Entrepreneurship
One of the goals of Campti Field of Dreams is to help people see the possibilities that surround them and to assist in turning these possibilities into small businesses. Campti Field of Dreams has partnered with the Louisiana Small Business Development Center to offer free classes on how to create, run and grow a small business. Tallowah Farm is where people can see how to generate income through farming, be it by sustainably producing locally grown food or by using that food to create value-added products such as jams, jellies, cured meat and even goat milk soap. By encouraging people, no matter their age, to create a small business, we can fight poverty and create a vibrant local economy.
YOUTH AGRIPRENEURSHIP
Youth Agripreneurship Summer Program 2016
“Can we come and volunteer tomorrow?” is not what you expect to hear from young people who had just spent the past two weeks of their summer holidays in a youth Agripreneurship class.
The theme of the class was Grow Green, a concept carried over from the NRCS outreach events. The idea of using your backyard to grow food and earn money was not lost on the children.
Both executive director, Donna Isaacs and co-instructor Waylon Breaux are recent graduates of the Louisiana Master Gardener program by LSU AgCenter and quickly put their knowledge to work in the community. Students learned about the importance of soil health, built a hugelkultur bed, started a compost pile, mulched raised beds, harvested produce and planted seeds for their very own fall garden.
They toured Ed Lester and Anderson farm stands and discussed marketing their products. Jim Kilcoyne of the Small Business Development Center shared the basics of writing a business plan with the young participants at the Campti Historic Museum.
During the Lunch n Learn at the museum students read Who Owns the Ice House and discussed the traits required to be a successful entrepreneur. Dr. Chrissy Mogren, from LSUAg discussed pollinators and their importance to regenerative agriculture in the Natchitoches Parish Library (Campti). The class also included daily computer time at the library. Class size was limited to eight of which seven graduated.
The success of the program was due in large part to the support of our amazing volunteers and partners.
Linda Young and the staff at the Northeast Branch of the Natchitoches Parish Library were invaluable. In addition to providing a tour of the library and educating the group on all of the resources available, they provided multi-media technology and facilitated the guest lectures.
Christie Chance Davis, a teacher from Georgia came for the two-week program, provided snacks and sponsored the graduation event even though she had to miss it as her daughter was being deployed to Afghanistan.
Genevieve Matthews assisted with lunch and Gloria Davis helped with coordination, seed planting and transportation.
Save The Date: 2-Week Youth Agripreneurship Class, June 11 – June 23, 2018.
Artist Showcase Supports Local Artists & Artisans
- Genevieve Mathews
- Leon Rogers
- Rachel Shaddox
- Jennifer Dove Cooper
- Elvin Shields
If you would like to share your art or craft with the community, please call Donna Isaacs at 318-476-2202 to make an appointment.
A Great Idea
Spotlight On The Arts: Kick-Starting An Arts Business
Something We Should Think About
