Friday, April 10, 2015

Marketing for Success


Marketing for Success: Developing effective marketing efforts to grow your business


On Tuesday, April 14 at 6:00 p.m the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Commission is hosting a Marketing for Success Seminar presented by the Washburn Kansas Small Business Development Center at Dorothy Bramlage Library.

Whether you're a start-up or an established business, marketing is key to your future growth and success. This seminar will help you develop a marketing plan, build your brand, and use your time and money effectively. Special attention will be given to creating and measuring online and social media marketing efforts. Seminar participants will receive resource guides and worksheets to help them in creating a comprehensive marketing plan.

Contact the Dorothy Bramlage Library,785-238-4311, to register or the Chamber of Commerce, 785-762-2632, for questions.

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$25,000 to GPT: Astra Bank Answers The Call



Great Plains Theatre announces Astra Bank as Platinum level Sponsor!

Executive Director Elizabeth Weese and Kyle Campbell Check Presentation

The Great Plains Theatre is pleased to announce Astra Bank has graciously donated $25,000.00, becoming a Platinum Sponsor of the entire 2015 Theatre Show season! 

Executive Director Elizabeth Weese says, “We are ecstatic to have Astra Bank and Kyle Campbell take a leadership role in sustaining the operations of Great Plains Theatre in our Community.” “We have been presenting our belief that our Community deserves to decide if Great Plains Theatre is a vital part of the quality of life in the Abilene Community or not.” “Astra Bank taking this leadership position is a strong vote for what GPT means to Abilene in that regard!” 

We believe that Great Plains Theatre is a treasure in our Community and I am very proud to help GPT continue on into the future, but Astra Bank and other Sponsors like them, are how it will be possible for us to do that!Weese said. “I talk to people about the contributions GPT makes to our Community with our Professional Live Theatre, our Vibrant Youth program and hopefully soon again with our Hometown Cinema, and give them the opportunity to support the programs they have passion in.” “Astra Bank sponsoring our full Six Show season is a terrific start to raising the funds we need to make GPT successful in 2015.” 

Great Plains Theatre and Executive Director, Elizabeth Weese, may be reached at 785 263 4574 or at 311 NW Third Street Abilene, KS 67410 

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Junction City Capital Campaign

Junction City Capital Campaign

Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce's "Junction City First" is an aggressive, economic development business expansion and attraction plan. Junction City First has input and support from the private and public sectors within the City of Junction City and Geary County. The initiative is raising funds to develop and implement increased economic development initiatives over the next five years.

In partnership with local governments, community organizations and businesses, the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce is building a cooperative vision for achieving measurable goals related to specific economic development initiatives: business recruitment and marketing, business retention and expansion, workforce development, enhancing economic development capacity and entrepreneurship.

Junction City First is proving to be a successful capital campaign. The efforts to date have raised
over $1 million toward the $1.2 million goal. As an additional source of funding Junction City First will have a tremendous impact on economic development in the area.  Investors will have the opportunity help guide the direction of future development to grow and sustain the community. If you have not yet invested, contact susan.jagerson@junctioncitychamber.org to schedule a meeting to learn more about how investing in Junction City can help your business.

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Thursday, April 9, 2015

A Local Yarn: A Story of the Shivering Sheep


A Local Yarn: A Story of the Shivering Sheep

by Crystal Bashore

What started as tinkering for a creative little girl, steadily become a passion that fueled a dream. Jeannie Price was only three years old when she first picked up a crochet hook. The desire to work in Fiber Arts has been in her blood ever since.

Jeannie Price Showcasing Her Creations at the the Shivering Sheep
She spent her professional life as a Cytotechnologist and Histotechnologist. A Cytotechnologist is someone who specializes in the study of cells and determining early stages of cancer and other abnormalities on the cellular level. The job requires a great deal of microscopic study and advanced education.  Histotechnologist’s are very fundamental in the detection of tissue abnormalities and the treatment for the diseases causing the abnormalities. They use dyes and chemicals to differentiate. Normal and abnormal processes identify tumors and help aide in the greatest probability of a cure.

It was while leaving to go on vacation, that Jeannie noticed the little shop she wanted for her soon to be knitting store, being vacated by the current tenants.  Even though she was still working a full time job, she was not going to pass up the opportunity to acquire the shop!  After forty three years at the microscope, it was the realization of Jeannie’s dream to retire to her knitting shop. Along with the support of her husband, she successfully opened her store the Shivering Sheep, and started a Thursday night, Learn to Knit Night.  It was just a simple get together for women to learn how to knit in the basement she refinished.  But she was overwhelmingly pleased on how popular her Thursday get together’s had become. Three months later, when she came down to open up, there were woman lined up all around the perimeter of the store.

A World of Fibers
 I walked into the Shivering Sheep with the intention of writing a fact based article on Jeannie’s Spinning wheels, but I realized upon leaving there was so much more than that inside her welcoming little shop.  Don’t get me wrong, the traditional Saxony style Spinning wheel is a wonderful piece of art, and the wheel handmade for her out of aeronautical materials is remarkable. But what truly captivated me was Jeannie’s love for her craft; her timeless dedication of over 65 years of experience. Not to mention, the tedious laboring of twisting, cleaning and turning the most primitive of fiber into a yarn, lovingly hand dying her wools, and fibers with all natural ingredients and generously donating handmade mittens, scarves and hats to local school children.

