into the area. If not, it will likely face stiff opposition.

The developers of the proposed CAFO need only look to recent history and the possible Organic Valley wind project as examples that provide guidelines.

This column first ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

Logistics Health fights back
11/24/2008

Logistics Health officials decided it was time to fight back last week.

The La Crosse-based health management company had been under fire for allegedly dragging its feet in providing health services to responders who helped in New York after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists’ attack.

LHI was awarded an $11 million federal contract in June to provide medical care and health monitoring services. The company has been able to contact 3,019 of the 4,200 responders potentially eligible for services, company officials said in media reports. They said LHI tries each responder three times by telephone, and then sends follow-up mailings.

There are 2,844 responders actively participating in the program and 175 have declined to participate. Critics in a Wisconsin State Journal story, which also ran in the Lee-owned La Crosse Tribune, complained about a rocky transition of the program to LHI management and delays in providing services.

At first, LHI did not respond, citing a clause in the federal contract that reportedly prohibits comments to the media. But, last week, LHI Chairman and CEO Don Weber said, “I’m sick of being punched around and not being able to come back and say, ‘wait a minute.’ Working with NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) has been very difficult. It’s time we’re taking a stand.”

Weber and LHI president Tommy Thompson, former Wisconsin governor and former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary, maintained that LHI has received good reviews from a steering committee for the program, and that any delays were caused by NIOSH.

The truth probably lays somewhere between the complaints in the news story and the statements by Weber and Thompson. Plus, the quality of any service lays in the eyes of the beholder, or the person receiving that service.

Some will always want quicker responses, especially if they are suffering. Tracking down more than 4,000 people, especially from records kept by a big federal agency, is quite a task for any company.

LHI maintains it ran into delays in getting information such as responders’ names and contact information from previous administrators and medical providers. “A lot of the information was inaccurate,” Weber told the media. “No address, no phone number.”

The controversy demonstrates a few things, some of which have come up before in stories about LHI. First, when you become a national, or international, player in any industry, you’re also going to get more scrutiny. It comes with the territory. LHI has become a leader in its field, and thus gets such scrutiny. And, when you’re dealing with health services, scrutiny, if it is fair, is a good thing.

Second, some of LHI’s competitors in the past have complained about the letting of contracts to the La Crosse company. So, those competitors will be looking for any flaws in performances and will be prepared to say, “told you so.”

Finally, some of those complaints have centered around the role of Thompson, and his ties to the Bush administration and the health services bureaucracy in Washington. Competitors have complained that Thompson gives LHI an unfair, inside advantage on bidding for contracts.

Whether that’s fair or not, Thompson is a lightning rod. You have to expect it when you hire a man who has had as high a profile as he has had. Your business is going to be done more in the open with a former governor and Cabinet secretary as president. Such transparency probably is a good thing, even if it does lead to controversy at times.

The bottom line: What kind of service does LHI provide? The company already had landed significant contracts with the military and other government agencies before Thompson ever came on board, and for the most part received praise for its work.

LHI already was seen as a major player in its industry. It will continue to be so if it provides quality services to those in need.

Flag snapping in the wind
Distant gunfire

Two leaves chatter together on a bare branch

The scales of a long dead fish flutter
Like flower petals across the cold sand beach.

This column first ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

Cassville plan rejection demonstrates greener thinking
11/17/2008

Just one week after Dairyland Power Cooperative suspended plans for a coal ash landfill in Vernon County, state regulators rejected a plan to build a new coal-fired power plant in southwestern Wisconsin.

The Public Service Commission rejected a proposed $1.3 billion 300-megawatt mostly coal-fired power plant proposed by Wisconsin Power & Light at Cassville.

The Alliant Energy subsidiary has been working for months to win permission for the plant on the Mississippi River. The company maintained the plant could produce enough energy to power 150,000 homes.

Environmentalists opposed the project. An environmental impact statement prepared by the PSC and the Department of Natural Resources for the Cassville plant stated that emissions from the plant were likely to cause or worsen violations of ozone and fine particulate standards.

Alliant said it would use renewable fuel for 20 percent of the plant's output and shut down an aging coal-fired boiler in Sheboygan. The village of Cassville, labor unions, and the biofuel industry supported the proposal.

PSC Chairman Eric Callisto said the project looked too expensive and the emissions control proposals would not offset the plant's pollution. He suggested Alliant buy power from elsewhere or consider natural gas-fired plants.

This decision, coupled with Dairyland Power’s decision -- the subject of last week's column -- truly demonstrates that people in western Wisconsin, ranging from citizens to company execs and regulators, have become more serious about seeking alternative energy.

Rob Crain, a spokesman for WPL and its parent company Alliant Energy, said the commission's written decision will be reviewed, but an appeal is unlikely. He said the company is committed to working with the PSC on alternatives.

That is smart strategy, and will end up being better business for WPL and Alliant in the long run. Dairyland changed its image in many people’s eyes by dropping its plans for a ash dump. It too has vowed to seek alternatives to coal, and to work on recycling of coal ash from scrubbers intended to clean up the air. WPL and Alliant have been given the opportunity to do the same.

PSC officials said public input played a role in their decision to reject the Cassville plans. Citizens groups also played a role in Dairyland’s decision on the coal ash dump. Those groups became very organized and were raising funds for a legal fight if necessary.

A plant in Portage also has been raising protests from citizens’ groups. More than 4,500 negative comments about the proposal were submitted electronically to the PSC, about 10 times as many as those in support, according to Clean Wisconsin.

PSC officials said natural gas and other alternatives should be explored for new plants. Environmental groups, such as Clean Wisconsin and others, favor increased development of wind, solar and biomass energy.

Of course, we still need the electric power, and jobs are created at these plants. For years, those two facts have been used to justify continuing down the road of coal-powered plants and other polluting energy sources.

But, there is ample evidence that people at the grassroots level “get it.” They want their energy to come from sources that pollute as little as possible.

They are speaking out about it, and regulators, and somewhat begrudgingly company execs, gradually are “getting it” too.

That pressure from the grassroots, and likely from the top too once Barack Obama takes over as president, could eventually lead to cleaner energy, jobs in creating that energy and manufacturing the technology to produce it, and overall greener and better business practices.

"Keeping the Lights on"

Have you heard about this film?

"KTLO" has received statewide recognition including a rave review at the Wisconsin Film Festival in Madison earlier this year.

Come and see the 30 min story of our community's struggle to promote recycling of coal ash waste, instead of replacing precious farm land with an industrial landfill.

It's FREE @ Vernon Square Cinema

Sat. Nov. 15, 11:00 am. till Noon

plus Meet the film makers Gretta and Aarick, Downtown Dailies / blue studio

a short presentation by geologist, Kelvin Rodolfo, with a discussion time to follow

This column first ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

Kudos for coal ash decision
11/10/2008

Kudos to Dairyland Power Cooperative and opponents of a coal ash dump.

In case you missed it amidst the election news last week, Dairyland announced it is suspending its search for a landfill site in Vernon County to dump coal ash from the Genoa plant.

Officials said last Monday the cooperative instead will burn a modified coal blend that produces less byproduct requiring disposal.

Dairyland’s plans for a landfill had sparked opposition among many people in Vernon County and from around Western Wisconsin. The co-op recently submitted its proposed sites, in the town of Harmony and near the county landfill outside Viroqua, to the Department of Natural Resources. A public informational meeting had been scheduled for Nov. 12.

Groups opposing the landfill had been raising funds for what looked like an inevitable legal battle over the plans. Now, the groups are looking to work with Dairyland.

The new Dairyland plan will significantly reduce the amount of scrubber byproduct by using a different coal blend at the Genoa plant. The Genoa facility will produce less electricity because it wasn’t designed for the modified coal blend.

The cooperative will supplement the electricity loss with a recently added 20 megawatt wind farm in Iowa and other projects.

Dairyland officials coupled last week’s announcement with a commitment to develop recycling alternatives for the scrubber byproducts.

Nobody will ever know if Dairyland officials would have decided to seek alternatives if the citizens groups had not organized and protested the landfill. Dairyland does have an overall good record of trying to go green, with projects in wind, methane and other alternative forms of energy production.

Co-op officials also insisted throughout the debate that they were seeking alternatives to dumping the ash, but did not see how all the byproduct could be recycled.

Motives, plus questions of who won or lost, don’t count now. Instead, Dairyland officials should be complimented for listening to the people who live in Vernon County and either directly or indirectly are customers of the co-op.

The officials’ decision was the right thing to do, for the environment, for the quality of life in the region, etc. Ultimately, it also will turn out to be a wise business decision.
Those who protested the landfill plans also should be complimented. While they were aggressive and vocal in their opposition, they kept it civil for the most part.

They did not condemn Dairyland officials, and worked with them on suggesting alternatives. They should continue to remain involved.

If Dairyland does not waver from its new plan, and also works on developing more recycling possibilities for byproducts, it and the citizens groups could become models for the western Wisconsin region, state and country on how to solve potential environmental problems by looking at alternatives before the problems occur.

In some ways, even though the coal ash decision was overshadowed by the election, it was appropriate for the decision to come last week. This is the very type of business and environmental problem-solving being pushed by President-elect Barack Obama for the future.

Dairyland officials and the opponents of the landfill showed that the future is now in Vernon County.

Hello VSN Members & Friends,
 
Don't miss out on these upcoming events relating to community-based agriculture and rural justice. We are very lucky to have been included on their national tour. Viroqua was competing against Northwestern University in Chicago for this tour stop so please come out and show your support!
 
1. Rebuilding Local Food Economies Tour and Empty Bowls Soup Supper and Conversation:
 
We Welcome Rodrigo Lopes, Activist with Landless Rural Workers Movement of Brazil (MST), for a conversation about food sovereignty and the solidarity economy: a Community Response to Hunger.
 
Tuesday, November 11th, 2008
4:00-6:00pm at the Driftless Cafe in downtown Viroqua
 
Soup will be served:
$15 donation with bowl from Local Potters
$5 without
*Proceeds go to the Landless Rural Workers Movement of Brazil
 
Then, don't miss the after-dinner presentation...
 
2. Rebuilding Local Food Economies Tour: End Hunger, Cool the Planet
 


Speakers:
Rodrigo Lopes of Brazil’s Landless Workers Movement

US family farmers and agrarian advocates

Family Farm Defenders & Farmers’ Daughters Auxiliary

Participatory Socio-Drama “Momma Nature Says”

 

  

Agricultural Missions and the Landless Rural Workers Movement of Brazil (MST), together with farmers and rural justice advocates in the US, are stopping in Viroqua as part of a national tour, bringing us the voices of activists working at the grassroots to make their voices heard in the boardrooms of agribusinesses and to mobilize mass movements addressing the root causes of the current crises. The event will feature a participatory symbolic drama that evokes the absurdities of factory farms and patented seeds and the beauty of community-based agriculture and the solidarity economy.


November 11th, 2008 *6:30pm*

Fellowship Hall, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

504 S. Main Street * Viroqua

 

 

Sponsored by National Family Farms Coalition/Via Campesina and its member organizations, World Hunger Year (WHY) and the national solidarity network Friends of the MST

 

For more information contact Lori Harms 637-7136 or lori.harms@gmail.com

                     Rebuilding Local Food Economies Tour:
End Hunger, Cool the Planet
 

 

 

Speakers:

Rodrigo Lopes of Brazil’s Landless Workers Movement

US family farmers and agrarian advocates

Family Farm Defenders & Farmers’ Daughters Auxiliary

Participatory Socio-Drama “Momma Nature Says”

 

 

 

Agricultural Missions and the Landless Rural Workers Movement of Brazil (MST), together with farmers and rural justice advocates in the US, are stopping in Viroqua as part of a national tour, bringing us the voices of activists working at the grassroots to make their voices heard in the boardrooms of agribusinesses and to mobilize mass movements addressing the root causes of the current crises. The event will feature a participatory symbolic drama that evokes the absurdities of factory farms and patented seeds and the beauty of community-based agriculture and the solidarity economy.

 

November 11th, 2008 *6:30pm*

Fellowship Hall, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

504 S. Main Street * Viroqua

 

 

Sponsored by National Family Farms Coalition/Via Campesina and its member organizations, World Hunger Year (WHY) and the national solidarity network Friends of the MST

 

For more information contact Lori Harms 637-7136 or lori.harms@gmail.com

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FOR NOVEMBER 13


Learn all about it! Michael Murray from the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) will serve on a lively panel discussion with Jamie Saul from Midwest Environmental Advocates (MEA) to discuss the controversial LIVESTOCK SITING LAW. This meeting is for anyone interested in learning about the new livestock siting standards and its relevance to our local community and government. This event will be especially useful for Land Use Planning and Zoning Committees. The public presentation is scheduled for 7:00 pm. at the Seneca Town Hall, 21041 Town Hall Rd., located on Hwy. 27 on the east side of Seneca. Refreshments will be provided.This event is cosponsored by Crawford Stewardship Project and Valley Stewardship Network.

Hope to see you there.
 
Gary Thompson and Edie Ehlert

Hello VSN Members and Friends!

 

 A friendly reminder about this Thursday's VSN Annual Meeting. What a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the recent news about Dairyland Power Cooperative's decision NOT to build a toxic landfill in Vernon County!!! What a wonderful opportunity to express your appreciation to all those folks who have worked so diligently to protect Vernon County.

 

Again, the meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 6, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Greenman Music Hall, 215 South Main Street, Viroqua. All VSN members and those interested in becoming a member are invited to this gathering.

 

Wine and desserts will be available during a review of the organization’s accomplishments over the past year, discussion and input about future programming, and introduction and ratification of new Board Members.

 

Closing out the evening will be “The Kickapoo Valley: Gem of Wisconsin,” a colorful presentation honoring the storied history of the region, with Patti Knower and Brad Steinmetz. Please read below for more information about the "Gem of Wisconsin".

 

Since 2000, the non-profit Valley Stewardship Network has been encouraging and creating opportunities for proactive stewardship efforts in the Kickapoo River Watershed and adjacent regions. VSN has done this through education and awareness efforts and by promoting community pride, positive land use, compatible development and communication and coordination among citizens and groups in the Watershed. To learn more about VSN and how to become a member, visit www.kickapoovsn.org, call (608) 637-3615 or come to the November 6 annual meeting..
 

 

 

THE KICKAPOO VALLEY: GEM OF WISCONSIN



     For people who have lived here in the Kickapoo Valley for decades and for those who moved here more recently, there is a folk legend that the residents of the Valley (aka: Kickapoogians) are different, odd, unusual and a few other adjectives that are not always positive in their connotations. It is surprising to learn that this same reputation haunted the area as far back as 1800’s. So, in 1896 two ladies from Viola decided to set the record straight by publishing their own book.

