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Crawford County's program in Community Development strengthens communities by supporting strategic thinking & local decision making, and providing access to skills, information and resources related to planning & economic development
NEW Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club in Prairie du Chien Preview "How Eco-preneurs are Leading America's Rural Renaissance" October 7, 2009 Read More
Community Development Connection
is a bi-monthly newsletter published by Crawford County UW Extension's program in Community Development. Articles focus on Events & Ideas in Community & Comprehensive Planning, Business & Economic Development, & Local Government. Please send submissions for the Newsletter by the 14th of the month. Click here to read the October/November 2009
Newsletter archives: August/September 2009, June/July 2009, April/May 09, February/March 09, December08/January09, October / November 2008 June/July 2008, April/May 2008, February 2008, December 2007, October 2007
Click here to link to Crawford County Economic and Small Business Development page
NEW!! 2009 Crawford County Area Economic Snapshots (click links below to download image file)
These new Economic Snapshots are intended to give you a "point in time" look at one indicator in our economy. While they may not explain why things are changing in the economy they can certainly help us to start asking some tough questions. Please contact us if you would like reprint these snapshots for community newsletters or newspapers 608-326-0223.
 
2009 BEST Conference Presentation
Resources For Small Town Economies in Tough Times
In tough times like these, small communities like Prairie du Chien, Ferryville, Seneca, and Gays Mills may find it difficult to compete with larger communities for jobs and tax base. According to several articles in the Winter issue of the Land Use Tracker, these communities are better off focusing on characteristics of “livability” than on economic development strategies traditionally used by larger communities (i.e. attracting large industry). Read “Liveable Communities: A Blueprint for Small Communities” and “Planning for Walkable/Bikeable Communities” online at
Downtown Economics is a newsletter published by the UW Extension Center for Community and Economic Development.
Latest issues:
- Helping Downtown Businesses During Difficult Economic Times.
- Consumer Behavior During Difficult Economic Times (November 2008, No. 147)
- Identifying Businesses in Trouble During Difficult Economic Times (October 2008, No. 146)
New to Crawford County? See what there is to do by clicking here!
Communities practice economic and tourism development to improve the well being of local residents. Successful community economic development supports a diverse range of industries, makes the most of a community’s unique character and resources, and builds the capacity of local residents and organizations. For many of Wisconsin’s rural communities, including Crawford County, Tourism plays an important role in achieving these goals.
Handouts from our presentation at the Governor's Conference on Tourism March 17, 2009
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Food and Culture Tourism Resports (see links below)
Crawford County Tourism Assessment
NEW! Food and Culture Tourism Study Reports
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin Madison and the University Extension conducted this survey in 2008 to evaluate the impact of food and agritourism in Crawford and Vernon Counties. This three part report includes surveys of food producers, food retailers that specialize in marketing local foods, and food related festivals.
An Evaluation of Food and Culture Tourism Crawford Restaurants & Retailers Report* (Combined Crawford/Vernon Report)
An Evaluation of Food and Culture Tourism Crawford Producers * (Combined Crawford/Vernon Report)
An Evaluation of Food and Culture Tourism Festivals Report
A comprehensive plan outlines a community’s long term vision and goals for the future. The plan serves as the community’s guide for land use, transportation, agricultural natural and cultural resources, housing, transportation, utilities and community facilities, economic development and provides specific recommendations for ways to implement goals in each of these areas. Counties, towns, or villages in Wisconsin that wish touse zoning or subdivision regulations must have their own comprehensive plan in place by January 1, 2010 to comply with state statutes.
Public Meeting and Hearing Requirements and Procedures
Open Meetings Law Requirements (8 pages, pdf, 177KB)
Simple Open Meetings Law Power Point (28 pages, pdf, 1MB)
Wisconsin Comprehensive Planning Legislation (10 pages, pdf, 144KB)
You'll find agenda's minutes, meeting annoucements, draft chapters and more information about the county planning process on the Crawford County Comprehensive Planning Website. The following communities have also posted links or draft chapters on the county website( note that maps and appendices are not included in the links below and are available from the UW Extension office upon request):
Town of Haney DRAFT pdf
Village of Desoto DRAFT pdf
Village of Bell Center DRAFT pdf
Town of Seneca (links to planner website)
Town and Village of Wauzeka DRAFT
City of Prairie du Chien Downtown Plan and Comprehensive Plan
Village of Gays Mills
Getting Started: What is Comprehensive Planning?
Getting Started: Learn About Wisconsin Comprehensive Planning Statute
Engaging Public Input and Participation
Writing the Plan
Data to Use in Your Plan: Demographics & Statistics
Note: In 2007 Crawford County conducted a countywide survey for the county comprehensive plan. The results of this survey are now available by town. Please contact the Crawford County UW Extension office to receive a memo summary of the survey results for your town . Completed town survey results are listed below.
