Winding Down, Week 11

On Monday, Prosperity held its quarterly advisory board conference call. I had the opportunity to sit in and listen to the board discuss current happenings in the agriculture world from different vantage points. Indiana Farm Bureau president Don Villwock called in as a guest speaker, and I am glad I got the opportunity to sit in on the meeting.

Also, as a follow up to my previous posts regarding Sarah’s photo, Hereford Haze – an entry is the ISDA’s annual photo contest, the winners have been selected! Hereford Haze took first place in the “On the Farm” category. It goes very nicely with the other 11 photographs selected, which will be a part of a 2012 calendar put out by the Indiana Farm Bureau and Hoosier Ag Today. And throughout the fair you will be able to see the pictures displayed upstairs in the Normandy Barn. I hope you get a chance to visit the fair this year and see all the wonderful events going on, especially this “Year of the Soybean”.

Following the meeting on Monday, I got to meet the newest resident on the Aubrey property. I had never seen such a young calf before, and she’s about the cutest thing I’ve seen. Her name is A cappella. She’s precious.

Photo by Rachel Bayless

From the Desk of Prosperity’s Summer Intern, Rachel Bayless:

I can’t believe I only have three weeks left of my internship. This summer has gone by so quickly. My next three weeks will be focused on marketing Starting & Running Your Own Small Farm Business and The Profitable Hobby Farm. There will be quite a bit of email and phone correspondence with Indiana wineries and local businesses to try to sell the book at those locations in addition to the current major sellers: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Borders, and Hastings. And at some point in the next few weeks we’re going to try to set up a face-to-face sales call. I’ll admit, I’m nervous! But hopefully I can pick up some sales skills from my internship, as I continue studying sales & marketing.

It looks as though I’ll be working at the state fair for a couple days with the Indiana Office of Energy. I am truly excited to be seeing the fair from a different side. I’ve attended it almost every year, just with elephant ears and snow cones in mind. But I’m looking forward to seeing the agriculture and Indiana-focused side of the state fair and especially seeing the displays the Office of Energy presents to fair-goers interested in Indiana energy. And as I mentioned in my last post, the ISDA is putting on a “Celebration of Agriculture” event on August 17^th. They will also be announcing their photo contest winners, and Sarah’s photo “Hereford Haze” is an entry!

Photo by Rachel Bayless

From the Desk of Prosperity’s Summer Intern, Rachel Bayless:

This week has been very productive in preparing the marketing of The Profitable Hobby Farm. I’ve gathered book excerpts, a press release, and related items that are going to go towards making my very first media kit. The Sarah Beth Aubrey Facebook page (www.facebook.com/sarahbethaubrey) is being used as a book page for The Profitable Hobby Farm and Starting and Running Your Own Small Farm Business. 

After about another week, I will be getting started on contacting businesses and hopefully selling some books. The publishers are not easy to get in touch with. But I’m hoping to pull through and make this a successful project! I don’t want to be a flop at my major, sales and marketing.

Coming up in just a few weeks, the Indiana State Fair begins! I’m looking forward to going this year, after having a taste of the agriculture world. Our soybean friends at the Indiana Soybean Alliance are celebrating their “Year of the Soybean”. Check out this post by one of the ISA interns; take a shot at winning four tickets to this year’s fair. And once you’re at the fair, participate in the ISA’s soybean search, BEANGO (like Bingo, clever isn’t it!), to get some free fair food. And be sure to attend the Celebration of Agriculture event (August 17^th) put on by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. They are announcing winners of their annual photo contest, and Sarah entered her picture “Hereford Haze” in the “On the Farm” category. 

"Hereford Haze" by Sarah Aubrey

From the Desk of Prosperity’s Summer Intern, Rachel Bayless:

Despite having Monday off for Independence Day, last week was a very full week. For me it was filled with researching grants for clients, modifying grant item checklists, and organizing my plans for marketing and selling Sarah’s book.

We’ve been getting our REAP materials organized. Another year done, it is time to update our client questionnaires and checklists and everything else to be prepared for another year of applications. We are cleaning up all of these items so that the process can be easier than even for next years’ clients. While all of our clients’ applications have long been submitted, we’re tying up loose ends and last-minute details to close our book on the 2011 Rural Energy for America Program grants.

This week another newsletter will be going out. It will contain some upcoming grants, events, and a recap on the REAP grants. We also will have an article of this month’s advisory board member spotlight. If you are interested in being added to the mailing list, please contact us.