 

     The book: The Kickapoo Valley, Gem of Wisconsin, tells the stories of this part of the Driftless region. Earlier this year, Valley Stewardship Network and the Friends of the Kickapoo Valley Reserve joined together to sponsor presentations based on this book. To date, this program has been given at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve Visitors Center and at the public libraries of Wilton, La Farge, Ontario, Norwalk and Viola. It will be featured at the VSN Annual Meeting on November 6th and presented at the Soldiers Grove library on Tuesday, November 18th. Future programs include the Readstown Historical Society and the Lower Wisconsin Historical Society in Wauzeka. The severe storms earlier this summer meant that the Viola program was re-scheduled twice and the one for Gays Mills is still in the planning stages.

 

     Working together VSN and the Friends have created an opportunity to learn about local history from the perspective of the 1890’s. The public is always cordially invited to attend and there is never any admission charge. The presenters volunteer their time and travel wherever a program is scheduled in the watershed.

This column first ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

Ingersoll-Rand report fuels layoff fears
11/3/2008

Wisconsin set a record for unemployment claims in September of this year. News of the Janesville GM plant closing and other layoffs further rocked the state's economic outlook.

Western Wisconsin has seen some layoffs because of the recession. S&S Cycle in La Crosse and Viola laid off 60 people this past summer. Hutchinson Technology announced last year it would have to let 165 people go in its Eau Claire facility. Some other companies have laid people off.

The fear of more to come remains strong, and was fueled last week when Ingersoll-Rand Co., which acquired Trane in June, disclosed plans to lay off several thousand employees and close some plants around the world.

We should emphasize it's not clear whether Trane operations in La Crosse will be affected. Layoff plans were disclosed by Ingersoll-Rand CEO Herbert L. Henkel in a conference call with analysts, after the company announced third-quarter earnings.

The layoffs and associated plant closings will begin this quarter, be global in scope and touch all business lines, Ingersoll-Rand spokesman Paul Dickard told the La Crosse Tribune. The company is not disclosing the plant locations, he said.

Trane was founded in La Crosse in 1913 and remains a symbolic business icon. Several people expressed concern when the company was acquired by Ingersoll-Rand last summer, but others said the transaction could lead to a good fit and actually boost the La Crosse plant.

At the time of the latest Ingersoll-Rand announcement, about 2,265 people were working at Trane's La Crosse facilities and another 57 hourly production workers were on layoff. Employment is up since early June, when Ingersoll-Rand completed its acquisition of Trane. At that time, about 2,150 people were working at Trane's La Crosse facilities and another 126 hourly production workers were on layoff.

Ingersoll-Rand, based in Bermuda, makes a variety of products such as Thermo King refrigerated trucks and Hussmann refrigerated display cases. In La Crosse, Trane makes air conditioning, ventilation, heating and building management equipment, and systems for large commercial buildings.

In its third-quarter earnings report, Ingersoll-Rand said sales were up for the commercial part of Trane's business, but residential sales declined because of continuing weakness in the U.S. housing market.

Earnings in the third quarter for Ingersoll-Rand overall declined to $227.7 million or 70 cents per share, from $266.6 million or 92 cents per share, a year earlier.

The company is accelerating productivity and cost reduction actions and has undertaken a major companywide restructuring to adjust costs to offset the slowing market. About $70 million of the projected $110 million in restructuring costs is expected to be incurred in 2008. The company's actions are expected to generate $100 million in annual savings in 2009 and 2010.

Layoffs at Trane would be a blow to the local economy, and another sign of the times. A closing of the plant would be devastating, but it does not sound as if that severe move is imminent.

Of course, when times get tough, the fear of what might come can be almost as bad as the reality of what actually does occur. Workers are more likely today to be victims of a "psychological recession," according to Judith Bardwick, an expert on workplace psychology. Many workers today feel that they are living in a chaotic world of job insecurity, she says in her book, "One Foot Out the Door."

Bardwick claims that those workers are no longer committed to their companies or to their work responsibilities. "On average, 80 percent of the people in many companies are not engaged in the work that they do," she said. "Uninvolved people take no interest in their work -- they do just enough not to get fired and are content to keep doing the same thing over and over."

The workers at Trane and elsewhere need to resist these tendencies. The company should help by being upfront and honest with its workers about their job status and providing services for those who are suffering from severe fears.

This story first ran on http://www/wisbusiness.com

WisBusiness: Dairyland suspends coal ash landfill plans
11/4/2008

By Gregg Hoffmann
For WisBusiness.com

In a surprise announcement Monday, Dairyland Power Cooperative officials said they have suspended plans for a coal ash landfill in Vernon County.

Officials said Monday the cooperative instead will burn a modified coal blend that produces less byproduct requiring disposal at its Genoa plant.

Dairyland’s plans for a landfill had sparked opposition among many people in Vernon County. The co-op recently submitted its proposed sites, in the town of Harmony and near the county landfill outside Viroqua, to the Department of Natural Resources. A public informational meeting had been scheduled for Nov. 12.

Groups opposing the landfill had been raising funds for what looked like an inevitable legal battle over the plans.

Now, the groups are looking to work with Dairyland. “We’re extremely happy to hear they have found a better way,” said Scott Leum of Hope, Harmony Township Opposing Pollution of the Environment. “But I think I’m relieved more than anything, because it means they’ve been listening to us, and they’ve been listening to the community.”

Dairyland had been looking for a landfill for ash, which would be a byproduct of a new air cleaning system. That equipment, including a scrubber currently under construction, is meant to improve air quality by reducing sulfur dioxide emissions, said Charles Sans Crainte, Dairyland vice president.

The new plan will significantly reduce the amount of scrubber byproduct by using a different coal blend at the Genoa plant. The Genoa facility will produce less electricity because it wasn’t designed for the modified coal blend.

The cooperative will supplement the electricity loss with a recently added 20 megawatt wind farm in Winnebago County, Iowa, and other projects.

Dairyland officials coupled Monday’s announcement with a commitment to develop recycling alternatives for the scrubber byproducts.

WE WIN!!!
Monday ,Dairyland power announced that they have curtailed development of a coal ash dump site in Vernon County.No more night -mares of toxic waste running down the Seas Branch.Dairyland Power did the right thing and I ,for one,will support their efforts to recycle the waste produced here in Vernon County.I feel a heck of a lot better about D.P. today.Go to Dairyland’s website for all the details.Everybody and every creature living in the county, just WON

WFSC had a nice Halloween party on the 31st.We broke even, so I call that a success.

Plans are for a party during the gun Deer season

WE WON

Thanks for reading,

                         Bryan”Trapper” Voldahl Secretary WFSC

                         Avalanche,Wi In the heart of the Driftless Area

Hello VSN Members and Friends,
 
A press statement released Monday morning from Dairyland Power Cooperative(DPC) announces that DPC is pleased to be "indefinitely suspending the permitting process for a proposed off-site coal combustion byproducts disposal facility inVernon County. All testing and permitting activities and future development plans will be halted at all three potential sites: the two sites in the town of Harmony and the site adjacent to the Vernon County landfill."
 
That's right...no landfill!!
 
Hats off to the many hardworking and committed community members and landowners who have so diligently worked to "Find a Better Way"!! Your efforts have paid off for the betterment of Vernon County! You all deserve a standing ovation!
 
Let's Celebrate!
 
Jessica Luhning
Projects Coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665
 
(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

Hello VSN Members and Friends!

 

Valley Stewardship Network, whose core mission is preserving the quality of life in the driftless region, will hold its annual membership meeting on Thursday, November 6, from 7 to 9 p.m. at Greenman Music Hall, 215 South Main Street, Viroqua. All VSN members and those interested in becoming a member are invited to this gathering.

 

Wine and desserts will be available during a review of the organization’s accomplishments over the past year, discussion and input about future programming, and introduction and ratification of new Board Members.

 

Closing out the evening will be “The Kickapoo Valley: Gem of Wisconsin,” a colorful presentation honoring the storied history of the region, with Patti Knower and Brad Steinmetz. Please read below for more information about the "Gem of Wisconsin".

 

Since 2000, the non-profit Valley Stewardship Network has been encouraging and creating opportunities for proactive stewardship efforts in the Kickapoo River Watershed and adjacent regions. VSN has done this through education and awareness efforts and by promoting community pride, positive land use, compatible development and communication and coordination among citizens and groups in the Watershed. To learn more about VSN and how to become a member, visit www.kickapoovsn.org, call (608) 637-3615 or come to the November 6 annual meeting..
 

 

 

THE KICKAPOO VALLEY: GEM OF WISCONSIN



     For people who have lived here in the Kickapoo Valley for decades and for those who moved here more recently, there is a folk legend that the residents of the Valley (aka: Kickapoogians) are different, odd, unusual and a few other adjectives that are not always positive in their connotations. It is surprising to learn that this same reputation haunted the area as far back as 1800’s. So, in 1896 two ladies from Viola decided to set the record straight by publishing their own book.

 

     The book: The Kickapoo Valley, Gem of Wisconsin, tells the stories of this part of the Driftless region. Earlier this year, Valley Stewardship Network and the Friends of the Kickapoo Valley Reserve joined together to sponsor presentations based on this book. To date, this program has been given at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve Visitors Center and at the public libraries of Wilton, La Farge, Ontario, Norwalk and Viola. It will be featured at the VSN Annual Meeting on November 6th and presented at the Soldiers Grove library on Tuesday, November 18th. Future programs include the Readstown Historical Society and the Lower Wisconsin Historical Society in Wauzeka. The severe storms earlier this summer meant that the Viola program was re-scheduled twice and the one for Gays Mills is still in the planning stages.

 

     Working together VSN and the Friends have created an opportunity to learn about local history from the perspective of the 1890’s. The public is always cordially invited to attend and there is never any admission charge. The presenters volunteer their time and travel wherever a program is scheduled in the watershed.

Greetings all,
 
I'm excited to announce that we will be hosting, along with Crawford Stewardship Project (CSP), Executive Director of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign (WDC), Mike McCabe, for what will be an engaging evening of dialog around our present political processes.
 
WDC is a non-partisan political watch-dog organization, working to track the influences of large financial donations which direct our representatives away from responsible representation.
 
If you haven't ever had the opportunity to hear this dynamic speaker, don't miss this chance!!
 
Details below and attached.
 
GT
 
Gary Thompson
Valley Stewardship Network
608-637-3615
garyvsn@frontiernet.net
 
 
 
Financial Influences on Fair Politics

 

 

Just in time for the upcoming electoral process, the public is invited to an evening with Mike McCabe, Executive Director of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign (WDC). WDC is a network of citizens who organized in 1995 to expose government corruption and work for a fair electoral process. McCabe an enlightening and dynamic speaker will give his audience insight into the extent at which special interest groups are co-opting the making of public policy in Madison. These policies are often in direct conflict with the interests of us citizens who are paying the bills and salaries for these folks. Find out what this nonpartisan political watchdog has to say about your legislators and real democracy.

 

Join us for a lively evening of discussion on Thursday, October 30, at 7:00 pm., Vernon Memorial Hospital Medical Office Building, Community Room (lower level), 407 Main St., Viroqua. Parking is on the East side of the building (rear), entrance is on the North side.

 

We encourage everyone to attend this free event and educate themselves on these important topics. Refreshments will be provided.

 

This event is co-sponsored by Crawford Stewardship Project, 608-734-3223, csp.county@gmail.com and Valley Stewardship Network, 608-637-3615, vsn@frontiernet.net.

This column first ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

Western Wisconsin housing holds its own
10/27/2008

The housing slump nationwide has been one of the biggest reasons for the overall recession.

In at least parts of western Wisconsin, however, the housing industry is holding its own, and remains a good “investment” for any community.

Elliot Eisenberg, a senior economist with the National Association of Home Builders, discussed the findings of a study last week on the economic impact of single- and multi-family housing in La Crosse County.

The 405 single-family and 164 multifamily homes built in the county in 2007 will generate $92.8 million in revenue, compared with $88.2 million in costs, during the next 25 years, Eisenberg’s study concluded.

Revenue includes such things as payments for wages, materials, fees and taxes and ripple effects. Costs include such things as fire and police protection, parks and recreational opportunities, and roads.

“Housing does pay its way,” Eisenberg told the La Crosse Tribune. There also was somewhat encouraging news on other fronts of the housing picture.

Vicki Markussen, executive officer for a local housing association, said La Crosse area home construction is down from last year, but not as much as in other parts of the nation. The number of single-family homes sold so far this year in La Crosse County is down about 5 percent from a year ago, and the average sale price is up 4 percent.

Other studies show that real estate sales in the region as a whole, while hardly robust, have not been in free fall as is the case in some regions of the country. A Western Wisconsin Realtors Association report for Polk, Pierce and St. Croix counties showed closed sales of houses increased in September, after four months of declines. The media sales price of those homes was down 5.16 percent.

A report for Eau Claire showed decreased sales, but also showed that the area is considered one of the bargain areas for home sales in the nation, with a four-bedroom, 2,200 square foot home selling for around $145,000.

There are several reasons western Wisconsin real estate is keeping its head above water.
First, banks in the area have been responsible and conservative in their lending practices. That’s not to say that foreclosures are not up in the region, but they are not rampant, in part because of the prudent approach to lending by the financial institutions.

Realtors and builders have tried to keep their costs within reach of home buyers. Excessive fees and overly aggressive sales tactics have been avoided.

Consumers in the region also deserve credit. They resisted buying or building homes that were beyond their means. Many have remodeled rather than rush out to buy a new home.

This overall conservative approach, plus the fact that the population in the region tends to be more consistent rather than transient as in other parts of the country, have allowed western Wisconsin to avoid the boom or bust we’ve seen elsewhere in the country.

Going Green movements have helped the remodeling industry as people try to make their homes more energy efficient. The so-called Aging in Place movement -- which showed baby boomers remodeling to change their homes to adjust to their changing lifestyle conditions -- also has helped the remodeling industry.

Experts emphasized that if you have the resources to build or remodel it’s a great time to find a builder, as the cost of materials is down slightly from a year ago, and mortgage rates are still low.

It’s still not a rosy picture for housing in western Wisconsin. But, pockets of the region are more than holding their own, and performing better than many other regions of the country.

Greetings all,
 
Valley Stewardship Network (VSN) and Crawford Stewardship Project (CSP) are excited about hosting the very dynamic and sincere Mike McCabe, Executive Director, Wisconsin Democracy Campaign (WDC). WDC is a Madison WI. non- partisan political watchdog organization working to bring accountability back to government. Go to www.wisdc.org/wdcus.phb for more information on what they are all about!
 
Don't miss this opportunity to get more information on what your representatives have been up to! There will be plenty of opportunity for you to ask Mike about issues that are important to you following his presentation. See all the details of this event below...
 
Gary Thompson
Valley Stewardship Network
 
Political Influences of Big Agriculture

and other Land Use Issues

by Mike McCabe, Executive Director of Wisconsin Democracy Campaign

Thursday, October 30th

7:00 p.m.

