So we are sharing stories about seemingly crazy, funky businesses that work! See Funky Global Business and Funky Business II here.
Business does not have to be drab… hard work… or the same thing as everyone else’s business.
You really can do what you love as shown by this excerpt from the August 27, 2009 New York Times magazine by Chirstine Muhlke entitled : Field Reports: Losing the family farm is a familiar story. Getting it back less so.
This photo from the New York Times Magazine by David La Spina shows Marty and Will Travis harvesting squash blossoms.
The excerpt continues: Though the Travises never set out to be farmers, in the five years since they started gathering wild ramps from a cousin’s woods — he had asked them to help get rid of the invasive weed — their Spence Farm has come to sell produce that is obscure or nearly extinct to Chicago’s best restaurants. In saving their central Illinois farm, they’ve managed to save some American crops too.
They sold more than 4,000 pounds of ramps that first spring. The next year they were selling to chefs whom they met through a farming nonprofit. “We slowly went from gardening into full-scale farming, which is a whole different issue,” Kris, a trim, bright-eyed woman with cropped hair, told me. “When you start doing 1,500 squash blossoms a week, you’re not talking 10 plants.”
Chefs who want ramps and Galápagos tomatoes are not looking for the usual edible suspects. The Travises immediately caught on. “One of our passions is to find the new and exciting thing that you can’t get anywhere else,” Kris says. The couple scour seed catalogs and Seed Savers Exchange online to find unusual varieties like popping sorghum. They comb the woods and fields for things like green pine cones (which the chef at Tizi Melloul freezes and grates into butter) and papaw. They bag weeds, like purslane and stinging nettle, that other farmers spray. “Radish-seed pods — we sell the dickens out of them!”
The Travises’ corn-and-soybean-growing neighbors think they’re crazy to harvest such oddball crops. Yes, they have corn and beans, but neither will be made into fuel or feed. Take the Kickapoo bean. A distant relative sent Marty a package of seeds, asking if he grew the legume. It turns out that the chief of the Kickapoo tribe had given Marty’s fourth-great-grandfather the seeds when he settled the land, and they had been passed down through the generations. Now the Kickapoo bean is flourishing again on Spence Farm.
Their most-sought-after crop is white Iroquois corn, which they’ve helped bring back from near extinction. This year, he says, he hopes to produce at least 1,000 pounds of oak-roasted, coarsely ground white cornmeal, which has a forthright sweet-corn flavor and a slight smokiness that has chefs across the country scrambling for Bayless’s leftovers.
Sitting on the now-solid porch of his pristinely rehabilitated farmhouse, Marty points out that his original goal was to share history, not live it.
Ecuador offers small farming opportunities everywhere. Corn…
Potatoes. These farmers use very steep terraced land.
Blackberries are a big business… made into syrup and juice also and…
sold at local markets.
We love our farm and our horses… Lucy is a real Appaloosa and is the boss of the herd.
Blaze is the oldest and clever one. If there is a hole in the fence, he’ll always find it… or make one.
Our mallards come and go but…
we could raise and sell them… along with vegetables in the greenhouse.
and sunflowers, plus…
plus
Heritage apples we have all over the farm, and…
eggs. The flock just keeps growing!
Plus goose eggs can be turned decorative.
If you can get them!
Christmas trees are the biggest commercial crop in our county. Here is our neighbor’s trees just over our fence line.
We do not like what this growing does to the land so are looking at sustainable, value added timber instead…
We have a lot of huge… old, virgin timber…
that is dying due to a blight… so we can make something of this for our Blueridgecrafts business.
All can be sold at the farmers’ market in West Jefferson.
Like the Travises above, we are not farmers… but we can have fun and add income to support our lifestyle… because we understand that with a funky business attitude… you can do anything you love.
Gary
Join Merri, me, my webmaster to learn more on developing an internet business and more Feb. 11-14 at our International Investing & Internet Business seminar, in Mt. Dora.
You can also join our group and travel to Ecuador after the Mt. Dora seminar.
Feb. 15-16 Travel to and visit Quito
Feb 17 Travel to Manta
Feb. 18-19 Coastal Real Estate Tour
Feb. 20 Travel to Cotacachi
Feb. 21-22 Imbabura Real Estate Tour
Feb. 23-24 Quito-Mindo Real Estate Tour
Feb. 26-27 Cuenca Real Estate Tour
Cheap Ecuador air fares make it less expensive to get to Ecuador than ever before… plus there is still time to enjoy great Ecuador tour savings at a discount.
Monthly payments can now be made to attend our Ecuador tours. See below.
Join the International Club and start attending our seminars and tours in February.
Along with cheap Ecuador air fares there are really incredible Ecuador tour savings if you plan to attend six seminars or tours any time in all of 2010.
Our 2010 International Club membership allows you and a guest to attend as many of the 51 courses and tours we’ll sponsor and conduct in 2010 (fees would be $38,452 for all these courses individually).
The 2009 club fee was only $2,999. Because we have added four extra south Ecuador beach tours, the 2010, International Club fee rises from our 2009 enrollment to $3,500 on January 25th 2010.
Enroll in the International Club now at the original fee of $2,999. Save $501.
International Club 2010 monthly payments.
Attend our 52 investment, business, Spanish, real estate and export, courses and tours in 2010 with one small enrollment fee of $2,999.
Because holiday expenses often tighten the winter cash flow, you can enroll with three monthly payments… $1,025 in January… $1,025 in February and $1,025 in March 2010.
