A picture is worth 1,000 words

We've all heard it before --"A picture is worth 1,000 words."  Community designers make this a reality.   Dr. Arthur Mehrhoff, of the University of Missouri, explained how pictures can be used in community design at the Minnesota Rural Summit in early May. As an example, the Minnesota Design Team gave community residents where they were working on a design plan disposable cameras with the following instructions: use one camera to photograph things and places that are important in your community and one camera for things that need improvement. Community volunteers and designers used these photos to create collages, look for common themes and help the community understand what people really value about their where they live.

Dr. Mehrhoff explained that when working on community design, visuals really help people understand concepts, and giving people photos or drawings of what their community could look like if they implement the design plan is key. Whether or not your community is currently working on a design plan, asking residents to take photos of what they like about the place they live could be a fun activity with results that can be displayed in a public space for everyone to enjoy.

Building Rural Refugee Connections

It was an overcast windy, cold day when we met Nasra, a refugee services coordinator, in Barron, WI.  Upon entering her office, the bleak weather seemed to contrast with Nasra's cheerful smile and friendly invitation to talk.  We had scheduled this meeting to gain a better understanding of a Somali refugee's life in rural America, and Barron in particular. 

It was through this initial conversation that we learned the challenges our rural refugees face: housing shortage, transportation needs, culturally appropriate food, lack of interest free businesses loans, limited English proficiency and challenges building cross-cultural relationships. This led to conversations with Somali refugees in other rural communities, and finally a unique partnership with the City of Minneapolis.  City Council Member, Robert Lilligren, and Policy Aide, Nimco Ahmed, partnered with IATP to assist rural Somalis in building connections with other communities and share resources to address concerns. 

  A first step was taken a few weeks ago when IATP and the City of Minneapolis (Ward 6) hosted a Midwest Rural Somali meeting.  The conversation began quickly as participants were eager to share their stories, learn more about their fellow rural friends and gather resource information from metro service organziations and one another.  Participants traveled from rural Minnesota and Wisconsin communities to join this conversation, enjoy a delicious meal from Safari Cuisine (a Barron, WI restaurant owned by a Somali refugee) and create plans for future events.  Participants agreed that the next step is to invite all Somalis in the region to an event and continue building connections across communities in the Midwest.

Farming at School

A young woman from the suburbs can't become a farmer, can she?  As a matter of fact, she can, and she is. Dayna Burtness, a senior at St. Olaf College and IATP intern, had never even planted a garden before beginning her college career. 

As a young, energetic college student, a professor suggested she try farming, so she did.  Her summer internship at Foxtail Farm was all the encouragement Dayna needed to know that she wanted to farm.  Instead of leaving school to farm, as was her initial thought, she found a way to do both by starting STOGrow Farm at school.

In 2005, she called the administrators at St. Olaf to ask if she could start a student-run Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm. The answer was a clear "no." It had been tried before and did not work. Not willing to let this stop her, Dayna did more research and behind the scenes work. Soon she had almost an acre of land, an agreement with Bon Appetit (the school's food service provider) to purchase all they could grow and grants to get started. Again, she asked administration, this time with a plan in hand and the resources lined up; and the answer was "yes."  In 2005, Dayna and other student volunteers grew over $10,000 worth of produce for the school cafeteria. In 2006, their tomatoes, cucumbers, herbs, zucchini, greens, winter squash and other vegetables yielded over $15,000.

Not only are St. Olaf students enjoying fresh food at the cafeteria, but they are reducing their carbon footprint, learning about sustainable agriculture in class visits to the farm and creating a model for other campuses to follow. In the upcoming summer, Dayna and volunteers plan to develop a manual for farm operation, host tours of the farm and continue educating other college students and administrators. Just as Dayna shared her story with us at a lunch training session, she and her colleagues plan to share their farm story with all who will listen, and then pass on the farm to a new generation of college freshmen.

For Further Information

Finding a way to establish a market-driven school farm

STOGrow Farm Blog

Farming for the Future

Rural Diversity

Previous blogs have highlighted the importance of immigrants and diversity in our rural communities, so I won't reiterate, except to say yes, we need to value the diversity of our rural areas! 

Professor Katherine Fennelly, University of Minnesota, has conducted some outstanding research on the work and achievements of diversity coalitions in rural Minnesota "Study of Diversity Coalitions in Rural Communities."  A few weeks ago, she presented her findings to folks from various coalitions, immigrant organizations, resource institutions and concered citizens from across the state. 

Some highlights of Professor Fennelly's reseach includes:

• exurban and rural areas are most xenophobic. (i.e. a high percentage believe “immigrants are hurting our quality of life”)
• between 1990 and 2000 MN foreign born population increased 138%, and only 57% nationwide
• Immigrants in rural areas often have lower lewels of education and have higher limited English proficiency as compared immigrants in urban areas

She suggests rural diversity coalitions may choose to focus efforts on educating the white U.S. born community about their new neighbors and improve evaluation techniques for program goals and objectives.  Improving cross-cultural relationships in rural areas can be lonely work, Fennelly says.  Her recommendation is to build a network of institutions, organizations, businesses and leaders in the community that support diversity work.

Fennelly has yet to put her latest research up on the web. When she does, we'll add the link.

Funding the roads less traveled

Imagine heading out of the city for a summer weekend of fishing, boating, camping and outdoor fun.  You can no longer hear the noises of the city through your open window, you see only farm security lights dotting the landscape every mile or two in front of you, finally, you relax, losen your white knuckle grip and then, you hit a toll booth.  A toll road, here?  Yes, that is one idea being discussed for funding rural roads.  An Associated Press article suggests that toll roads not the answer in rural states.... 

Now, rural roads may be less traveled as compared to urban ones but, these important routes are used to move our food from farm to table and bring tourists to rural areas. Rural and urban transportation issues are different, and both need to be funded, but maybe the solutions are not the same. 

For further information on rural transportation

Citizens for Appropriate Rural Roads

Growing Traffic in Rural America: Safety, Mobility and Economic Challenges in America's Heartland

Rural Transportation

The Toll on Rural Commuters in the U.S.