Vernon Memorial Hospital Medical Office Building

Community Room – Lower Level

407 Main Street, Viroqua

 

Just in time for the election, Mike Mc Cabe Executive Director of Wisconsin

Democracy Campaign will speak on the many influences effecting the

legislative process. Find out whatthis nonpartisan political watchdog

has to say about your legislators andreal democracy. Wisconsin Democracy

Campaign is a network of citizens fighting government corruption and working

for fair elections. Don’t miss this enlightening and dynamic speaker.

  

Wisconsin Democracy Campaign (WDC) is a

nonpartisan political watchdog group working for

clean government and real democracy. To carry

out this mission, WDC tracks the money in

Wisconsin politics and works for campaign finance

reform, media reform and other pro-democracy

reforms.

 

Sponsored by: The Valley Stewardship Network

and The Crawford Stewardship Project

Contact infovsn@frontiernet.net or call

608-637-3615 for more information.

A reminder of the importance of supporting this local grass roots effort:

 
Please consider spending an afternoon visiting an area of our beautiful county, and learn more about how Dairyland Power Co-op's (DPC) plans will effect you. This productive farmland will change forever, if residents don't weigh-in on DPCs plans to build an industrial landfill to store their waste by-product.
 
Don't be caught unaware of what is happening in your own backyard! See announcement below!
 
GT
 
Gary Thompson
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 South Main St.
Viroqua, WI. 54665
608-637-3615
garyvsn@frontiernet.net

 
VERNON COUNTY RESIDENTS HOST
HOME, FARM, & FIELD FALL TOUR
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2008, 12-6 PM
 
In the coming months, we expect Dairyland Power Cooperative to announce which proposed Vernon County site will be the preferred landfill for new coal ash waste. The community of neighbors surrounding the three proposed lime and coal ash dump sites near Asbury Ridge and North Ridge want people to see what’s at stake.
 
Ten homes will be decorated for the fall season and ready for visitors to view the properties and meet the families affected by the three proposed sites. Expanding upon the usual home tour, this fall tour incorporates open houses as well as outdoor activities and sponsor exhibits. Along the way participants will find hayrides, bonfires, local vendors, artists & crafters, farm animals, a movie, silent auctions, treats to drink and eat, wine & cheese to sample, door prizes, information regarding solar and wind power generation, real life uses of green technology, and spectacular scenery. Silent auction items to date include an antique clock, a cut Christmas tree, a pheasant hunt with five birds, a year’s supply of free organic milk, a package of wildlife art prints from some of the Wisconsin stamp contest wins, green home consultations, and dinners from local restaurants. All sponsors are local! This will be a fantastic way to spend a fall day in the country.
 
The Home, Farm, & Field Fall Tour is a fundraiser for HOPE and ARCH, two united local groups finding solutions to the proposed coal ash dump. Suggested donations for tickets are $10 per person or $25 per family. Tickets will be available in Viroqua at Viroqua Accounting and Tax Services, Cut-n-Up Hair Designs, & Home Green Home, and in Coon Valley at Seland’s Floor Coverings; check the website www.dontdumponus.org for updates on ticket outlets and a map plus home descriptions. Tickets will also be available at any of the homes the day of the event. Proceeds will go toward educating the public, advertising, and legal fees. For further details or if you would like to be a sponsor call 608-689-2045 or 689-2445. All media are invited to attend. Please forward to other interested parties.

This story first ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

 WisBusiness: Trout Unlimited chapters get $800,000 federal grant
10/17/2008

By Gregg Hoffmann

Secretary Matt Frank of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and other officials gathered near the banks of Timber Coulee in Vernon County Thursday to announce a major increase in stream habitat restoration for 2009.

Seven local chapters of Trout Unlimited have been granted more than $800,000 in federal funds for 10 stream projects in Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, one of the most popular fishing destinations in the United States. The grants are part of the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service.

These new projects – featuring a holistic, multi-disciplinary approach to stream rehabilitation – will focus not only on trout, but on the habitat needs of frogs, turtles, snakes, birds and invertebrates, including several endangered species such as the Wood turtle and Blanding’s turtle.

“This is very important for this part of the state, and the state as whole,” Frank said. “Fishing is very important to our economy of not only this area, nut the entire state.

“Wisconsin is second to Florida in the number of fishers from outside the state. Trout fishing is a big part of that in Wisconsin.

“These grants pull together a lot of partners, and include the entire ecology of the stream. We felt it was only appropriate to announce it here, where the first restoration project took place. It is part of our tradition, and demonstrates the facy we like to lead in these areas.”

More than half of the projects take place on DNR-managed properties. One of the largest of these is a $180,000 project in the Coon Creek State Fishery Area near Coon Valley where Timber Coulee flows into Coon Creek, the site of Thursday’s announcement.

Jeff Hastings, area project manager for TU, said 42 counties in a four-state area will undergo restoration projects on streams because of the grant.

“The area NRCS went after funds in a very short time frame,” Hastings said. “Several agencies and groups worked together on this.“ The projects will also be pieces of the overall DARE (Driftless Area Restoration Effort) announced a couple years ago.

The grants total $933,000. The amount beyond the $800,000 will be used to directly work with farmers on conservation practices.

Trout fishing contributes more than $1.1 billion to the economies of the 42 counties in the Driftless Area, according to a TU study.

Also attending the press conference Thursday were Dave Vetrano, DNR fisheries supervisor for the Coulee area, state Sen. Dan Kapanke and members of TU and other interested conservationists.

This column first ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

Dairyland dumping proposals now with DNR
10/20/2008

Dairyland Power Cooperative has completed its initial evaluations of three possible sites for coal ash dumps in Vernon County and has submitted them to the Department of Natural Resources for review.

In its fall newsletter, which customers and others received last week, Dairyland reported that three sites -- two in the town of Harmony and one next to the existing Vernon County landfill site outside Viroqua -- were included in the submission to the DNR.

The newsletter also reported, “While Dairyland continues to aggressively seek solutions for beneficial reuse of the ash, a disposal facility will still be necessary.”

So, the bottom line is Dairyland plans to continue to pursue dumping coal ash from its Genoa power plant somewhere in Vernon County, despite widespread public opposition.

This issue has been addressed before in this column. Here’s a quick review. Dairyland is upgrading its air pollution system at the Genoa plant. That upgrading will change the composition and volume of the coal ash, reducing the amount usable in current recycling programs. Thus, Dairyland wants to dump the ash, at least until the technology is ready for alternative recycling uses.

Opponents to the dumping of the ash fear possible pollution from runoff into the karst geology of the area. They also maintain recycling alternatives for the ash do exist, but Dairyland will not pursue them because of costs. The likely final destination for the dispute will end up the courts.

But, before that happens, Dairyland has scheduled an informational meeting on its plans Nov. 12 at the VFW Club in Viroqua. An open house will be held from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.

It’s hoped the DNR response is complete by that meeting date. The DNR is expected to give a preliminary evaluation on the potential of each proposed site to comply with location criteria and performance standards. Dairyland already has taken soil borings as part of its evaluations.

Some time early in 2009, the Rural Utilities Service (RUS), a federal agency which loans electric coops funds for projects, will hold a Public Scoping Meeting on the proposal. RUS considers potential impacts to farmland, threatened and endangered species, wetland and cultural and historic resources. It also considers “socio-economic and environmental justice issues.”

The RUS process offers some hope for opponents to a dump site, but they are not counting on it.
Dairyland hopes to identify its preferred site in the first quarter of 2009, after the open house, informational meeting and the RUS Scoping Meeting are held.

Then, the issue will likely head to the courts. Two opposing groups -- People for HOPE (Harmony Township, Organics, Property, Environment) and Asbury Ridge Citizens for Hope (ARCH) -- are well-organized and have the support of state and national environmental groups. The townships where the sites could end up already have designated funds for possible legal fees in the dispute.

In this column, the argument has been previously made that Dairyland could better use its funds on accelerating development of recycling technology than on legal fees. But, the co-op officials continue down their path.

In its fall newsletter, Dairyland does say, “using the material in agriculture as a soil amendment or a liming agent is another option that we have been researching.”

But, in the conclusion of a newsletter article called, “Beneficial reuse advances,” Dairyland writes, “Based on Dairyland’s long experience as a recycler of ash and our ongoing exploration of beneficial use, we cannot plan on reuse options for 100 percent of the material. Beneficial reuse options can be inconsistent, and are depending on several factors, including available markets and demand, environmental regulations, production interruptions, seasonal usage and the feasibility of technologies. Our goal is to find viable recycling options for as much of the scrubber byproduct as possible. However, the reality is that we will not be able to consistently recycle all the scrubber material, and disposal will be necessary to safely store the remaining material.”

The bottom line is: Dairyland plans on dumping the ash somewhere in Vernon County. The opponents’ bottom line is: Get ready for a fight.

Hi all,
This month we are pleased to have Jordan Bendel at our meeting, so this will be more Q&A than hands-on. You have probably heard us mention Jordan as a source of bees/nucs. He and his brother Josh also build woodenware (hives, covers, frames, etc.) and raise queens for sale. So, any of you who are planning to get hives or expand next year will want to meet him, and see what they have to offer.
We will also discuss what chores remain in the apiary this time of year, and how to help get your colonies through the winter. We may look in on the OV bees, so bring veils/gloves if you want to participate.
The meeting this month will be Sat., Oct. 18th, from 1:00 to 3:00, at Organic Valley.
Thanks, Mandy

This column first ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

Iconic businesses re-open in western Wisconsin
10/13/2008

When two iconic businesses -- Borgen’s Café in Westby and Leo & Leona’s tavern near Middle Ridge -- closed over the last couple years, it was a blow to part of the western Wisconsin region.

Both were places that had been open for decades and had become unique attractions to visitors and area residents alike.

But, largely because of the love of former patrons and area residents, Borgens is about to re-open, and Leo & Leona’s has been open for a few months.

A few dozen Westby area residents bought the former Borgen’s building after the restaurant closed to the public in June 2005 and sat vacant for a couple years. The local investors took on the tasks of purchasing, renovating and reopening the business under new management in 2008.

The investment group purchased the business from LeRoy and Donna Perkins on April 18. With the help of investment volunteers and the assistance of the Westby Area High School football team, workers have removed eight dumpsters full of debris, including discarded building materials.

Blane and Mary Charles of Westby are in the process of purchasing the building from the investment group and are anticipating an opening by the Nov. 1. Blane has experience in the restaurant business as food service director at the Firehouse Restaurant in Viroqua since 2003.

The restaurant will be open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch and for dinner on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. The main dining room of the building can seat 70 people with booths, tables and counter stools, with room for an additional 70-plus customers in the banquet room.

The investors who originally saved the building and funded much of its updating and renovation will not walk away from its sale rich. In fact, many will just recover the money they put into the project. But, they have the satisfaction of knowing they helped save a business that had served as a symbol of Westby for years.

A group led by the Sebranek brothers -- Larry, Doug and Dan -- loved Leo & Leona’s and went into mourning when Leona Cavadini decided that after 65 years of running the place, first with her father and later her late husband, it was time to retire.

Again, the building sat vacant and in disrepair for months. But, more than a dozen people -- many former patrons -- pooled their money and have opened Leo & Leona’s II. There’s still some of the sports and other memorabilia on the walls, which the original tavern had been known for.

Current patrons who remember the old place often say. “I never knew this place was this big.” That’s simply because there isn’t as much of the memorabilia and other stuff that crammed the original place.

Neither Borgens nor Leo and Leona’s will individually vitalize business in western Wisconsin. In fact, neither has a guarantee of success under the new owners.

But these former patrons and residents have demonstrated that they love their communities and understand that iconic places or businesses are important. Their efforts in such overall bad economic times should be applauded.

So should the efforts of Mike and Marie Cimino, who took the old Westby Pharmacy building -- another once iconic business in the area -- and have opened Ole & Lena’s Kafe Huis, featuring coffee, ice cream, candy and lunch sandwiches.

And, so should the continued efforts of iconic restaurants and businesses like DiSciascio’s in Coon Valley, Old Town Restaurant and Dregne’s Gifts in Westby, the Viking Inn in Viroqua, the Kickapoo Inn in Readstown and others.

These are truly small businesses. Many are run by families. Their owners, like those people who have re-opened Borgen’s and Leo & Leona’s, understand that the size of the business does not always represent its importance, especially in a rural or small town area.

Businesses like these become gathering places, identity makers for a community and often symbols of the spirit of the people in a region. In these economic times, that spirit is needed more than ever.

This is a reminder to attend these upcoming events Thursday, Oct 16 and Monday, Oct 20

Supporting Family Farms

You are invited to attend a free presentation by Karen Hudson, President of Families Against Rural Messes (FARM), to be held on Thursday October 16, 7:30 pm., at the Soldiers Grove Community Room (next to the public library), 102 Passive Sun Dr., Soldiers Grove. She will address the topic of ORGANIZING IN SUPPORT OF INDEPENDENT FAMILY FARMS. Ms. Hudson brings 15 years of experience of support- ting sustainable agriculture and resisting concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), from expanding into communities. She has a Bachelor's Degree in education and farms with her family in south central Illinois. Ms. Hudson will focus on community organizing, agricultural policy, and the impacts of industrial farming on water, air quality, and public health.

Mon. October 20th: KARST ISSUES IN S.W. WISCONSIN . They're back! Dennis Frame and Fred Madison, the co-directors of UW-Madison Discovery Farms along with Maureen Muldoon Associate Professor of hydrogeology at UW Oshkosh, will present an informative discussion on karst geology so prevalent in S.W. Wisconsin and its effects on ground and surface water. This presentation will take place at 7:30 PM, U.W. Richland Center in the Pippin Conference Center/Melvill Hall. The lecture is cosponsored by the Geology Department of U.W. Richland Center, Crawford Stewardship Project and Valley Stewardship Network. The Science Building is located on the east end of campus, walk across the foot bridge over Brush Creek.
 Pippin Conference Center/Melvill Hall on the UW-Richland campus, 1200 Highway 14 West in Richland Center. The program, entitled "Protecting Our Water:

This column first ran on http://www.wispolitics.com

WisPolitics: McCain hits Obama on economy in La Crosse
10/10/2008

By Gregg Hoffmann
For WisPolitics

LA CROSSE - John McCain pitched his ideas on stopping the bleeding in the U.S. economy this morning in this western Wisconsin city, the second visit by a presidential candidate in just more than a week.

McCain addressed a crowd that police estimated at 4,500 people in the La Crosse Center. It was McCain’s final stop on a two-day, three-city swing through Wisconsin. McCain delivered a stump speech, railing against Barack Obama on a host of topics.

“It’s time to put the financial strength of our government on the side of working families,” McCain said as he pushed his plan for the government to buy bad mortgages.

“We must go to the heart of the problem at the heart of the housing crisis.”

