Mark Haner, Small Business Sales Manager at Yahoo! is the featured luncheon speaker at this year’s GROW Nebraska MarkeTECH.  We will have you all saying “Who knew?” shouting Yahoo! by the end of his presentation.  Join us for the day and learn about some of the tools available to help you establish, maintain or grow your small business online. Mark will share a special focus on the benefits received by most small businesses when they use these tools.

Is your business struggling with technology?

• Do you want to learn the secrets of successfully using technology for your business?
• Do you understand how to use social media to reach current and potential customers?
• Do you want to network with other small businesses and learn how they are using technology to increase their sales?
• Do you want to maximize your marketing efforts?

Come to GROW Nebraska’s MarkeTECH conference to learn all of this and more from presenters who have used technology to grow their own businesses or assist other businesses to grow.  Learn how Preferred Popcorn, a 15 year old company, now sells Nebraska popcorn to 60 countries.  Just another great example of the learning opportunities found at the conference.

MarkeTECH – Connecting Marketing and Technology  will be held at the Thompson Center at UNO from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm on Wednesday, June 12,  2013.  Registration is $50 for GROW Nebraska and Omaha Chamber members.  Non-member rate is $99 with a special student rate of $25.   Seating is limited.  This year the conference is co-hosted by the Omaha Chamber of Commerce.  Sponsors include the Nebraska Lottery , US Bank, Constant Contact and JB’s Fat Boy.

GOLD SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSOR

BRONZE SPONSOR

For more information or to register, go to www.grownebraska.org

GROW Nebraska:  “Connecting Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs to the Global Marketplace”

Theer Creative, LaVista, NE - Lonnie Theer creates and decorates wooden boxes in the contemporary style using laser and rotary engraving. Designs include but are not limited to hearts, flowers, eagles, and hunting scenes. Choose from a variety of woods. Custom designs available.

 

Tri Valley Health Systems, Cambridge, NE - Nestled in the scenic valleys created by the Republican River, Medicine Creek, and the Beaver Creek, you’ll find Tri Valley Health System. From their hospital located in Cambridge, Nebraska, to the medical clinics throughout the valleys, and the assisted living facility, you and your family’s quest for healthier, happier lives will draw you here with us. They offer a hospital, 3 medical clinics, retirement living, assisted living, long term care, specialty clinics, massage spa, cardio rehab, and more. Check out their web site for all the different ways they can serve you. Also visit their Treasure Gift Shop located at the hospital.

BeeHaven Farm Roadside Market, Harrisburg, NE - BeeHaven Farm Roadside Market carries locally grown meats and produce, artisan cheeses and gifts, free range eggs and handmade jams, jellies and spice mixes. Their goal is to encourage you to experience the great products that can be found right in the Panhandle of Nebraska. All of their vendors are visited so that they can be assured that they are using humane, earth friendly practices. Open 7am-7pm daily.

 

Nebraska Business Development Center, Lincoln, NE - For 35 years the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) has been providing management and technical assistance to businesses in Nebraska. NBDC consists of four programs partially funded by federal grants and its professional education program. No other program of its kind has such a broad base. It includes the small business development center (SBDC) program of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the procurement technical assistance center (PTAC) program of the Defense Logistics Agency, the manufacturing extension partnership (MEP) of the National Institute of Standards and Technology and the pollution prevention resource information center (P2RIC) of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Double K Popcorn, Valentine, NE – Double K Popcorn is grown in the heart of the Nebraska Sandhills where the semiarid climate, warm sunny days, cool nights & fertile well drained soils combine to produce gourmet popcorn that pops light & fluffy. This is a family farm operation that takes pride in producing a quality food product for everyone to enjoy!

Pixi Chix, Lincoln, NE - Pixi Chix is a custom design boutique. Design clothing using their special applique technique. Express yourself, support your team, school, dance, cheer, sport, or club, on a shirt, jacket, pant, blanket, onesie, tank & more. Trunk shows available.

Charmed Market, Fremont, NE - They want to be your partner when it comes to shopping for your unique gift. At their store, they offer a great selection of high quality, handcrafted items. They want to see what you make too! Contact Jennifer if you want to set up your booth and start making extra money. With many years spent in the craft fair industry and their close relationships with their customers, the team at Charmed Market will spend time getting to know what’s important to you, so they can deliver you the best gift and decor time and time again.