A Study of Local Food Networks in Crawford- Vernon Counties: Food and Culture Tourism Study Reports
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin Madison and the University Extension conducted this survey in 2008 to evaluate the impact of food and agritourism in Crawford and Vernon Counties. This three part report includes surveys of food producers, food retailers that specialize in marketing local foods, and food related festivals.
LOCAL FOOD NETWORKS SUMMARY REPORT October, 2009
An Evaluation of Food and Culture Tourism Restaurants and Retailers Report
An Evaluation of Food and Culture Tourism Producer Survey Report
An Evaluation of Food and Culture Tourism Festivals Report
Community Kitchen Incubator Survey
Are you or is someone you know might interested in starting a food related business in the Crawford-Vernon County area? Crawford and Vernon Counties are currently guaging local interest in community commercial incubator kitchens. The proposed facilities would be fully certified, include commercially equipped kitchen and would offer business support services to local growers and producers of food products, caterers, restaurants, chefs, special event food vendors, bakers, groups or organizations. the Crawford COunty UW Extension office partnered with several local incubator projects to complete a Kitchen Incubator Survey in the Spring of 2009. Read the results Crawford Vernon Kitchen Incubator Survey below:
Crawford Vernon Kitchen Incubator Survey Results Memo 8-2009
NEW! Update on the Southwest Food and Farming Economy Report by Ken Meter
Local Food Directories
2009 Directory of Local Food in Southwest Wisconsin (pdf)- Includes farms that market direct to consumers as well as markets in Crawford, Vernon, Richland, Grant, Green, Iowa, Lafayette, and Vernon Counties. This is produced by Local Fare a regional local foods network based at UW Platteville. Copies of this Atlas are available at the UW Extension Office.
2009 Southern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas Website - allows you to search for farms, markets, or restuarants by product. This is produced by REAP Food Group based in Madison. View a map of Local Farms on the 2009 Southern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas (pdf) Copies of this Atlas are available at the UW Extension Office.
Community Supported Agriculture
What is CSA?
CSA is a unique social and economic arrangement between local households and farmers who work together to share the responsibility of producing and delivering fresh food. Households support the farm by paying an annual fee in the winter or spring that entitles them to a "share" of the season's harvest. Once harvesting begins, members pick-up a weekly box of fresh foods which may include produce, fruits, cheeses, eggs, meats, poultry, flowers, herbs or preserves. Read more about CSA at www.macsac.org.
Farms with CSA drop sites in Crawford County:
Note: Many CSA's have drop sites in Viroqua in Vernon County. View the Atlas Directories above to find farms serving Vernon County. Know of other farms with drop sites in Crawford COunty? Let us know! 608-326-0223
Driftless Organics |
Contact:50561 County Road B Soldiers Grove WI 54655 608 624 3735
josh.engel@driftlessorganics.com
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Brochure - Prairie du Chien drop site: Pickup is on Thursday evenings on Cliffwood Avenue near Cabelas |
Annie's Gardens and Greens |
Contact:
30975 Lincoln Rd Fort Atkinson, IA 52144
Phone: 563-534-7760 Fax: 563-534-7652
postmaster@anniesgardensandgreens.com
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Brochure - Mc Gregor, Iowa drop site location TBA |
Abundant Grace Family Farm |
Contact: Amy and Emery Eastlick, Seneca Wisconsin 608-874-4114
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FAQ Sheet Prairie du Chien drop site, location TBA
Brochure
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Area Farmer's Markets
NEW!! Gays Mills Farmers Market
EVERY Thursday evening from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
June 4 - October 1st
Location: Lions Club Park
Contact
Brad or Sharon Niemcek, 608-524-3409 or e-mail to
bradniemcek@gmail.com
NEW!! Marquette McGregor Farmers Market
Friday evenings
Location: Downtown McGregor.
Contact Sasha Dull 563-873-2186
Ferryville Market in the Park
Locally grown produce, including local artisans and Amish-made goods
May through October, Saturdays, 9am to 5pm
Location: Sugar Creek Park, Hwy 35, south end of Ferryville
Contact: Ali C. Spurr, (608) 734-3400
www.visitferryville.com
Prairie du Chien Farmers’ Market
June through mid-October, Saturdays, 6am to 11:30am
Location: Blackhawk Junction, 700 E. Blackhawk Ave., Hwy 27
Contact: Donna Teynor, (608) 326-2491
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Richland Area Farmers’ Market
May through mid-October, Saturdays, 7am to Noon
Location: Richland County Court House, 181 W. Seminary, Richland Center
May through mid-October, Wednesdays, 3pm to 6:30pm
Location: Krouskop Park, Hwy 14 and Orange St., Richland Center
Contact: Melissa Sprecher, (608) 583-7212, www.richlandchamber.com
Viroqua Partners Main Street Farmers’ Market
Year-round, Saturdays, 8am to Noon
Location: 220 Main St.