Under McCain’s plan, the federal government would buy bad mortgages at face value and then issue homeowners new, 30-year fixed-rate loans at interest rates of just more than 5 percent from the Federal Housing Administration. In many cases, homeowners owe more on their homes than they are currently worth. The new mortgages would match the decreased value of those homes.

In pushing his mortgage plan, McCain said funds for the proposal aren’t new, “but the priorities will be when we put the financial strength of our government back on the side of working families.”

Obama's campaign issued a statement after the speech saying McCain had pledged Thursday to use new money if necessary for his plan.

"John McCain's response to the economic crisis has grown so erratic that in the span of 12 hours, he completely reversed his position on whether or not his risky and illegal bailout scheme would be financed with additional taxpayer dollars," Obama spokesman Hari Sevugan said in a statement. "Whatever position Senator McCain finally settles on, experts from across the political spectrum have made it clear that his bailout scheme is a guaranteed loser for taxpayers and would hand our money to the very Wall Street banks and lenders who got us into this mess."

McCain also called for suspending some of the rules that require retirees to liquidate stock investments once they reach a certain age.

“We must also protect investors — especially those relying on their investments for retirement,” he said. “Current rules mandate that investors must begin to sell off their IRAs and 401Ks when they reach age 70 and one half. To spare investors from being forced to sell their stocks at just the time when the market is hurting the most, those rules should be suspended.”

McCain hit on many familiar themes in the speech, emphasizing his leadership and experience. He said he has been a maverick who has been trying to clean up Washington for years. He criticized Obama’s lack of experience and proposals for economic fixes that “would include higher taxes.”

“Which candidate’s experience in government and life makes him a better candidate?” McCain asked, to which he received a loud “John McCain” response from the crowd.

During Thursday’s stop in Waukesha, McCain fielded a series of questions from the crowd urging him to go after Obama as well as some who expressed their anger that the Dem’s ties to people like William Ayers and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright have not been played up more in the media.

Friday’s crowd was partisan, but not as vocal as the town hall meeting in Waukesha yesterday.

Supporters regularly chanted "John McCain" and "USA, USA." Periodically, somebody would cry out "fight for us, John." The crowd also booed when McCain mentioned financial contributions to Obama’s campaign from "executives of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac." McCain made only a passing reference to Ayers, the former 1960s radical that has become the focus of a new ad campaign from the Republican National Committee raising questions about Obama’s background.

At one point, a woman in the crowd shouted, "It’s a lie," when McCain said Obama’s economic plan would lead to taxes on the middle class and small businesses. She was quickly drowned out by chants of "USA, USA."

McCain acknowledged he was behind in the polls, but added, "How many times have the pundits written off the McCain campaign? We’re going to fool them again."

Wisconsin could be a key state in swinging the election, McCain maintained. Former Gov. Tommy Thompson, one of the warm-up speakers before McCain took the stage, said Wisconsin is one of six key swing states.

"Wisconsin needs to be a red state," Thompson yelled to the crowd. "Are you ready to help us make it that?"

Before the rally, some Obama supporters and protestors of the Iraq War chanted and shouted with bullhorns from across the street to the people lined up waiting to get into the La Crosse Center. People had to obtain free tickets to get into the event, but were not screened for the political affiliation. Obama was in town a week ago for a rally outside the La Crosse Center that drew an estimated 15,000.

Dem U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl was scheduled to lead a counter session to McCain’s appearance Friday afternoon in La Crosse. A statement released by the Democrats said the session was intended to "tell John McCain that the citizens of Wisconsin cannot afford four more years of the same failed Bush policies."

Halloween Highlights WFSC 10/07/08
West Fork Sportsmen’s Club is proud to announce that we are having a Halloween party on Friday Oct.31 .Festivities began at 6:00pm with a light pork dinner. We will serve pork sandwiches, beans, chips until gone. Same recipe as the conclave.

John Ward and Jay Hoffman will play from 8pm to midnight. These guys are very entertaining, plus they can play all types of music. No cover charge.

Cabins are still available, as of this writing. Book the cabin very soon if you are interested. We want to close them up as soon as possible for the winter. Area motels are as listed:

Central Express/Westby 608-634-2950

Hickory Hills/Viroqua 637-3104

Kickapoo Crossroads(New)/Readstown 629-9999

Midway /Viroqua 637-2929

Old Towne/Westby 634-2111

River Valley/LaFarge 625-2501

Super 8/Viroqua 637-3100

Consider yourself invited and please pass the word, THANKS

                                           Trapper, Secretary.WFSC

                                           Avalanche,Wi In the heart of the Driftless Area

                                           trapafox@hotmail.com

There is still work being done every week day on the club grounds. We are very fortunate to have them here working under the AmeriCorps program.

Please forward this correspondence to all interested parties.

Send me a email if possible if your are coming so I can get the right amount of food set up.

Greetings all,
 
Listed below is another opportunity to hear a presentation on the importance of understanding the challenges of living on top of KARST geology. Please consider attending this important gathering which will help you understand how vital land use issues are to all who live, play and work in the greater watershed.
 
Gary Thompson
Water Quality Monitoring coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 South Main St.
Viroqua, WI. 54665
608-637-3615
garyvsn@frontiernet.net
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                  Learn ways to deal with contamination risks:
                                    “Protecting Our Water: Issues & Challenges”
 

 
The unique issues and challenges relating to ground and surface water protection in Southwestern Wisconsin’s karst geology will be the focus of a presentation on Monday, October 20 in the Pippin Conference Center/Melvill Hall on the UW-Richland campus, 1200 Highway 14 West in Richland Center. The program, entitled “Protecting Our Water: Issues & Challenges,” is scheduled for 7:30 to 9:30pm and includes question and answer time.
                Presenters include co-directors of the Wisconsin Discovery Farms program UW-Madison soils scientist Fred Madison and livestock specialist Dennis Frame. Hydrogeologist Maureen Muldoon, UW-Oshkosh associate professor of geology, will discuss the results of a multiple year Wisconsin karst geology study and risks to the local water supply.
                The presenter’s findings will be of particular interest to those who depend on drinking water from area wells and those involved in the area’s cold-water stream and river recreational activities. While karst geology often produces beautiful landscapes, the land is vulnerable to ground and surface water contamination. Hear about approaches for dealing with risks resulting from landfills, livestock operations, urban runoff, and failing septic systems.
                The presentation will include an explanation of the nature of karst geology, risks of contamination, and ways to protect ground and surface water.
                This program is sponsored by UW-Richland and the Crawford Stewardship Network of Gays Mills. Those interested in additional information can contact Dr. Norlene Emerson, UW-Richland assistant professor of geology by e-mail at Norlene.emerson@uwc.edu or by calling (608) 647-6186 Extension 109.

This column first ran on http://www,wisbusiness.com

Obama message hit home in region
10/6/2008

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama drew thousands at an appearance in La Crosse last week, as he has all around the country since the primaries.

Obama’s message, on the day the Senate passed a $700 billion bailout measure, hit home in western Wisconsin as strongly as any place in the country.

He emphasized help to small businesses and people making under $250,000 a year. Those type of businesses and people are the backbone of the economy in western Wisconsin.

Sure, you have Trane, Ashley Furniture and other large corporate businesses in the region. You’ll find Wal-Marts throughout the area.

But, this also is a region where Logistics Health and S&S Cycle started small and have built themselves into leaders in their respective industries. It’s an area where hundreds, even thousands, of entrepreneurs run businesses like Dregne’s Gift Store, DiSciascio’s Coon Valley Inn, Ole & Lena’s Kaffe Huis and many more retail stores, restaurants, small manufacturing and service businesses.

Cooperatives flourish in the region. Organic Valley, an organic dairy and other organic food products coop, started with seven farmers looking for a better price for their milk and has become a leader in the organic movement.

The recession certainly has hurt businesses and people in western Wisconsin, but they aren’t whining. They’re still going to work every day, tending their farms and stores, and adapting to high fuel prices, higher health care costs and tight credit prompted in part by the irresponsibility of the large financial institutions in the country.

Certainly, foreclosures are up in the region. But, this is an area where neighbors rally to a farmer or resident who is in jeopardy of losing his or her property. Small town bankers try to work with people struggling.

These are the people who need to be heard by Obama, GOP candidate John McCain and others running for office. They don’t feel they have been heard by the Bush administration.

Obama picked Nikki Brown, a manager at a La Crosse Wal-Mart, to introduce him at his rally last week. Brown, whose husband is a partner in an area auto care shop, talked about the difficulty of raising three kids in tough economic times.

She was a good choice. She put a human face on a large corporation, and through her husband’s work also represented small businesses. Nikki and her husband are not partisan in their politics. Yet, they admitted they could use some of the breaks Obama has been talking about in his economic plan.

McCain and the Republicans undoubtedly also will visit the area and pitch their ideas on how to improve the economy. As it was in 2004, western Wisconsin is considered a “swing” area, and offers easy access to Minnesota and Iowa, two other swing states.

Voters in western Wisconsin have backed Democrats for president in recent elections, but have voted Republicans into office, especially for local and state offices.

Democrat or Republican, Obama or McCain, any candidate should listen to the people of the region when they come here seeking their votes.

Western Wisconsin represents a mixture of agribusiness, manufacturing, retail and service businesses. The people running and working for those businesses are hard working, enterprising. Most are members of the middle class and fear they are becoming extinct under the policies of the last eight years.

These folks don’t ask much from their government. But, in these tough economic times, they certainly can use incentives that help them move forward on their own, and at least not have obstacles thrown in their ways by government, Wall Street and financial institutions that first give tax breaks to the rich, money and credit too freely, then taketh away.

Greetings all,
 
I would personally like to invite everyone to this important public presentation and discussion!
 
 
Supporting Family Farms

 

  

The public is invited to attend a free presentation by Karen Hudson, President of Families Against Rural Messes (FARM), to be held on Thursday October 16, 7:30 pm., at the Soldiers Grove Community Room (next to the public library), 102 Passive Sun Dr., Soldiers Grove. She will address the topic of ORGANIZING IN SUPPORT OF INDEPENDENT FAMILY FARMS. Ms. Hudson brings 15 years of experience of support- ting sustainable agriculture and resisting concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), from expanding into communities. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in education and farms with her family in south central Illinois. Ms. Hudson will focus on community organizing, agricultural policy, and the impacts of industrial farming on water, air quality, and public health.

 

Crawford Stewardship Project (CSP), 608-735-4277, csp.country@gmail.com and Valley Stewardship Network (VSN), 608-637-3615, infovsn@frontiernet.net, are co-sponsoring this lively event. The presentation will include a question and answer period followed by an informal discussion with refreshments provided.

 

Learn more about FARM by visiting their website, www.farmweb.org

 

Gary Thompson

Valley Stewardship Network

124 1/2 South Main St.

Viroqua WI. 54665

garyvsn@frontiernet.net

Greetings all
 
Please consider spending an afternoon visiting an area of our beautiful county, and learn more about how Dairyland Power Co-op's (DPCs) plans will effect you. This productive farmland will change forever, if residents don't weigh-in on DPCs plans to build an industrial landfill to store their waste by-product.
 
Don't be caught unaware of what is happening in your own backyard! See announcement below!
 
GT
 
Gary Thompson
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 South Main St.
Viroqua, WI. 54665
608-637-3615
garyvsn@frontiernet.net

This column first ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

Wind power should move forward in western Wisconsin
9/29/2008

Some proposed wind power developments in Minnesota could benefit western Wisconsin and also should spark leaders in that region to consider more such projects.

Illinois wind developers are pitching a $220 million plan to generate 100 megawatts of electricity in Winona County across the Mississippi River by building up to 67 wind turbines on two ridge tops along Interstate 90.

The proposal, hailed by Winona County leaders as a potential spark plug for wind development in the area, is part of a larger wind-turbine plan to generate 200 mega-watts in Winona and Olmsted counties by as early as 2011.

Some western Wisconsin communities, including La Crosse, could also get some of their energy from the project.

Wind projects usually face opposition for these reasons -- environmental if the turbines are in flyways or other sensitive areas, aesthetic reasons because people just don’t like how the turbines look, and intrusion of the transmission lines that transport the electricity from the turbines to plants and eventually customers.

This proposal’s fate might be linked to the latter. EcoEnergy, the developer of the proposed wind farm also has pitched a 400-megawatt, $850 million wind farm near Harmony, Minn. The company wants to cluster the proposed turbines in an area east of St. Charles, Minn., and another area south of Winona, stretching from the Rushford I-90 exit to Ridgeway.

Transmission lines would run through the I-90 corridors as much as possible. For example, the line that would serve La Crosse would connect that community with Rochester, Minn.

Opposition to transmission lines often is understandable. The lines can eat up farm land and at times run through environmentally sensitive areas.

But, in this case, it looks like EcoEnergy is trying to contain the turbines and transmission lines along corridors that already have been developed for the interstate.

The company also is going out of its way to meet with landowners very early in the process. A recent meeting drew more than 100 people.

Winona County Board Chairman Dwayne Voegeli told the La Crosse Tribune that local landowners could benefit if they partner with the company to gain a large ownership stake in the turbines,

“If local people benefit from them, you’re going to see a lot more local acceptance,” Voegeli told the Trib.

Other officials in eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin should keep an eye on the EcoEnergy project. If the company lives up to its promises and does the project with the environment and landowners concerns adequately addressed, other wind projects in other areas of the region should be pursued. It’s a natural since many of the high areas of the region consistently get wind.

No alternative energy is without its negatives. That’s also true for wind. Nobody wants to see turbines and transmission lines on the bluffs above the Great River Road, for example. What you would gain in energy would be negated by harming the aesthetics and environment that attract tourists to that road and the area it runs through.

But, to concentrate projects alone the interstate, and other established corridors for rail transportation, etc. could make a lot of sense. It’s time we pursue alternatives in several forms -- wind, solar, biomass and others -- work to minimize the negatives and start moving the region and entire country in a different direction on energy production.

Hello VSN Members and Friends!

Last Chance To Stop Alliant Energy’s Dirty Coal Plant!


The Public Service Commission will be making their final decision to deny or approve Alliant Energy’s application to build another coal-fired power plant on the Mississippi River in Cassville Wisconsin. The experts have had their say, now the Public Service Commission wants to hear from YOU the Wisconsin energy user. Comments must be received by midnight on Tuesday September 30th. We have to stop this plant! Go to http://psc.wi.gov/apps/erf_public/comment/...680&case=CE&num=170 to tell the Public Service Commission that Wisconsin doesn’t need another coal-fired power plant contributing to global warming, producing toxic ash, emitting dangerous mercury and spewing out air pollution.