If you’re looking for a friendly knowledgeable source for all your knitting needs, and the chance to learn to knit for free, why not head down to the Shivering Sheep?


308 N Buckeye Ave, Abilene, Kansas 67410
(785) 263-7501
Hours
Wednesday - Saturday  10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Sunday 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

The Shivering Sheep is a full-service knitting, crochet, spinning, yarn supply & gift shop. We have all the supplies & accessories for the fiber artist. There are finished wearable & accessories, along with home decor & gift items for sale in the shop. Classes for all levels & knitting groups are scheduled. Over 50 years of knitting & crochet experience to assist you.

The Shivering Sheep can be found on the Abilene and Salina Kansas mobile Apps. 

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Sunday, April 5, 2015

A Traditional Farm Life 4-6-15


April 6, 2015

A Traditional Farm Life

By Shasta Hamilton


Greetings from Enterprise, dear friends!  We were delighted to get about a half-inch of rain from a spring shower this past week. An inspection of the garden the next morning revealed bright green potato leaves unfurling from the black earth of the potato patch. 

In the “girl’s garden,” a small plot dug and tended by our girls (ages 10, 7 and 4 years old), sentinel straight stalks of green garlic are shooting up.  This self-started, quite industrious project is even more special to me because the garlic they planted on their own this spring was straight from the produce section of the grocery store.  It was a great example of the rural art of “making do.”

We’re pleased to announce we’ve got a couple Ph.D.’s at our house—Posthole Diggers, that is.  Our two oldest boys (13 and 12 years old) earned the title after digging twenty 12-inch wide and 36-inch deep postholes--by hand--this past week. 

The old railroad telegraph poles for their future round pen for training horses were free from a local farm family, but the boys are putting in their share of sweat equity to make the round pen a reality.  Each boy was given the task of digging ten holes.  It has taken them the better part of several days this week, but they have made it down to their 36 inches, or in some cases only to 30 inches when they hit the shale bed.  Before long the fruits of their labors will be visible, and it is our hope that they will have also learned the value of hard work and the pleasure of reaching and completing a goal.

The Abilene Christian Women’s Coffee invited me to be their “featured guest” at their monthly meeting Thursday morning.  It was an enjoyable opportunity to tell over one hundred smiling faces about our little Mom and Pop restaurant venture here in Enterprise.  An added bonus was meeting another weekly newspaper columnist, Mrs. Doris Schroeder of Hutchinson.  I’ve had the pleasure of reading her column, “Remember When” in the Hutchinson News and it was a treat to meet her and her husband John.

The final round of the Sunflower State Flour Showdown was Thursday evening at The Buggy Stop.  I substituted about half of the Hudson Cream flour in a batch of cinnamon rolls with the last of the Handcrafter’s flour from Farmer Direct Foods, Inc.  Early reports were encouraging as once again they rose well and baked beautifully, but a taste test revealed a slight difference in texture.  Unfortunately, they were slightly less tender than normal.  Hudson Cream Flour’s “short patent” all-purpose flour is known for its role in making tender baked goods, so I guess I better stick with the Hudson Cream Flour for the cinnamon rolls as well. 

At this point the lean artisan breads the Handcrafter’s flour would be best for don’t fit into our business plan, but someday we would like to build a traditional brick oven/smokehouse combination here on the farm.  If you know of anyone that has an example on their own farm, please contact us at The Buggy Stop number below.  If possible, we would like to come take a look at how one was built.  These relics of the past are by and large extinct, but if the bones are still in your backyard, perhaps enough clues would be left to document how to build one anew.  We would very much like to learn the art of traditional brick oven baking and meat smoking.

We were talking pies this week with a customer and the subject of Lemon Pie came up.  My favorite recipe is like lemonade in a crust, and oh, so easy.  To get started you’ll need a fully baked pie shell, purchased or homemade.  From there it’s a piece of cake—umm, I mean, easy as pie!

Lemon Pie

1 pie shell (9”), pre-baked
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice (ReaLemon)
5 tablespoons cornstarch
4 egg yolks
1-1/2 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon lemon extract
meringue, whipped cream or
Cool Whip

Combine sugar and cornstarch in heavy saucepan.  Add lemon juice.  Beat in egg yolks.  Gradually whisk in boiling water.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly.  Remove from heat and add butter and lemon extract; whisk until butter is melted.  Pour into baked shell and top with meringue if you’re ambitious, or cover and chill for whipped cream if you’re not--like me.

[Test Kitchen Tips:  If you have one, a flat-bottomed whisk is very handy for this recipe.  I use mine from the start to combine the sugar and cornstarch, and from then on to easily whisk in the remaining ingredients and keep the pie filling smooth as it cooks. 
If you are chilling the pie for whipped cream or Cool Whip, place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the hot filling after pouring it into the pie shell.  This will prevent a “skin” from forming on top during the chilling process.]

Shasta is a fifth generation rural Kansan now residing in Enterprise, Kansas.  She and her husband own and operate The Buggy Stop Home-Style Kitchen with their six home-schooled children.  You can reach The Buggy Stop by calling (785) 200-6385.


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