ORIGINALLY WRITTEN
“How to Make More Money on Your Farm or Ranch” will be the topic of a two-day encore presentation of an economic-development presentation Friday, Oct. 22, and Saturday, Oct. 23, at the Tampa Senior Center.
The Flint Hills Resource Conservation & Development, Marion County Advisory Board and Tampa Community Association, sponsors of the seminar, will again feature Remelle Farrar, Canadian, Texas, whose efforts support rural economic diversification with ag tourism and outdoor-based recreation.
The Texas Prairie Rivers project extends into northwest Texas, the Oklahoma Panhandle, southern Colorado and several southwestern Kansas counties.
Texas Prairie Rivers is a blend of agricultural interests that complement conservation measures and improve local and regional economic conditions.
The ideas behind the model of grassroots revitalization currently correspond to the value-added agriculture and ag-tourism initiatives for rural development from the Kansas Department of Commerce.
The state agency has set an eye on specific ag-tourism developments in the Flint Hills region.
Farmers and ranchers from throughout the region are exploring new ways to supplement income on the farm while tourism professionals and community leaders seek additional ways to increase visitation and support for community programs that expand the viability of the area.
Farrar, the presenter for the seminar, is director of community development for Canadian and Hemphill County in Texas. She also is director of Texas Prairie Rivers Region, Inc., a 15-county regional partnership providing conservation, education and economic opportunities through sustainable rural development and nature tourism.
Canadian Texas serves as a model for “jump starting” additional farm incomes, small-town jobs, preserving history and creating millions of dollars in private investments.
In Marion County, Peggy Blackman, chairman of Flint Hills RC&D Council and Marion County Advisory Board said the two-day event will give farmers, ranchers and community leaders the opportunity to look at the full potential for our local and regional future.
“It’s about opportunity and growth,” Blackman said. “We know the needs of our communities better than anyone else and we have a stake in working toward a better future through our grassroots efforts and partnerships that serve our needs.
“Those partnerships will always include agriculture in sync with our unique natural resources and how it all relates back to the economic health of our communities.
“It’s all the parts that we like about our history and our present lifestyle and that’s what we want to live on.”
Tampa Mayor Jim Clemmer said the efforts of the Texas Prairie Rivers project demonstrates the possibilities for his area.
“We’re a very small place on the map, but we have a couple things going for us,” he said. “We have a big heart, we have an annual celebration and we have deep wagon ruts on the Santa Fe trail which ran right through here.
“When we bring all that together with our local people and find ways to work with others in the area-we’re talking about new things for Tampa someday.”
To register for the seminar, call Marion Chamber of Commerce at 620-382-3425. Cost of registration is $10 and includes a chuckwagon dinner, continental breakfast and seminar materials.
The meeting times are: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Friday, followed by the chuckwagon dinner; 8 a.m., Saturday, continental breakfast, with the seminar lasting until noon.