Just how bad is Alliant’s proposed coal plant? It will:


Emit nearly 3 million tons of global warming pollution annually – that’s the equivalent of adding nearly 650,000 cars to Wisconsin’s roads.
Produce more global warming pollution than coal plants built in Wisconsin 40 years ago!
Create 2 – 9 times more toxic ash than other coal plants. The ash will not be able to be recycled or reused in a beneficial way. Alliant examined Vernon County as a potential site to store their waste ash.
Raise electricity bills for Wisconsin energy users 5 – 6 % a year for the foreseeable future.
Cost over 1.2 BILLION dollars
Make it extremely difficult for Wisconsin to meet federal air quality standards, making it difficult for children, the elderly and asthmatics to breath.
Contaminate our lakes, rivers and streams with mercury pollution that makes fish from our waters unsafe to eat.
Prevent us from reaching our goals to reduce global warming pollution 80% by 2050
Please go to the Public Service Commission Website and tell them we want clean, safe and affordable renewable energy NOW, not another coal-fired power plant.

Fall Presentation Series
 
Join Valley Stewardship Network and Crawford Stewardship Project for a lively presentation from Karen Hudson on "Organizing in Support of Independent Family Farms". Karen lives on a fifth generation family farm in Illinois. A graduate of Illinois State University with a Bachelor's degree in Education, she is president of Families Against Rural Messes (F.A.R.M.), a grassroots organization formed when livestock factories targeted Illinois for expansion. Karen's presentation will focus on: community organizing and media relations; agriculture policy and regulations; and how industrial farming impacts water, air quality and public health.
 
October 16th
7:30 p.m.
Community Room
Soldiers Grove Library
102 Passive Sun
Soldiers Grove
 
We look forward to seeing you there.

This column first ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

Sparking young entrepreneurs good idea
9/22/2008

When it comes to sparking entrepreneurship, you can't start too young.

The Crawford County UW Extension and Vernon County Economic Development Association obviously believed that by bringing in 20-year-old Ben Casnocha, already the CEO of an e-government technology firm he founded six years ago, to talk to a couple hundred high school students last week.

Casnocha is a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur, author and college student. He founded Comcate, that e-government firm, at the age of 14. He is the author of the best-selling book, "My Start-Up Life; What a (Very) Young CEO Learned on His Journey Through Silicon Valley."

He's been named one of Business Week's best young entrepreneurs and PoliticoOnline's "25 most influential people in the world of Internet and politics." His resume goes on and on, to the point where you believe he must be at least 50 rather than 20.

But, Casnocha's credentials weren't the important thing about his presentation. It was his message to the students from eight different schools in a region of the state where entrepreneurship is strongly needed.

"Entrepreneurship is an idea in itself. Think entrepreneurially," Casnocha told the students in a presentation called "Becoming CEO of Your Life." He told them that entrepreneurship is more of a "life idea" than only a business term.

Entrepreneurs should strive to constantly self improve and seek knowledge, he stressed. They also should take action and not find excuses to not get started on their ideas.

"Do something, then make corrections when you see what you are doing is wrong," Casnocha said. A lot of great companies and efforts start with a "mediocre" idea by somebody who takes "baby steps" in starting action on that idea, experiences some failures and then makes adjustments, he added.

Persistence, optimism, creativity and the willingness to seek mentors also are important for young entrepreneurs, Casnocha said.

His presentation concluded a day in which the students attended workshops on boosting their creativity, business and personal relations etiquette, coming up with business ideas, networking and other topics.

Casnocha's impact on the students was evident during a Q & A session after his presentation. Yes, he got one question you'd expect: does he have a girlfriend? He answered yes to the disappointed female questioner without blinking an eye and went on to others that were very thoughtful and detailed.

His message, and that impact it had on a group of western Wisconsin kids, could be very important for a region of the state that needs creative, energetic, bright young people to stay in the area and start up businesses -- in agribusiness, alternative energy, technology, many other areas.

Casnocha's appearance and the day-long event also demonstrate progress for VEDA. This writer first reported on the organization a couple years ago. At the time, its organizers were just raising funds to hire an administrator. They had some great ideas and a long way to go.

Sue Noble now serves as that administrator. VEDA is planning several things to foster economic development and networking in the region. Its cooperation with the UW Extension is a good move.

Fifteen area businesses and organizations served as sponsor's for the Casnocha event. That coordination of existing businesses in concentrated efforts also could be a big role for VEDA.

VEDA will be most effective if it works with people and organizations within Vernon County and beyond. No county is an island, and cooperating with surrounding counties and their organizations is a wise move.

Bringing in a dynamic, young phenom like Casnocha, to talk to young people who show potential, also is a wise move. Their energy and optimism can be built into the businesses and ventures of tomorrow -- which benefit western Wisconsin and beyond..

At the end of his book, Casnocha concludes: "We have reached the end. I hope I've shown how wonderful an entrepreneurial life can be, what some of the drawbacks or challenges are, and that only you can decide whether carving your own life path is Your Way.

"If you choose to join the legions of 'life entrepreneurs,' there will be people older and younger, side-by-side in the wonderful capitalist framework that is competition, working to effect change, working to make the world a better place."

That's a great message for people of any age in western Wisconsin and beyond.

This column first ran on http://www.onmilwaukee.com

It seems like just yesterday we were reporting tiny Potosi, in southwest Wisconsin, had been awarded the National Brewery Museum over St. Louis and Milwaukee.

Of course, that sparked some controversy in Brew City and triggered a debate over whether Potosi could really be considered the nation's Beer Capital. That didn't matter to the folks in Potosi, however, and today the museum is up and running, with an additional sister museum centering on transportation along the Mississippi River.

The National Brewery Museum is a joint venture between the Potosi Brewery Foundation and the American Breweriana Association. These two organizations have teamed up to create a world-class national brewery museum showcasing a collection of beer bottles and cans, glasses, trays, coasters, advertising materials and other breweriana collectibles.

The museum opened in June and is located within the historical setting of the Potosi Brewing Company building that operated from 1852 to 1972.

Founded in 1852 by Gabriel Hail and John Albrecht, the Potosi Brewery began as a small brewery quenching the thirsts of area farmers, fishermen and miners. In 1886 Adam Schumacher bought the brewery and started brewing beer.

In 1906, the Potosi Brewing Company was founded by Adam and his brothers, Nicholas and Henry. At its peak, the Potosi Brewery had grown to be the fifth largest in Wisconsin, shipping a variety of labels including Good Old Potosi, Holiday, Garten Brau, Augsburger and others to destinations throughout the United States. In 1972 the brewery ceased operations and closed its doors.

The restoration of the Potosi Brewery began in 1995 when Gary David bought the ruined Potosi Brewery Bottling buildings. This nearly one square block of buildings had just suffered a major fire and most of the buildings were a total loss.

In 2000, the Potosi Brewery Foundation was founded and some restoration work was started. In 2004, with restoration underway, the Potosi Brewery Foundation was selected by the American Breweriana Association to be the home to its national museum. Restoration cost $7 million and was handled through the two organizations, donations and grants.

According to Len Chylack, president of the American Breweriana Association, Potosi was selected over cities such as Milwaukee and St. Louis because of the community's passion for beer, brewery history and beer-making culture.

This passion is evident in the museum, with great attention to detail. In addition to the beer museum, the facility includes The Great River Road Interpretive Center, Potosi Brewing Company Transportation Museum and Gift Shop, All are completed.

The Transportation Museum tells the story of how an industrial building on the Great River Road made use of the river, the highway and the railway. Through exhibits and interactive displays, the history of the Potosi Brewery is told through various modes of transportation.

Beer is once again being brewed at the facility. The brewmaster has five beers on tap: Good Old Potosi, Potosi Pure Malt Cave Ale, Snake Hollow IPA, Holiday Bock and Potosi Steamer Hefe Weiss. They also brew root beer.

The restaurant has a unique atmosphere, with a flowing spring below the floor and a real feel of a 1850s brewery. A handcrafted bar was designed by local artist Gary David. This unique piece fashioned out of walnut, maple and oak pays homage to the history of the brewery, and community.

The National Brewery Museum is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The museum also will sponsor various events in the area. Next is the Potosi Brewery Great River Road Bike Tour on Saturday, Sept. 20.

Hello VSN Members and Friends:
 
As the leaves begin to change color, we are excited to begin our Fall Presentation Series.
 
Join Valley Stewardship Network, Crawford Stewardship Project and U.W. Richland Center's Geology Department on October 20th at 7:30 p.m. for the presentation "Karst Issues in Southwestern Wisconsin". Dennis Frame and Fred Madison, co-directors of UW-Madison Discovery Farms along with Maureen Muldoon, Associate Professor of Hydrogeology at UW-Oshkosh will present an informative discussion on karst geology and its effects on ground and surface water.
 
The presentation will be held at UW-Richland Center Science Building - Room 102. The building is located on the east end of campus. Walk across the foot bridge over Brush Creek.
 
We look forward to seeing you there.

This column first ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

 Another coal plant on river raises questions
9/15/2008

A coalition of union, farm and environmental groups has lauded Alliant Energy’s proposed coal power plant in Cassville.

Supporters like the fact Alliant proposes to produce up to 20 percent of the plant’s power from wood and non-food crops such as switch grass and cornstalks.

Certainly, some foresight is being shown by using the alternative sources, and Alliant will create hundreds of construction jobs in building the plant and 40 fulltime jobs at it. All these things should indeed be lauded.

But, building another coal powered plant, along the Mississippi River, also does raise some questions -- a few which are being raised rather loudly just up river at Dairyland Power Co-op’s Genoa plant.

Much has been written in this column and elsewhere about Dairyland’s problem with storing coal ash from its Genoa plant. Nobody wants the stuff anywhere near their backyard, or in the case of Vernon County residents anywhere in their county.

The problem has been created in part because Dairyland is installing scrubbers to make their air emissions cleaner In doing so though, the leftover coal ash contains lime, which limits its recycling possibilities, according to the co-op’s officials.

Dairyland also does not have the space on its own property to land fill the ash. That’s in part because the plant is pinned up against the Mississippi River.

It very well could be that Alliant’s proposed plant won’t have the same ash problem because of its use of alternative sources. They also might have plans in mind for storing whatever ash is produced. But, to date, that potential problem has not been adequately addressed in public statements.

Alliant officials have said additional emissions of carbon dioxide will be offset by initiatives like greater use of energy efficiency and renewable energy. Statewide, the company will offset overall emissions by shutting down an aging coal operation in Sheboygan.

But, what about any leftover ash? Clean Wisconsin and other groups also have raised questions about the increases in costs of the plant -- to what is now estimated at $1.2 billion to $1.3 billion --- and about only “off-setting emissions” when what needs to be done is ‘reducing them pretty dramatically’.”

Hearings on the proposed plant will be held in upcoming weeks. These questions and others should be adequately addressed, and conveyed to the public via the media, before any additional work is done.

Alliant does seem to have a business plan that includes long term vision which takes in the environment as a major factor. Groups like the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation have supported the plant because they promote the use of switch grass, which also provides bird habitat.

It’s also good to see that Alliant won’t further dig into the corn as food supply. Of course, that has become a problem for ethanol plants. But, by using corn stalks rather than the ears, Alliant can avoid the problem.

Alliant might have a chance to build a plant that truly deserves the praise its plans are receiving, and is looked at as a truly green operation years from now.

But, first it has to adequately address some of these potential problems, so it doesn’t have the same problems Dairyland faces today.

Hi all,
Below is our meeting agenda as outlined by Danne and Christie at the start of the season, as always, we will be flexible depending on what we find in the beeyard!
We had a good meeting last month with lots of Q&A from new folks who heard about us at the Kickapoo Country Fair. We hope you will all come back this month, and bring your veils and gloves if you have them, as we have a lot to do to start putting the bees to bed for the winter!

Thanks,
Mandy
489-2162

Hands On Beekeeping
September 20, 2008 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Location, Organic Valley HQ – LaFarge, WI.

1) Open meeting
2) Take attendance
3) Meeting objectives, Organic Valley Colony Management Team (OVCMT) & members
     A) Inspect HOB packages, feed, prepare for winter, mite check.
     B) Packing and selling your honey.
     C) Dinner meeting?
4) Organic Valley Colony Management Team (OVCMT) tasks
     A) Continue feeding, medication, mite control.
     B) Store and protect supers, moth crystals.
     C) Prepare winter equipment, entrance reducers, winter covers, hive wrap.
     D) Begin to install/ adjust entrance reducers (mice)
Q & A time
Next meeting date and review
Close meeting
Show and Tell

Hello VSN friends and members:
 
On September 18, the Valley Stewardship Network is co-sponsoring a free event at the Viroqua Public Market. This is a great chance
to meet and talk with some of our local farmers and hear Mark Kastel speak about industrial-scale farms. Mark your calendars and we
hope to see you there.


 



 

Mark Kastel, Cofounder of the Cornucopia Institute, one of the country’s preeminent organic industry watchdogs, will give a talk Thursday, September 18, at 7 p.m., at the Greenman Music Hall in Viroqua.

 

Kastel, perhaps the most provocative voice in the organic community, will discuss how farmers and consumers can join together to protect the integrity of the organic label. Although thousands have heard his fiery oratory around the country this is the first time Kastel, a Vernon County resident, will speak in the area. This November he is a featured keynote speaker at the Weston A. Price Foundation convention in San Francisco.

 

Will corporate investments in industrial scale farms, monopolistic practices, and foreign imports decouple the organic farming movement from the environmental, animal husbandry and social justice ethics that consumers believe they are supporting? And, in order to protect us from the fallout from factory farm livestock production (E. coli, salmonella), will federal and state government partner with agribusiness to mandate that all fresh food be sanitized or sterilized before sale? Kastel will have some answers followed by a town hall style discussion.

 

Corporate agribusiness and the USDA seem to have one clear goal: produce the cheapest possible food, regardless of quality, and if contaminated, use technology (irradiation, fumigation, heat treatment, etc.) to fix production problems after the fact.

 

From 5:30-7 p.m., prior to Kastel's speech, everyone is invited to break bread with farmers. Several of the area's top value-added agricultural producers will sell and sample their wares in the Viroqua Public Market at 215 S. Main Street. Sibby’s Ozone restaurant will be open with organic ice cream, meals, beer and wine. It's an evening all about the meaning of food and community.

 

The event is free and open to the public and is sponsored by the Viroqua Food Co-op, Kickapoo Free Press, Valley Stewardship Network, The Cornucopia Institute and Viroqua Public Market. For more information: 625-2042 or cultivate@cornucopia.org

I'm forwarding the previously sent message (see below) as a reminder of an important informational meeting with Mike Murray, DATCP, dicussing something we all should be commenting on, as we engage in the public input process with the Comprehensive Planning process in Vernon Co.!
 
See you on Wed. at the Reserve!
 
GT
 
Gary Thompson
WQM coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 South Main St.
Viroqua, WI. 54665
garyvsn@frontiernet.net

------------------------------------------------------------ -------------------

Hello All~
 
Hope the summer has treated you well (minus that June 8 event).
 
