Many out-of-school-time programs have struggled in rural areas, but programs in Clark and Groton suggest that when these programs are run by schools, many of the problems can be avoided.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs can offer a wide variety of benefits to consumers, says Chris Zdorovtsov,SDSU Extension Community Development Field Specialist.
Are low expectations haunting the halls of rural Dakota high schools? I’d say yes, in some ways. But I think there’s also a decidedly mixed message coming out of our rural schools, and it may well be because we in rural places have convinced ourselves that success can’t happen here.
In December 2012, Steve Zwinger’s phone started ringing, with many North Dakota farmers at the other end of the line. Organic corn had hit a flabbergasting $14 per bushel, and conventional farmers wanted to ask Zwinger, an extension agent for NDSU, how they could cash in on organic corn.
In the late 1930s, farmers all across the Great Plains planted trees. After the dust storms that swept away essential topsoil, tree planting was a sign of hope for a brighter future. Today, many of those trees are being cleared away.
Bette Doehler didn’t miss her son’s wedding on Jan. 19. She was there, smiling from her wheelchair, in mother-of-the-bride attire, complete with corsage.
See if you can see what bothered me in the first two graphs of the press release that the S.D. Department of Labor released on Tuesday.
Many rural churches that were established for a different time and to serve different needs are struggling to survive. Some church leaders suggest that these churches might find new energy and purpose in working to revitalize their communities.
Across the Dakotas, rural churches are struggling with declining membership, trying to discern what the next step is for their congregations. Many have found an answer in partnering with another nearby congregation—or perhaps several.
As mainline churches across America struggle with declining membership, rural churches often face an additional problem: The difficulty of calling and keeping a pastor. Cost is a significant concern, but making the math work is just part of the challenge.