From the Desk of Prosperity’s Summer Intern, Rachel Bayless:

This Wednesday we attended Greater Indiana Clean Cities’ Alternative Fuel and Related Technology “Day at the Track”.   It was a nice day, and there was a good turnout. Some speakers talked about the alternative fuels that cars will eventually be using more prominently. There was a "Ride 'n' Drive" event, where electric cars were available to drive and hybrid school buses were there to ride in. We didn't get a chance to participate in that. But it was a nice event anyway! 

My book project is currently underway! I have written a marketing plan, which was something I didn’t know how to do before. But that is Erin’s area of expertise, and she guided me through it. For the next week I will be getting together a media kit and some contact information and wholesale prices and serious information to approach my prospects with! I’m looking forward to getting started on the sales. Hopefully I won’t face too many rejections. This internship is giving me a lot of experiences that I know I will be using in my career in the future. Wish me luck on a successful project. And I wouldn’t be any kind of a sales person if I didn’t provide you with link to Sarah’s books.

Starting and Running Your Own Small Farm Business

The Profitable Hobby Farm, How to Build a Sustainable Local Foods Business

We will be closed this afternoon and Monday. From all of us at Prosperity, have a lovely Independence Day weekend!

From the Desk Prosperity’s Summer Intern, Rachel Bayless:

Well, this week has been fun-filled. A new component was added to the REAP Grant application, a CCR registration. All of our clients who thought they were done received brand new phone calls asking for more information. The USDA is keeping us on our toes! While it isn’t a fun process, it is necessary. And it is giving me a lot of time on the phone. Once you’ve talked through the registration a few times it doesn’t seem so bad. Although I spend my weekdays on a computer all day long, and the applicants have other things on their plate, like a farm! But I’m happy that clients are finally calling with questions that I am able to answer! It makes me feel useful.

This week the application for certification to become a Women’s Business Enterprise was mailed. I have been working on that since I got here (over a month ago!). The application requires quite a bit of documentation, and it has been so busy in this office that the process was put on hold a little for us. But hopefully I didn’t forget any documents and Prosperity can officially become a “Women’s Business Enterprise”.  Sarah is also looking to become a member of the National Speakers Association. We must provide documentation for 20 speaking events in the past 12 months. Those will also take some time to get together. But becoming a member of NSA, Sarah will have the opportunity to do a lot of networking and broaden her speaking horizons.

I have also begun working on a marketing plan for Sarah Aubrey’s books. Even though marketing is part of my major at Purdue, this is my first time delving into a marketing experience. Since I have never made a marketing plan before, I’m going to be using Erin’s (our marketing and communications coordinator) expertise to clean it up. I will keep you updated on the progress of book sales. I will be working towards having the book sold at Indiana wineries, farm supply stores, local bookstores, and any other venues where people would express an interest in her books.

Next week, as an office, we will be attending Alternative Fuel and Related Technology “Day at the Track”. At this time I do not know too much about the event. But we may have the opportunity to drive an electric car at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and meet lots of people. Next week be waiting to read more about our experience there, and I will include some pictures!

Photo by Jared Coppess

PROSPERITY REACHES FINISH LINE FOR 2011 REAP PROGRAM

MONROVIA, Ind. – June 15, 2011 – USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) FY 2011 construction application submission period is now closed and Prosperity Ag and Energy Resources (Prosperity) has submitted all applications to USDA. This year Prosperity submitted 66 70 grants in ten states for 2011 funding consideration through this popular program. The energy savings across all projects will yield 41.6% in 2011. In less than four years, Prosperity has secured grants for clients in more than 30 states totaling $50 million; REAP grant applications this year request greater than $2,486,493.22 funding for clients.

Notifications of awards are expected to be announced by late September. Prosperity writes and submits grants annually for energy efficiency upgrades and renewable energy projects. The REAP Program funding is authorized through the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Farm Bill). REAP funding can be used for renewable energy projects, energy efficient improvements, energy audits, feasibility studies and renewable energy development assistance. Information on the REAP program can be found at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/BCP_ReapResEei.html

Prosperity Ag and Energy Resources began in 2007 and is a full-service, funding-opportunities development firm. Prosperity focuses on grant writing, guaranteed loans and general grant administration, working closely with state and federal contacts to strengthen communities, empower entrepreneurs, and foster growth of farms and businesses.