I hear bits and pieces of how the Comprehensive Planning process in the area Towns but I think now that summer is coming to a close we need to meet again. In discussions with committee members and Steve (UW) and Doug (LWCD), alot of this is a learning process for all. Some topics seem to be consistent through the Towns in the "I need more information" category. So, we've come up with a list of those topics including but not limited to: Livestock Siting, Water & Septic regulations, Wind Farms, Transportation, Building Codes and Inspections. Steve Ventura and I will match speakers to the topics as best we can and host informational/educational sessions throughout the coming months. In addition, Steve will be in attendance to answer questions regarding the Nuzum Grants at each session & you'll be able to compare notes with your fellow planning members on progress and/or problems.
 
We'll start it off on Wednesday, September 10. Mike Murray, Livestock Facility Siting Program Manager for the Department of Agriculture Trade & Consumer Protection (DATCP) out of Madison has agreed to come and speak (and answer questions) about the Livestock siting law. Let me know if there is some huge conflict with the 10th but I'd really like to go with that date because Mike has a tough schedule. We may add one more of the topics that night if Steve can line up a speaker.
 
The program will start with mingling and refreshments at 6 and Mike will begin at 6:30pm here at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve Visitor Center (S.3661 Highway 131).
 
Please feel free to forward this to others that have expressed interest in the topic. Attached is a fact sheet via DATCP and there are loads of additional publications on their website http://livestocksiting.wi.gov
 
Hope to see you on the 10th!
Marcy

This column originally ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

Coal ash issue will rekindle this fall
9/8/2008

The embers in the Dairyland Power Cooperative coal ash controversy in southwest Wisconsin have been relatively cool this summer, but expect them to rekindle some time this fall.

Dairyland officials aren’t giving any specific dates, but they are expected to choose a proposed landfill site for the ash in the upcoming weeks.

Opponents to the landfill in Vernon County have been gearing up for the next round in the fight. HOPE (Harmony Township Opposing Pollution of the Environment) and ARCH (Asbury Ridge Community for Hope) have kept the heat on as much as possible in opposition to any of the three sites reportedly under consideration for the landfill site.

Signs opposing a landfill can be found all over the county. Opponents also added allies this summer. The town boards of Viroqua and Harmony passed motions allowing up to $50,000 for legal costs in siting of the landfill.

This battle has the potential to get really heated and have implications for other areas of the region and state.

Dairyland, which has been a leader in other alternative energy initiatives, insists some ash from its coal powered plant in Genoa will have to be put in a landfill. Co-op officials say up to 85 percent of the ash is recycled, but a percentage does not reach environmental standards for re-use.

That’s because Dairyland is installing a new scrubber at its Genoa plant, which injects lime into the exhaust. That lime makes the ash unusable for recycling, according to Dairyland.

Further complicating the issue is the Natural Resources Board's recent approval of rules that require utilities to reduce mercury emissions by 90 percent by 2015. The utilities could extend that deadline until 2021 if they can achieve a 70 percent mercury reduction, an 85 percent reduction in sulfur dioxide and a 50 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide by 2015.

The rule does not require legislative approval, but the Legislature could block it. The Assembly's Natural Resources Committee voted to do that, 7-6 along party lines, sending the measure to the Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules. That committee has five Republicans and five Democrats. Blocking the rule would require six votes.

This air rule could force Dairyland to run its scrubbers at the Genoa plant 100 percent of the time in 2015. That could make it even more difficult for Dairyland to recycle all of its waste ash meaning Dairyland could be forced to landfill a tremendous volume of waste.

Opponents to a landfill say all Dairyland will be doing is “trading a landfill in the sky for one on the ground.” Those opponents are just as insistent that the ash could be recycled into inert aggregate and used in road materials and cements.

Some also say gasification is another alternative. Gasification a process that converts carbonaceous materials, such as coal, petroleum, or biomass, into carbon monoxide and hydrogen by reacting the raw material at high temperatures with a controlled amount of oxygen and/or steam. The resulting gas mixture is called synthesis gas or syngas and is itself a fuel.

Dairyland officials in turn insist that the technology for those procedures is not yet mature and costs too much.

So, whose insistence makes the most business sense? The vote here is with the opponents to the landfill. Here’s why.

Any landfill decision is a cinch to be legally challenged. It could easily be tied up for months, if not years, in the courts.

The money spent by Dairyland, and the opponents, on such legal battles could be routed into upgrading the research on the alternative methods for recycling the ash. That would be money better spent.

Plus, in the time that the legal battles go on, the technology will undoubtedly become better refined. So, why would Dairyland want to spend money on development of a landfill that might be outdated by the time it would be completed?

Even if the new air rules do remain in place, the technology should be able to handle larger volumes of ash by 2015.

Finally, Dairyland has never actually released figures on the costs of the alternative methods, and has never surveyed its customers -- who also are the actual owners of the company since it is a co-op -- on how much more they would be willing to pay on their electric bills to help pay for the alternative methods.

The results of such a survey might be surprising, since many people in the region understand that one mistake which leads to leaching from the landfill could endanger trout streams and prime farm land that are downstream from the proposed landfill sites.

Dairyland officials will argue they are basing their need to put the ash in a landfill on sound business criteria. But, on this issue, their criteria could be outdated. Missing is the legitimate concern about the environment, which is doubly important in the region because of its karst geology and hilly terrain.

Again, Dairyland can gear up for a fight and have its reputation smeared as a polluter and a business that rode roughshod over concerned members of the public. Or, it can actively pursue the recycling and re-use alternatives and become known as a true innovator throughout the region, state and nation.

Which of those choices seems to make more business sense for the long term?

Friends of Jersey Valley Meeting to Restore Jersey Valley Lake
 
A public meeting for Friends of Jersey Valley has been scheduled at the Jersey Valley Park Shelter on September 9th at 7:00 pm. Anyone who has an interest in seeing the park once again become a true recreational facility is invited to attend. Topics of discussion will include Friends of Jersey Valley mission, beach restoration, funding opportunities, and public input.
 
The Vernon County Board recently voted to restore the Jersey Valley Lake back to it's orginal splendor. The action of the board is to be comended! With tight budgets leaving little extra for recreational facilities, the county board needs our help.
 
Now is the time to become involved and help restore the park into a place for all to enjoy. Come be a part in making this park a place you and your family want it to be. For more information please visit the Friends of Jersey Valley website at www.friendsofjerseyvalley.org.

Greetings all,
 
Come join us on Saturday, 9/27/08, for an invasive plant survey on the Kickapoo.
 
River Alliance WI. and Valley Stewardship Network (VSN) are joining forces in a collaborative effort to identify invasive plants encroaching upon native wetland plant species in river corridors.
 
If you need an excuse to spend a fall day paddling the beautiful Kickapoo River, please consider joining us for this effort.
 
Laura Leuders, River Alliance River Restoration Program coordinator, has put together a PDF doc. (see below and attached) with all the details and registration information about this event. Please feel free to post it on your local bulletin board and pass it along to anyone who may be interested in participating.
 
If you have any other questions, feel free to contact me at the VSN office.
 
Hope to see you on the Kickapoo!
 
GT
 
Gary Thompson
Water Quality Monitoring coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 South Main St.
Viroqua, WI. 54665
608-637-3615
garyvsn@frontiernet.net
 
Paddle the Kickapoo and Help Detect Invasive Species

 

The integrity of Wisconsin’s riparian areas is threatened by invasive plant

species. Invasive plants are aggressive and, once well established in the

river corridor they are nearly impossible to get rid of. They can lead to increased bank erosion and decreased water quality, plant diversity and wildlife habitat. It is important to detect infestations early when eradication is

still possible.

 

The River Alliance of Wisconsin is partnering with the Valley Stewardship

Network to monitor for invasive species on the Kickapoo River. Join us

September 27th to learn how to find invasives from canoe or kayak. We

will gather for a brief training then you will be dismissed to float your favorite section of the river to test your new skills and monitor for four key

invasive plants. Participants are asked to bring their own paddling equipment if possible (boat, paddles, lifevests). Please let us know if you do

not have a canoe or kayak when you register.

 

YOU MUST REGISTER IN ADVANCE BY SEPTEMBER 25th.

W will meet at Wildcat Mountain State Park (upper pavilion)

on September 27, 2008 at 9:00am. Duration will vary.

 

 

Directions to Wildcat Mountain State Park:

 

http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/parks/specific/wildcat/

 

Map of Kickapoo River and Timetable:

 

http://165.189.88.235docview.aspocid=10916&locid=115

 

To Register contact Laura at 608-257-2424 x110

or llueders@wisconsinrivers.org

 

Things to Bring:

Pencil/Pen Lifevest Paddles Binoculars (optional)

Permanent Marker Canoe or Kayak Hat and Sunscreen GPS Unit (optional)

This column originally ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

Hoffmann Column: Viterbo summit tackles economic crimes
9/2/2008

Billions of dollars are stolen or embezzled each year from the world’s leading companies due to what now is termed economic crime.

Small businesses and the general public also can be hurt by identification theft, embezzlement, fraud and other crimes. Western Wisconsin isn't immune to the problem.

Small business owners and the general public can learn how to protect themselves from financial misconduct at an Economic Crimes Summit from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 18 at the Reinhart Center at Viterbo University in La Crosse.

The university’s Dahl School of Business organized the event, which will feature national presenters, each discussing different aspects of fraud and tools for prevention.

Speakers include:

** Elizabeth Hiday, an ex-felon who specialized in passing bad checks at upscale stores.

** Tom Ezdon, a human engineering expert from LOCKNET Inc.

** April Riel, a forensic accountant who testifies regularly in high-profile fraud cases in southern California.

** Joan Knothe Stein and Joe Cargel, both of the San Diego Regional Fraud Task Force.

The presenters will share their experiences related to fighting fraud, embezzlement, identity theft and breach of information security.

Event organizers say the summit will provide area business owners, managers, accountants and others with information and tools needed to combat fraud. Business officials will learn to spot fraud indicators and how to put processes into place to prevent fraud, embezzlement and identity theft.

Economic crimes, often also called “white collar” crimes, are on the rise in the U.S. and around the globe. Identification theft has become a major problem -- for victims and the businesses that become involved in their transactions.

This writer and his wife were victims of ID theft a number of years ago when living in the Milwaukee area. It involved telephone service at the time and took weeks to clear up. At the time, jurisdiction over such crimes was a question mark, and procedures to follow for individuals and businesses were unclear. It happened to us again a year later, and we were struck by how much better those jurisdiction and procedures had gotten.

Law enforcement and other agencies have become even better at going after economic crime since we experienced the problems. Wisconsin police, state investigators, and federal investigators commonly pursue and investigate people for fraud in insurance, mail, prescription drugs , securities, credit cards, banking, as well as the passing of bad checks, embezzlement and other crimes.

The FBI, Secret Service, Federal Trade Commission and other federal agencies often get involved in investigations. Economic crimes happening right in western Wisconsin often can be parts of larger crime rings that have international roots.

In the early 1990s, the Secret Service's investigative mission expanded to include concurrent jurisdiction with the United States Department of Justice regarding Financial Institution Fraud.

Also during this time, the Internet and use of personal computers became commonplace and expanded worldwide. The combination of the information revolution and the effects of globalization caused the investigative mission of the Secret Service to expand dramatically.

One of the more common Internet fraud schemes in recent years allegedly involved Nigerians who ask local people to help with depositing money in U.S. financial institutions. The perpetrators of advance fee fraud, known internationally as "4-1-9 fraud" (after the section of the Nigerian penal code which addresses these schemes), are often very creative and innovative.

A large number of victims are enticed into believing they have been singled out from the masses to share in multi-million dollar windfall profits for no apparent reason.

Prevention of economic crimes starts with business people and individuals recognizing when something doesn’t seem right. That’s what the Viterbo summit will deal with.

The La Crosse Tribune and WKBT-TV are collaborating with Viterbo to sponsor the event. Cost of the symposium is $99, which includes lunch.

To register, visit www.viterbo. edu/summit.aspx or call the Dahl School of Business at (608) 796-3360.

c732t

This column first ran on http://www,wisbusiness.com

Cranberry acreage expansion could help region, state
8/24/2008

Wisconsin once again will be the nation’s leader in cranberry production this year. That’s great for Western Wisconsin, and the entire state.

It also is enough evidence to support the industry’s cry for expansion in the region. Cranberry growers have petitioned the Department of Natural Resources to expedite the water quality certification process so Wisconsin can get a jump on expansion over Canada.

Growers would like to expand operations by 28 percent, which could mean more than 1,100 jobs in the state.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has approved a general permit for the expansion, but each cranberry operation wishing to expand stills need a water quality certification from the DNR which regulates the impacts to state wetlands.

No specific lands have been identified by the cranberry industry, but officials said most of the expansion would likely take place in central and western Wisconsin and not impact wetlands. The expansion could involve dozens of growers.

This is big business. Ocean Spray is completing a $50 million facility for its Craisins product in Wisconsin Rapids. The company has invested more than $200 million in the state over the last six years.

“We'll go where the fruit is but we're prepared to make the investment here," said Randy Papadellis, president and chief operating officer of Ocean Spray.

The call for expansion comes when demand for cranberry products is soaring. Health studies that laud the potential benefits of the berries is one driving reason for the demand. International demand also has increased rather dramatically.

Also, Wisconsin is looking at a great year for the crop. The nation and Wisconsin are expected to have their second-largest cranberry harvests ever this fall, the National Agricultural Statistics Service reported recently.

The nation’s cranberry crop is forecast at 6.89 million barrels, up 5 percent from 2007 and slightly below the record set in 2006. A barrel weighs 100 pounds.

Wisconsin is expected to lead the nation in cranberry production for the 14th consecutive year. The state’s cranberry crop is forecast at 3.85 million barrels, slightly above 2007 but 2 percent less than in 2006.

The cranberry industry, like any industry, has impacts on the environment. It takes a lot of water to raise the crop.

Environmentalists have some concerns that expansion of bogs and other facilities for cranberries will negatively affect sensitive wetlands and degrade water quality.

Certainly, their concerns have to be considered. Yet, cranberry growers are, by the very nature of the business they chose, generally good stewards of their bogs, the environment in which those bogs grow and water quality. If they are not, their business won’t thrive.

So, expeditious, yet thorough, certification by the DNR is needed to allow safe, clean expansion of the bogs.

"Agriculture is a huge part of our economy and cranberry growers are an important part of it," said Lee Sensenbrenner, a spokesman for Gov. Jim Doyle, who has met with cranberry industry representatives.

"We want to work with them and maintain a high environmental standard and at the same time look at ways to streamline the administrative burden to help them make an investment here."

Interestingly, in some areas of western and central Wisconsin, the expansion of cranberries could help supplant job losses by the paper industry -- an industry that overall is much harder on water quality and the overall environment.

“I think it's great news not only for our region but for the state as well," Kelly Lucas, president of the Community Foundation of Greater South Wood County, told the Wisconsin State Journal. "The other opportunities that come as a result has significant potential."