International Club 2010 Membership $2,999 Enroll here
International Club Three Monthly Payments of $1,025
Here are the 51 courses and tours you can attend free. Plus there is even one more savings you will see below.
Feb. 11-14 Quantum Wealth Florida -International Investing & Internet Business, Mt. Dora, Fl.
Feb. 15-16 Travel to and visit Quito
Feb 17 Travel to Manta
Feb. 18-19 Coastal Real Estate Tour
Feb. 20 Travel to Cotacachi
Feb. 21-22 Imbabura Real Estate Tour
Feb. 23-24 Quito-Mindo Real Estate Tour
Feb. 26-27 Cuenca Real Estate Tour
Mar. 11-14 Super Thinking + Spanish Course, Mt. Dora, Fl.
Mar. 15-16 Travel to Quito and Andes
Mar. 17-18 Imbabura Real Estate Tour
Mar. 19-20 Cotacachi Shamanic tour
Mar. 22-23 Coastal Real Estate Tour
Mar. 25-26 Cuenca Real Estate Tour
Mar. 28-29 South Coast Real Estate Tour
Apr. 12-15 Ecuador Export Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Apr. 17-18 Imbabura Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Apr. 20-21 Coastal Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Apr. 23-24 Quito-Mindo Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Apr. 26-27 Cuenca Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
May 13-14 Ecuador Shamanic Minga ($499 or couple $749)
May 16-17 Imbabura Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
May 19-20 Coastal Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
May 22-23 Quito-Mindo Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
May 25-26 Cuenca Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
May 28-29 South Coast real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
June 24 Quantum Wealth North Carolina
June 25-27 International Investing and Business North Carolina ( $749 or couple $999)
June 28-29 Travel to Ecuador and Andes
June 30-Jly 1 Imbabura Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
July 3-4 Coastal Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
July 6-7 Quito-Mindo Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
July 9-10 Cuenca Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Sept. 3-6 Ecuador Export Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Sept. 8-9 Imbabura Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Sept. 11-12 Coastal Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Sept. 14-15 Cuenca Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Sept. 17-18 Ecuador Shamanic Minga ($499 or couple $749)
Sept 20-21 South Coast Real Estate tour ($499 or couple $749)
Oct. 7 Quantum Wealth North Carolina
Oct. 8-10 International Investing & Business North Carolina ($749 or couple $999)
Oct. 11-12 Travel to Quito and Andes
Oct. 13-14 Imbabura Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Oct. 16-17 Coastal Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Oct. 19-20 Quito-Mindo Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Oct. 22-23 Cuenca Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Nov. 4-7 Super Thinking + Spanish Course Florida ($749 or couple $999)
Nov. 8-9 Travel to Quito and Andes
Nov. 10-11 Imbabura Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Nov. 13-14 Coastal Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Nov. 16-17 Quito-Mindo Real Estate ($499 or couple $749)
Nov. 19-20 Cuenca Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Nov 22-23 South Coast Real Estate Tour (($499 or couple $749)
Dec. 3-5 Ecuador Shamanic Mingo ($499 or couple $749)
Dec. 7-8 Imbabura Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Dec. 10-11 Coastal Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Dec. 13-14 Quito-Mindo Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
Dec. 16-17 Cuenca Real Estate Tour ($499 or couple $749)
If you join the International Club, the entrance fee for 2010 is $2,999 (until January 2010). Your attendance fees at all courses will be waived. You and your guest can attend courses worth $40,947.
You can calculate the savings as our schedule of all 2010 courses is shown below.
Arrival dates are always one or two days earlier. Please double check with us before booking flights.
I invite you to be a member of the International Club which allows you and your guest of your choice to attend all of these courses which are valued at $38,452!
International Club 2010 Membership Enroll here
You may well wonder why I would make such an offer and ask why the cost is so low? Let me answer this question frankly and from the heart.
First, it helps us do a better job for you. We feel greatly enriched when we can really help our clients improve their lives. We have learned through years of experience the best way to do this is to meet with you regularly. We can best help you learn how to improve your health and wealth through continual expansion of knowledge.
Second, we gain enormous fulfillment from the many friendships we form through the years. Our friends have enriched our lives tremendously. Let me explain this in more detail.
As a member, you will be part of our international family that meets intensively over the next year to examine ways we can make our lives better. Our goal is beyond just having money. Our goal is to have quantum wealth… good health… wealth and fulfillment through service.
Though I give all course delegates my very best, I cannot help but to do a better job for those who come again and again. As we meet often; your particular wants, needs and desires become clear, and it is easier for me to point you in the right direction.
Another phenomenon is that repeat delegates help each other! They get to know one another, help each other learn, share their insights, make contacts and gain more wealth.
Out associates in Ecuador, are experienced business people who live or work and conduct our real estate and export courses. They can also act as your local backup for the business.
Lifestyle for Two. There is more! I have learned at my courses that many repeat delegates were couples.
We want couples! As a member of the program, you are entitled to bring another person to every single course or tour. The cost for that extra person will be ZERO! You can bring whomever you wish. Bring your spouse, a friend, son or daughter, partner, accountant, adviser. You can bring the same person each time or a different person, whomever you choose to accompany you. (Accommodations and air fares relating to the courses are not included for members, delegates or their guests.)
Won’t you join us in this exciting club and share Merri’s and my lifestyle for the next year? We look forward to seeing you at as many courses as possible and sharing this wonderful world of abundance and well being with you!
Gary
International Club 2010 Membership $2,999 Enroll here
International Club Three Monthly Payments of $1,025