GROW Nebraska™ is an Entrepreneurial Service Organization, which is membership-based and driven. GROW helps maximize the state’s entrepreneurial spirit and build the global reputation of Nebraska businesses by providing “entrepreneurial coaching” and market access opportunities to its members. To learn more about GROW Nebraska and Nebraska entrepreneurs and businesses, visit the GROW Web site at www.grownebraska.org

There is a tradition each spring in this part of Nebraska.  The annual cattle branding event is a sign of the transition from one chapter to another each year in the ranching world.  Living in an area where cattle are required to carry a brand is a unique experience.  Each brand carries such significance in its appearance and location, and every operation determines how that branding takes place.

At our ranch, branding happens the first weekend in May.  Over the years, our number of cattle have increased, turning it into an all day event with many hands needed.  We move all the cow/calf pairs into a large corral, work quickly to sort the cows out of the corral, and then assemble our horsemen and women and wrestlers, and shot givers, and data recorders and get to work.  Our objective is simple.  We try to rope and drag the calves to the wrestlers, quickly brand them, evaluate them for sickness, give them their shots and record their information and get them back on their feet and to their mothers in a short amount of time.  This ensures that we limit the amount of stress placed upon these calves, and that helps them stay healthy.

Along with the work, we laugh and joke, and make light of the back-breaking work.  Friends and family gather for this tradition, and at the end of the day we enjoy a feast to celebrate our labors, and give thanks to God for His provisions for our ranch.  The cattle are the lifeblood of our operation.

This year we were honored to have two staff from the Lincoln Journal Star follow us through our branding day.  Also, we were joined by family and friends that traveled from afar to take part.

We now turn our attention to sorting the pairs into smaller bunches and preparing the fences and water systems so that all cattle may go to their summer pastures.  We have been blessed with some moisture the past few weeks, but it is only a drop in the bucket in efforts to replenish the damage of the drought.  Difficult decisions stand in front of all cattle producers this year, but we are united in knowing that we may lean on one another in this great state.  We are grateful to live and work in Nebraska, a state that supports and encourages its Ag community.

Article Origination:

• Article originally posted on “Her View From Home”
• Author: Leah Peterson @ Cooksley’s Clear Creek Farm

A big draw for the annual tour & seminar is the noon meal prepared by Fayne Petersen of Creative Cuisine Catering. Chéz Fayne uses Grain Place Foods grains in salads and casseroles, Grain Place grass-fed beef and local produce to create the tantalizing feast for the event.

This year our we will hear from featured speaker Dr. Francis Thicke.  Thicke, with his wife Susan, owns and operates an 80-cow, grass-based, organic dairy near Fairfield, Iowa.  They process their milk on the farm and market their dairy products through grocery stores and restaurants in Fairfield.  Francis has a Ph.D. in soil fertility and has served as National Program Leader for Soil Science for the USDA-Extension Service in Washington, D.C.  He will be speaking about “Ecology as a Model for Organic Agriculture: Managing for resilience and Energy Self-Sufficiency.”

Dr. Francis Thicke – Learn more about Dr. Thicke’s career and achievements here.

Again, the Grain Place Foods’ Organic Farm Tour & Summer Seminar will be Saturday July, 13th beginning at 8am – 3:30pm at 1904 N. Highway 14, Marquette, NE.  Call by July 8th for lunch reservations toll free 888-714-7246 or email info@grainplacefoods.com. Cost is $15 for lunch, however the tour and refreshments are free. It’s a very flexible atmosphere, people can come and go as they please throughout the day.

Grain Place Foods is a GROW Nebraska member!  GROW Nebraska:   “Connecting Nebraska Businesses to the Global Marketplace”

We are also excited to announce Nebraska Lottery’s most recent decision to support GROW’s 2013 MarkeTECH this summer as a Gold Sponsor.  It is through this level of generosity and commitment that we can train and educate entrepreneurs and small business owners for success.

Be sure and put June 12th on your calendar to attend this year’s conference “Connecting Marketing and Technology” in Omaha. This is your opportunity to hear business visionary leaders speak. MarkeTECH is where you connect with other entrepreneurs, business leaders and resource organizations. Cost for GROW Nebraska or Omaha Chamber members is $50 and registration for non-members is $99. All registrations include lunch.

Nebraska Lottery Web site >>

MarkeTECH Agenda & Registration >>

GROW Nebraska:  “Connecting Nebraska Businesses to the Global Marketplace”

2013 marks 15 years that GROW Nebraska has been assisting Nebraska entrepreneurs.