Blog Posts & Stories

My roots run deep in Maquoketa, Iowa. Six generations of Bowmans have called the community home, and it's where I grew up learning the value of hard work. My dad, Hugh, owned and operated Bowman Oil for 53 years. He pumped gas, checked oil, and cleaned windshields with a smile, a true pillar of the community.

The economic boom of clean energy across the Midwest has accelerated the demand for a qualified workforce in a rapidly growing industry. According to Clean Jobs Midwest, more than 734,000 new jobs have been created across the Midwest since 2022, and that number is expected to grow as projects funded through the federal Inflation Reduction Act begin.

En la economía actual, la idea de convertir un pasatiempo en un pequeño negocio próspero puede resultar atractiva. Ya sea la repostería, la carpintería, la jardinería o manualidades, muchos pasatiempos tienen el potencial de convertirse en emprendimientos rentables. Pero, ¿cómo dar el salto de pasatiempo a negocio? ¿Y deberías hacerlo? Aquí tienes una guía completa sobre cómo hacer esta transición con éxito.

In today’s economy, the idea of turning a hobby into a thriving small business can be appealing. Whether it's baking, woodworking, gardening, or crafting, many hobbies have the potential to become profitable ventures. But how do you make the leap from hobby to business? And should you? Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to successfully make this transition.

When Lee Tesdell retired from teaching in 2021, he wanted to become more active in rural organizations, particularly ones focusing on sustainable agriculture and keeping rural America running smoothly...

Rural living has shaped me into the person that I am today. Growing up on my family’s cattle ranch in northwest Missouri, my mother jokes that I was literally “raised in a barn,” as countless hours were spent there doing chores and riding my horses.

Rural leaders working with two Iowa Watershed Management Authorities (WMAs) are taking an important step to improve the state’s water quality by developing comprehensive watershed management plans. The plans enable buy-in from regional leaders and initiate efforts to understand the watershed’s current situation and identify potential solutions to quality concerns.

Sabino and Maria Hernandez share their journey from starting their own food truck business to preparing for a permanent location.

Sabino y María Hernández han enfrentado una buena cantidad de pruebas y tribulaciones a lo largo de su trayectoria empresarial, desde reubicaciones hasta permisos de zonificación y la construcción de un nuevo edificio. Pero la palabra “rendirse” no está en su vocabulario.

Since childhood, Magdalena Barrios has dreamed of having her own farm and running her own livestock business. Through years of hard work, she is now living the life she always wanted. Magdalena and her husband, Vicente Acevedo, own land outside of Lexington, Nebraska. Even when they were first starting, the couple went above and beyond to tend to their tiny herd of cattle, and their dedication did not go unnoticed.

Desde pequeña, Magdalena Barrios ha soñado con tener su propia finca y administrar su propio negocio ganadero. Después de años de arduo trabajo, ahora vive la vida que siempre quiso. Magdalena y su esposo, Vicente Acevedo, poseen tierras en las afueras de Lexington, Nebraska. Incluso cuando recién comenzaban, la pareja hizo todo lo posible para cuidar su pequeño rebaño de ganado, y su dedicación no pasó desapercibida.

It took a year studying international relations in Sydney, Australia, to make me realize just how much I love Nebraska, my home state. I grew up in several small Nebraska towns before graduating from high school in Cedar Rapids, a community I’m still proud to claim as my hometown. The countryside is beautiful, and the people are kind and hardworking.

El préstamo predator es un problema grave que puede devastar a los prestatarios, especialmente en las comunidades vulnerables. Comprender qué es, por qué es perjudicial y cómo evitarlo puede ayudarlo a protegerse a usted mismo y a otros de sus efectos dañinos. Aquí está lo que necesita saber sobre las prácticas crediticias abusivas, su impacto y lo que puede hacer si se ve atrapado en uno de estos préstamos engañosos.

Predatory lending is a serious issue that can devastate borrowers, particularly in vulnerable communities. Understanding what it is, why it’s harmful, and how to avoid it can help you protect yourself and others from its damaging effects. Here's what you need to know about predatory lending practices, their impact, and what you can do if you find yourself ensnared by one of these deceptive loans.

Education, representation, and conversation all mean a great deal to Cynthia Alarcón, and she strives to offer opportunities to explore each of them to her fellow residents of Columbus, Nebraska.

Recently, the Center for Rural Affairs was awarded $62 million to provide technical and financial support to community, rooftop, and multifamily affordable housing solar projects. The Nebraska Solar...

From California to Nebraska, Catherine Medina and her husband came a long way to live out their retirement dreams. The couple made a trip each year to see family in Schuyler, Nebraska and decided they wanted to retire nearby on an acreage. On one such trip, an opportunity presented itself.

Desde California hasta Nebraska, Catherine Medina y su esposo recorrieron un largo camino para hacer realidad sus sueños de jubilación. La pareja hacía un viaje cada año para ver a su familia en Schuyler, Nebraska, y decidieron que querían retirarse y vivir en un terreno cercano. En uno de esos viajes se presentó una oportunidad.

A degree in general agriculture and a desire to explore his options brought Charles Shapiro from New York to Nebraska in 1975. His passion for the practice kept him here to further his education, and...

An expansion of a statewide farm-to-school program that brings Nebraska local food products to classrooms across the state is offering students and teachers an opportunity to learn about and try Indigenous foods.