 
Hello all,
 
Just a reminder of this listening session coming up next week in LaCrosse. This an opportunity to express your concerns of environmental impacts to our natural resources in Wisconsin and the nation. This public imput session is sponsored by the League of Conservation Voters, who do a great job of compiling public comments and taking them back to legislators before elections.
 
Area residents will be mtg. at the old Dahl pharmacy parking lot @ 5:30 pm. to carpool to LaCrosse. See details of this gathering below!
 
Hope to see many of you on Tues.!
 
GT



-------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------

 

 

From the Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters website - (http://www.conservationvoters.org/blog/?p=137#more-137):

Before you know it, the election will have come and gone, and state legislators will be headed back to the Capitol to begin another legislative session. Will they spend their time catering to special interests, or will they tackle Wisconsin’s pressing conservation issues? And how will they know WHICH conservation issues are priorities?
From polluted lakes and toxic waste to energy use and mercury pollution, there is certainly no shortage of issues for legislators to choose from.
Now that the 2007-2008 legislative session has ended, it’s time to pick the Conservation Priorities for 2009-2010. In order to get YOUR FEEDBACK, we will be holding 11 Conservation Listening Sessions around the state in August and September. If you are a member of a conservation organization, involved in a local group, or simply concerned about conservation, we encourage you to attend and share YOUR OPINION!
Two years ago, after a series of Listening Sessions around the state, local groups and citizen like you helped pick 4 Conservation Priorities, including Reauthorizing the Stewardship Fund–a key land preservation program–and Protecting the Great Lakes from Water Diversions with a Strong Great Lakes Compact. Because these issues were top concerns of citizens, they became top priorities for legislators as well.
If you are a member of a organization, involved in a local group, or simply concerned about conservation, we encourage you to attend one of the 11 Conservation Listening Sessions and share YOUR OPINION!
An RSVP is not required, but would be appreciated.
Minocqua
Thursday, August 7
6:30-8:00 pm, Minocqua Community Center, 415 Menominee St., Board Room–Third Floor (Town Hall building)
RSVP to kim@conservationvoters.org.
Kenosha
Tuesday, August 12
6:30-8:00 pm, 3520 30th Ave, Gateway Biosciences Bldg, Room 120
RSVP to jessica@conservationvoters.org.
Wausau
Wednesday, August 13
6:30-8:00 pm, UW-Marathon County, Room 194, (entrance near Marathon County Park)
RSVP to jennifer@conservationvoters.org.
Ashland
Thursday, August 14
6:30-8:00 pm, Northern Great Lakes Visitors Center, 29270 County Hwy G
RSVP to jessica@conservationvoters.org.
Green Bay
Wednesday, August 20
6:30-8:00 pm, Downtown Library, 515 Pine Street, Downstairs
RSVP to kim@conservationvoters.org.
Eau Claire
Monday, August 25
6:30-8:00 pm, L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library, 400 Eau Claire St, Chippewa Room
RSVP to jennifer@conservationvoters.org.
La Crosse
Tuesday, August 26
6:30-8:00 pm, LaCrosse Public Library, 800 Main St, Auditorium A
RSVP to jennifer@conservationvoters.org.
Sheboygan
Wednesday, August 27
6:30-8:00 pm, Public Library, 710 N. 8th St, Rocca Room
RSVP to kim@conservationvoters.org.
Appleton
Monday, September 8
6:30-8:00 pm, Public Library, 225 N. Oneida St.
RSVP to kim@conservationvoters.org.
Madison
Tuesday, September 16
6:30-8:00 pm, Public Library, 201 W. Mifflin, Room 204
RSVP to jessica@conservationvoters.org.
Milwaukee
Wednesday, September 17
7:00-8:30 pm, UW-Milwaukee Student Union, 2200 E. Kenwood Blvd, Room 181
RSVP to jessica@conservationvoters.org.
You can help make sure the conservation legislative agenda reflects Wisconsin’s strong natural resource values. Come and share your ideas at the Conservation Priority Listening Sessions!

Hello VSN Members and Friends!
 
As many of you know, VSN is planning a Community Harvest Dinner for Saturday, September 6th to kickoff the Eat Local Challenge, which runs from Sept. 5th-14th. Our planning committee has been working hard over the last few months to make this a special event to celebrate our region's farmers and the bountiful harvest of local foods. For one thing, I had no idea how much work is involved in planning an event of this scale. It takes a lot of smiling faces and helping hands to plan a dinner for 250+ people.
 
We are hoping that our members and friends will be interested in helping out on the day of the event. For those of you who love to cook, we need about four-six volunteers to help our chefs in the kitchen. For those of you interested in helping with event set-up and tear-down we have just the tasks for you AND for those of you who would love to put your serving skills to the test, please consider joining us to help serve this wonderful family-style dinner.
 
Volunteers will receive a free dinner ticket for the event.
 
Volunteer Shifts are as follows:
 
Cooking/Food Prep
8am-11am
10am-1pm
12pm-3pm
2pm-5pm
 
Event Set-up, Appetizer Serving
4pm-6pm (10 volunteers needed)
 
Dinner Serving, Event Tear-Down (no dish washing required!!)
6pm-9pm (15 volunteers needed)
 
Please give me a call or send a quick email if you are interested in helping out!
 
Thanks so much,
Jessica Luhning
Projects Coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665
 
(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

This column first ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

 Hoffmann column: S&S layoffs raise eyebrows
8/17/2008

Just a few weeks ago, S&S Cycle threw a big party for its 50th anniversary that brought an estimated 28,000 motorcycle enthusiasts to Western Wisconsin from all over the world.

Just last week, S&S cut its workforce by 60 workers through voluntary separations and layoffs.

The contrast is rather striking, and thus has made the job cuts high profile in the media and among the public.

Some question whether S&S spent too much on its bash, in the long run at the cost of 60 people’s jobs.

S&S officials vehemently deny that. President Brett Smith said the costs of the 50th anniversary celebration were covered by sales of the 50 custom cycles made for the event, and support from the community.

Smith told local media that the overall economic slump has led to a downturn in sales of S&S’s high performance engines and parts for motorcycles.

“In the grand scheme of things, we make a product that people don’t need to have,” Smith told the La Crosse Tribune.

All but two of the job cuts came at the company’s Viola plant, where most parts and engines are actually made. S&S still employs about 195 people at the Viola and La Crosse facilities.

In many ways, S&S had to expect some questions and scrutiny with the job cuts just a few weeks after a rather extravagant anniversary celebration. Smith acknowledged,
“It’s a very unfortunate decision, coming on the heels of our 50th anniversary.”

Smith also said he expected business to rebound as the overall economy gets better.

While the scrutiny of the S&S moves is understandable, the company’s reasons are also very likely valid.

Industries that are dependent in part on fuel sources are hurting. That includes tourism, restaurants, trucking and other transportation, boat makers and most certainly a maker of high performance motorcycle parts.

People throughout Western Wisconsin and the country have been forced to cut back on some of their secondary spending, on things they might like but do not need. The necessities are costing more because of fuel costs.

Other companies throughout the region have had to cut back, and in some other cases lay off people.

It’s just that some companies’ moves are higher profile. In late July, the Three Bears Resort in Warrens announced it may close as soon as Sept. 29 unless it is sold, with the loss of about 244 jobs.

In a press release, company President Edward Van Der Molen said his firm is actively seeking a buyer or buyers for the property, which is the largest Jellystone Park in the nation.

“The process of selling the resort has been under way for several weeks, and we have a number of interested parties in various stages of fact-finding about the possibility of closing a sale or partnership agreement,” Van Der Molen said.

“Some potential buyers are interested in the Jellystone Park campground only, some are interested in the hotel only, and some parties are interested in controlling the entire resort property,” he said.

“The continuing rise in gas and oil prices and their subsequent effect on the transportation and travel plans of Americans has affected our business like many other businesses,” Van Der Molen said in the press release. “It has not been possible to keep growing the resort at its projected rates during the current difficult economic conditions many of our guests find themselves in.”

The Three Bears is not the only resort in Western Wisconsin hurting because of the economy. Several have laid off people. Others might close.

But, when you’re the biggest in the nation, or an industry leader that just attracted people from all over the world for an anniversary, your sale, or closing, or layoffs are bound to get more attention. It comes with the territory.

Good Afternoon VSN Members and Friends,
 
Please check out the press release below if you or someone you know might be interested in a part-time AmeriCorps Farm-to-School position in Vernon or Crawford Counties. This is a very exciting opportunity to get involved with the local food movement! The importance of incorporating fresh, healthy locally produced foods in our local school lunches has never been more important. Please help spread the word! The job description will be available on the VSN website shortly.
 
Crawford and Vernon County Schools to Benefit from Americorps “Farm to School” Award

 

Wisconsin State AmeriCorps has awarded Crawford and Vernon Counties resources to start Farm to School programs with the goal of bringing more fresh, locally grown foods to area schools. As part of a statewide Farm to School initiative, Americorps will provide two part-time volunteers to work closely with teachers, parents, PTO’s, food service staff, and local farmers to procure foods for schools and develop school based education programs with teachers. Farm to school initiatives across Wisconsin include successful projects such as school based gardens, farmer in the classroom programs, local foods fundraisers, fresh food tasting events, and integrating fresh local foods into snack and meal programs. Schools in Crawford and Vernon Counties will be actively involved in recruiting and hiring the Americorps volunteers, as well as setting their own Farm to School program goals, and providing some financial match.

 

While program details are still being confirmed, volunteers will likely be based in Prairie du Chien and Viroqua schools.

Americorps volunteers receive a monthly living allowance of approximately $475/month, student loan deferment, and an $2,360 education award at the end of the service. The statewide Farm to School program was awarded a total of 20 volunteers at 10 sites around the state. The statewide program will provide training and support for volunteers.

 

“Many parents, volunteers, teachers and food service staff have been working hard to start farm to school programs in local schools. The Americorps volunteers will really help us to move toward realizing each school’s vision and getting more fresh locally grown foods into our meal and snack programs” said parent and farm to school volunteer Kathleen Hein.

 

Laura Brown, Crawford County UW Extension Community Development Educator, is overseeing the Farm to School program. If you or your school district are interested in setting up a Farm to School working group or to apply for the Farm to School positions please contact Laura Brown 608-326-0223 for Crawford County or Jessica Luhning at the Valley Stewardship Network for Vernon County 608-637-3615 Applications for the Americorps Farm to School volunteer positions are due Monday, August 25th, 2008. To learn more about Farm to School projects in Wisconsin visit www.reapfoodgroup.org/farmtoschool/

VSN Members and Friends,
 
The Valley Stewardship Network's Food & Farm Initiative is hosting a Community Harvest Dinner in celebration of our region's bountiful harvest of local foods, local farmers and the statewide Wisconsin Eat Local Challenge! The dinner will kick-off the statewide Eat Local Challenge, which is September 5th-14th.
 
The Community Harvest Dinner is scheduled for Saturday, September 6th from 5:30-8:00pm. The dinner will be held at the Viroqua High School at 100 Blackhawk Drive.
 
The dinner will feature fresh food produced by local farmers, a family-style meal prepared by local chefs, entertainment by local musicians and a prize drawing to benefit our area food pantries! Harvest celebrations are occuring nation-wide, here is your chance to get together with neighbors and friends to celebrate our local harvest and to give thanks to the many farmers who provide us with fresh, healthy foods grown and produced so close to home.
 
Those farmers who are contributing to the dinner will talk about their farms and the importance of eating locally. In addition, information about the new Vernon-Crawford County Farm-to-School Program will be announced.
 
We are encouraging folks to pick out their favorite vase or mason jar and harvest flowers decorate their dinner table. There will be a flower display drawing and the winner will receive a gift certificate to Read's Creek Nursery.
 
There are only 200 tickets available so please get yours quickly if you plan on attending. Tickets are $6.00 and children under 3 are free. You can purchase tickets at the Village Market, Viroqua Food Coop or Nelson Agri-Center. You can also send a check to the Valley Stewardship Network and I will send you your tickets via mail.
 
Event sponsors include: Organic Valley Family of Farms, Viroqua Food Coop, Hillsboro Equipment, Inc., Vernon Memorial Hospital, State Bank of Viroqua, Nuzum Building Supply, Vernon Telephone Cooperative, Village Market and Nelson Agri-Center.
 
Please, invite your neighbors to dinner and come and join us for a wonderful harvest celebration!
 
Cheers,
Jessica Luhning
Projects Coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, WI 54665

This column first ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

 Western Wisconsin graziers recognized with grants
8/11/2008

Farmers in Western Wisconsin continue to come up with innovative methods that fit the geography of the region, minimize impact on the environment and meet demands for organic and healthy food products.

Government continues to notice and recognize the efforts with some monetary grants.

A $69,030 grant to the Coulee Graziers Network and a $2,500 grant to the Deer Run Farm organic beef farm near Coon Valley were among $983,000 in grants Gov. Jim Doyle announced last week.

The nearly $1 million in grants is part of the Wisconsin Grazing Lands and Conservation Initiative, which protects land and water through education, technical planning assistance, and research for dairy and livestock farmers.

In July, Doyle presented a ceremonial check for $41,660 to River Country Resource Conservation and Development Council (River Country RC&D) to develop the Chippewa Valley Buy Local Consortium.

That consortium will bring together farms from 11 Northwestern Wisconsin counties and institutions looking to buy and sell local food. The efforts will help local farmers organize collective efforts to sell local food to small and large purchasers.

So, state government is rewarding those who make the effort to be innovative. The grazing efforts in Western Wisconsin make a lot of sense in an area with its share of hills and geology that is prone to runoff problems.

State agriculture officials describe grazing as “a low-cost, environmentally friendly method of farming that moves livestock to a fresh pasture on a regular basis while resting unused pastures so it can grow back before being grazed again.”

The $69,030 grant to the Coulee Graziers Network will provide education about managed grazing to farmers and technical assistance to farmers who need help in starting managed grazing systems. The network includes farmers in La Crosse, Jackson, Trempealeau and Buffalo counties and holds related informational events.

Doyle said Deer Run Farm owner Jim Munsch will receive a $2,500 grant to continue experiments using clovers to provide nitrogen in his organic pastures. He does that work in cooperation with the University of Wisconsin.

“Right now, in Wisconsin, our agricultural economy has done well,” Doyle said. That’s because “we have really attended to basics. And we have really found those areas that have true high value for customers,” he said.

Public demand for organic food, naturally grown food and knowing where the food comes from has helped boost Wisconsin agriculture, Doyle said.

“More and more farmers across the state are recognizing that they can really add value, make better money, by engaging in organic farming,” Doyle said. “And we’re going to continue to support that in this state.”

About one fourth of dairy farmers in the state use some form of rotational or intensive grazing, allowing them to minimize cost of production and environmental risk. To capture those benefits, intensively managed grazing requires research, education and technical know-how.

About half of the state's beginning dairy farmers are using grazing as a strategy for getting started because it requires less capital outlay. These practices are being done at a higher rate than the state average in Western Wisconsin.

All grants are part of the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative, a national effort begun in 1991. Senator Herb Kohl and Congressman David Obey are credited with helping to secure the funds for Wisconsin. DATCP has been administering the grants since 2004. In 2008, the state of Wisconsin is also contributing to the fund for the first time.

Western Wisconsin has become a hotbed for grazing and other innovative methods in large part out of necessity. The hilly terrain and karst geology make the area prone to runoff problems that can make it difficult to raise feed for livestock, and also can lead to pollution problems.

Grazing and other organic methods have helped reduce these problems. State officials and the feds should keep the money coming because in the long run it will turn out to be a good investment, and others can learn from some of the project in Western Wisconsin.

Greetings all,
 
I would like to invite everyone to consider participating in a great fall opportunity in the Kickapoo River Watershed.
 
Laura Lueders, River Restoration coordinator with River Alliance Wisconsin, has secured funds and worked with WDNR staff to design an invasive plant surveying project for river corridors.
 
Participants will be asked to float/paddle a predetermined section of the Middle Kickapoo River, looking for (spotting), recording, GPS documenting, and possibly collecting specific invasive plants.
 
VSN is collaborating with River Alliance on this project and looking for volunteers!
 
At present we are considering either Sept. 20th, 21st ,27th, or 28th. Anyone interested in participating should let us know your availability and preference ASAP, so details can be worked out.
 
What a great excuse to get out on the Kickapoo and enjoy the beauty of the season and this gem of a river in our own backyard!
 
Attached you will find more details of this upcoming event.
 
Hope to see you on the Kickapoo!
 
GT
 
 
Gary Thompson
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 South Main St.
Viroqua, WI. 54665
608-637-3615
garyvsn@frontiernet.net

Good Morning VSN Members and Friends!
 
Don't miss tomorrow night's free presentation by Denny Caneff, Executive Director of the River Alliance of Wisconsin, on the future of the Gays Mills Kickapoo River Dam. "The First and Last Dam on the Kickapoo: Run-of-River at Gays Mills" is scheduled for Thursday, August 7th at 7:00pm at the Gays Mills Community Room. The event is open to the public and is being sponsored by Driftless Speakers.
 
VSN's own Gary Thompson, Water Quality Monitoring Program Coordinator, will provide a brief introduction.
 
Thanks,
Jessica Luhning
Projects Coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665
 
(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org

Shrine could boost Western Wisconsin tourism
8/4/2008

A week of celebration ended Sunday for the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe south of La Crosse.

Hundreds of people, including dignitaries of the Catholic Church, attended and participated in a variety of dedication activities which started last Monday.

Now, tourism officials in Western Wisconsin hope people keep coming to the shrine. It might seem crass to some to talk about a shrine increasing business -- in fact some have protested the financial side of the project -- but the potential for such a boost has been one reason the shrine has been anticipated for years.

Some estimate that thousands per year will come to the shrine. Pilgrimages have been organized by various groups. Tours will be available to the general public now that the dedication week is over. Free tickets were given away for the dedication week, but went very quickly.

The shrine was built in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. As legend has it, on Dec. 9, 1531, an indigenous Mexican, Juan Diego, saw a vision of the Virgin Mary dressed in native garments. Diego told the bishop that Mary commanded a church be built on Tepeyac Hill, the site of the vision, in present-day Mexico City.

When the bishop asked for proof, Juan Diego, returned with a cloak filled with flowers he found blooming in winter during another vision of the woman. An image of the woman was left on the cloak.

The story of the Lady of Guadalupe is well-known among many Catholics in the world, but not necessarily in this area of America. From December 9-12, the Church in America commemorates the appearances of the Blessed Virgin Mary as Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.

Archbishop Raymond Burke, the former bishop of the La Crosse diocese, spearheaded the building of the shrine near La Crosse. Burke, a recent appointee to the Vatican as Prefect of the Apostolic Signatura, was at the dedication week and said, “In all honesty, it’s far more than I had ever imagined, and it truly is a work of God. I can’t take credit for this at all.”

The church is said to have “survived modernism.” It seats 450, has 25 bells in a tower at the top, a crypt church below and eight shrines on the sides with saints along the walls of the church proper.

Materials and artwork for the church and shrine grounds have come from all over the world. Much of the actual work at the site, however, has been done by Wisconsin contractors.

Duncan G. Stroik, professor of architecture at the University of Notre Dame, designed the shrine, and River Architects, Inc. of La Crosse served as general contractor for much of the work.

The church is at the top of a paved trail through woods that includes Stations of the Cross and a Rosary Walk. A rectory adjoined to the church is under construction and will house the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. A retreat and cathecetical center as well as a convent for contemplative nuns are planned for the 103-acre site as well.

A temporary chapel, first class restaurant and other facilities have been operating on the shrine grounds for the last few years. A hotel complex has been discussed in the past and is still included in potential plans.

Controversy has surrounded the shrine. Burke himself has been controversial for some of his actions when bishop at La Crosse and while archbishop in St. Louis.

Some questioned the costs of the project and whether the assets held by the shrine, believed to be more than $30 million, are excessive in a day when that money could be used to help people. A group of about 100 people from a Monroe church protested at the dedication ceremonies.

But, organizers say the shrine can become a retreat and place for thousands to worship. They also emphasize that all costs of the church and shrine has been paid through private donations.

The shrine is set up as a nonprofit organization and is governed by a board of directors that includes Burke, as the founder and president , Bishop Jerome Listecki, head of the Diocese of La Crosse, and other Catholic leaders. The land where the shrine is located was annexed to the City of La Crosse in 2000. Lucille and Robert Swing donated the land.

Most business people in the region aren’t concerned about the disputes. They look at the shrine as an attractive addition to the area, one that could bring hundreds, if not thousands, of tourists per year.

The Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Mexico City draws an estimated 20 million visitors annually. The Vatican Council listed it as the most visited Catholic site in the world in 1999. Another shrine planned for northeast Indiana is projected to draw 2 million per year.

Detractors say the shrine near La Crosse won’t come close to those figures. But, even considerably more modest figures certainly would be a “blessing” in an area where high gas prices, floods and other factors have hurt tourism.

CURRENT BREAKS SUMMER '08
MID-SUMMER '08 WESTFORK SPORTSMANS CLUB NEWSLETTER
Community leaders focused on outdoor recreation
    The proposed Dairyland Power toxic ash dump is a very hot item here. They want to locate a dump next the Vernon county landfill. The landfill is located just above the Seas Branch.It was the breaches of the landfill that filled in the impoundment on the Seas Branch. CALL all your congress people and voice your concern over placing a toxic waste dump over the Seas Branch. The Seas Branch was one of very few streams in the Driftless area that held brook trout throughout European settlement.
Links are listed on our website,www.westforksportmans.org
   Streamside Manners: True Sportsmen and ladies do not crowd one-another. Vernon County alone has over 200 miles of Trout water .Please leave ample space between you and the next guy. Much of our fishing water is on private land. Respect for the landowners will go a long way to maintaining future fishing opportunities. ASK permission if in doubt. DON'T block gates & driveways. UNDER the fence, not over.
   Because of the emerald ash borer, campers are reminded not to bring firewood from outside Vernon County. Cooperation is appreciated.
UPDATED NEWSLETTER - JULY 30, 2008
Update, announcements, Progress report:
 
   Work has begun again on the campgrounds. We dropped the water level 3ft all the way to the Avalanche Bridge. We dug a new river channel and sloped the bank. We seeded in150 lbs of grass seed recently. Last week after I seeded in 100 lbs of grass seed, we had a flash flood. Upper Knapp valley received 5 ˝ inches of rain in a two hour period. That wall of water was 17ft above the Knapp valley floor. All that water ran thru Avalanche. The good news is that the flash flood tore open the shabazz-chamber of commerce hole located behind the clubhouse, leaving the structures exposed. We lost somewhere around 25 lbs of seed because of that event. That's three floods in less than a year!
   There is going to be a hog roast/fundraiser/event on the weekend of September 19-21. Many groups and organizations are coming together to make the event a success. A website has been established at AVALANCHE RENDEZVOUS
   We want to thank our recent sponsors: In no particular order as follows, Wahl Clipper, Wis DNR, Elioitt Donnelly Chapter-TU, Blackhawk TU, Coulee Region TU, David Dornblaser, Crowe Concrete. Your donation is tax deductable because the WFSC is a federal non-profit. If I missed your donation, I’ll include it in the next update-sorry
   Thanks to life member Jeff Stein for updating the big cabin with a new stove and fridge.
   The little cabin will soon be re-shingled. Paint and deck stain are needed next.
   On 7/27, local members tore off the the baseboard in the clubhouse, along with the stage. All the tables were washed and everything got a general cleaning. Our plan is to kill the mold, replace the baseboard, prime and paint to 32 inches and add wood chair rail or a decorative border.
   The campgrounds are fully functional and our hope is that you will use them. Things are beginning to go back to normal. Fishing has been great with the exception of Tuesday. Fish were very shy under the bright skiesz we've had. The DNR has been shocking area streams, studying the after-effects of the flooding.
   If monies come available, our plan is to upgrade and install new electric sites in the area north of the clubhouse.
   Life member John Gribb was here recently and stated that he thought that he saw the best years for the club, I disagree, my goal is to fix the destruction and make everything better. With a little help, we can make it happen! The late Roger Widner told me something years ago-If you have a defeatism attitude, nothing will happen. Westby class of1978 presented me a brass plaque recognizing Roger for his work. The first and only plaque that has ever happen from the class of 78.My mother calls that a life time achievement award. I sure do miss Roger now! Many tears have fallen from many, since the passing of Roger
   That brings up another announcement: Laurie Widner passed her exam for medical assistant with all A’s.She’s engaged to be married with no date expressed. Good for you. Kids are fine.
   All is NOT lost. We will survive and make things better for the enjoyment of all. The West Fork has always been a premier spot to fish, still is, and will continue. Water quality is the answer. We have it. The springs are at record flow level and according to our fisheries senior supervisor, that’s good.
   Monster brook Trout are lurking in the upper portions of the West Fork. The reason is because after the Jersey Valley fish kill, the West fork got lots of nutrients delivered in it that helped. Trout are now eating bait fish, crawfish, massive buglife, without eating themselves. Very experienced fishermen are catching 15-18in Brook Trout right now. Water temps are low for this time of year. Stream flow is also high.
   It’s very important that you forward this correspondence to all interested parties. I’m having trouble with the excel file of memberships and my hotmail account. If the Lee Wolf, DRIFT and all of the upper Midwest can receive this, that would be great. We hope to see everyone in September. Our dedicated staff of volunteers, members and officers hopes you have a great summer.
Trapper
S3550 Widner St
Viroqua, Wi 54665
ps:I still have a 35mm camera that was found in the early season.

This column first ran on http://www.wisbusiness.com

Mother Earth News could help Viroqua business
7/28/2008

If you’ve read Mother Earth News over the years, you probably didn’t automatically equate it with the business world.

Yet, the national publication, which bills itself as “The Original Guide To Living Wisely,” could help business in Viroqua in Vernon County and the surrounding area in Western Wisconsin.

Viroqua is one of nine small municipalities to be listed on Mother Earth News’ third annual “Great Places You’ve Never Heard Of” list, which will be published in its August/September edition that hits news stands this week.

The information about Viroqua was written by author Dave Wann and touts Viroqua’s support of local, organic farms. The article also cites Viroqua’s efforts as a Main Street city to keep its downtown moving in a positive direction. Viroqua’s Food Co-op was cited as another of its strengths.

Of course, these various lists of best places always are somewhat enigmatic, in how they are selected or what criteria is used in selections.

Viroqua, however, can benefit from this designation. Many in the community and surrounding countryside have gone out of their way to carve out alternative, sustainable lifestyles.

Alternative schools have existed in the area for quite some time. Home schooling is somewhat prevalent.

Organic farming has become one of the backbones of the agribusiness field in the area. Organic Valley just celebrated its 20th anniversary with the annual Kickapoo Valley Fair this past weekend.

Cooperatives in general are strong in the area. Many are also starting to work with alternative energy such as wind, solar and bio-fuels.

Artisans and other so-called “craft” or “niche” businesses -- ranging from organic ice cream to customized furniture making -- have been started in the area.

Although Viroqua received the Mother Earth designation, these elements can be found in pockets around Western Wisconsin.

Mainstream businesses do exist and, in fact, thrive in Viroqua and the area. They have done so in relative concert with the alternative, niche businesses.

Some people in the so-called niches already have been coming to the area for quite some time to put their kids in the alternative schools, to become involved in organic farming or even just so they can eat organic, what they consider healthier food.

The designation by Mother Earth News should help more people involved in these niche groups around the country “hear” and learn about Viroqua and the surrounding area. Some will undoubtedly only come to visit and patronize the existing local businesses. Others might actually come to relocate and develop their own niche businesses.

If they are accepted with open arms, and more or less invited into the community, they should add energy and resources to the local economy.

Other cities making this year’s Mother Earth list are: Ames, Iowa; Berea, Ky.; Bethel, Maine; Bisbee, Ariz.; Greenbelt, Md.; Moscow, Idaho; San Luis Obispo, Calif.; and Traverse City, Mich.

Launched in 1970, Mother Earth’s bimonthly issues feature information to save money, cut energy costs, use renewable energy, garden organically and build green homes.

At one time, many involved in business might have considered Mother Earth “out there”, a publication for old-hippies and definitely not fitting with the business world.

But, as the public hears more, and has to live with, high energy costs, expensive health care, tainted food sources, environmental denigration, etc., Mother Earth’s approach has appealed to more people and has become considered “good business“, especially for small businesses.

So, those in Viroqua and that area of Western Wisconsin should be thankful for the designation -- and do everything possible to continue to live up to it.

Good Morning VSN Members and Friends!
 
Mark your calendars for an upcoming presentation by Denny Caneff, Executive Director of the River Alliance of Wisconsin, on the future of the Gays Mills Kickapoo River Dam. "The First and Last Dam on the Kickapoo: Run-of-River at Gays Mills" is a free presentation scheduled for Thursday, August 7th at 7:00pm at the Gays Mills Community Room. The event is open to the public and is being sponsored by Driftless Speakers.
 
VSN's own Gary Thompson, Water Quality Monitoring Program Coordinator, will provide a brief introduction. Please see the attached presentation flyer for more information.
 
Thanks,
Jessica Luhning
Projects Coordinator
Valley Stewardship Network
124 1/2 S. Main Street
Viroqua, Wisconsin 54665
 
(608) 637-3615
www.kickapoovsn.org
 
Join others concerned with stewardship of the Kickapoo Watershed
Become a member of the Valley Stewardship Network for all those who live, work and play in the Valley