Contact: Rebecca Eby, Viroqua Partners, (608) 637-2575,
infodesk@viroqua-wisconsin.com,
www.viroqua-wisconsin.com
Platteville Farmers’ Market
May 2nd through October 31st, Saturdays, 7am to Noon
Location: Platteville City Park, Market St.
May through October, Tuesdays, 3pm to 7pm
Location: Business Hwy 151 at Ashley’s Furniture parking lot
Contact: Gary A. Olson, (608) 348-3992, olsong@potosisd.k12.wi.us,
www.plattevillelife.com
Food Cooperatives, Lockers, and Natural Foods Stores
The Kickapoo Exchange Food Coop
Viroqua Food Cooperative- Viroqua, Wisconsn
Kickapoo Locker- Gays Mills, Wisconsin
Eastman Locker- Eastman Wisconsin
Eunices Liquor and Cheese- Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
Top Shelf Meats- McGregor, Iowa
AmeriCorps State has awarded Crawford and Vernon Counties a unique Farm to School grant that will bring locally grown foods to area schools. With office sites located in Prarie du Chien (Crawford) and Viroqua (Vernon), two part-time volunteers, trained by Americorps, will provide nutritional education and work with local farms to source foods from local farms for school meal and snack programs. You can learn more about farm to school by visiting the links below:
2008- 2009 Building Communities Educational Wisline Series: Focus on Sustainability
Building Communities Websinar Education Series: Focus on Sustainability is a monthly class that meets every second Tuesday through 2009 at City Hall in Prairie du Chien . These workshops are offered to the public for no fee thanks to our local sponsor, Vierbicher Associates.
Please click here to access read the 2008-2009 Sustainability Series schedule
The Building Communities educational series will be offered via live, interactive Web programs which are accessed by the user with a simple web browser and a speakerphone. Using WisLine audio and browser-based software, participants can meet, interact, learn, and collaborate with others. If you plan to attend please pre-register for one or all programs by contacting the Crawford County UW Extension Office at 608-326-0223.
CLICK HERE FOR FLOOD RECOVERY RESOURCES
" From Saturday, August 18 through Sunday, August 19, 2007, southwestern Wisconsin received over twelve inches of rain causing extreme overland and river flooding along the Kickapoo River. The villages of Gays Mills and Soldiers Grove and nearby rural areas were most affected; at its peak the Kickapoo River at Gays Mills reached a crest of 19.79 feet or 6.79 feet above flood stage. According to County Sheriff Jerry Moran (as printed in the Crawford County Independent on August 23, 2007) “It’s the worst flooding we’ve ever seen…worse than the 1978 flood for sure.” The previous river peak record was set at 19.8 feet in 1978 and serious flooding had occurred in the area, on average, every 20 years or so. In a report of the August flooding event, the La Crosse National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration writes “When asked to provide a recurrence interval estimate for this event, an investigator should note the enormous gap between the 100-year 24-hour threshold (six inches), and the fifteen or more inches that fell during a 24-hour period on that ill-fated weekend.” The report places the probability of the flood “considerably below” one percent and closer to a 1,000 year flood." - from Center for Land Use Tracker Spring 08 Article WITH GROWING HOPE: A STUDY OF THE AUGUST 2007 KICKAPOO FLOOD IN THE VILLAGE OF GAYS MILLS By Laura Brown, Crawford County Community Development Educator
Flood Response
Information for Taxpayers Affected by Flooding
Taxpayers affected by flooding are encouraged to view a new IRS publication 4492-B, “Information for Affected Taxpayers in the Midwestern Disaster Area,” available online at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p4492b.pdf Publication 970 on Education Credits is also helpful. Other important forms include: Form 8914 Exemption Amount for Taxpayers Housing Midwestern Displaced Individuals, Form 982 Reduction of Tax Attributes Due to Discharge of Indebtedness, and Form 8930 Qualified Disaster Recovery Assistance Retirement Plan Distributions and Repayments. For more information contact Kathy Mostowski at 414 231-2147 or at Kathleen.M.Mostowik@irs.gov.
at the Crawford County Office
Public Meeting and Hearing Requirements and Procedures
Open Meetings Law Requirements (8 pages, pdf, 177KB)
Simple Open Meetings Law Power Point (28 pages, pdf, 1MB)
Wisconsin Comprehensive Planning Legislation (10 pages, pdf, 144KB)
WisLines
For all WisLines listed: Fees $20 and are available at any WisLine site. Contact WisLine Registrations at (608) 262-0810 or consult the registration brochure online:
The Crawford County Community Fund (CCCF), a charitable component of CFSW, will allow individuals and groups to contribute time and money toward the betterment of Crawford County. CFSW is a tax-exempt, publicly supported, nonprofit organization whose mission is to match personal philanthropy with community need. CCCF’s goal is to build a permanent endowment fund to support both current and future needs of the county through charitable grants made from the investment earnings. As the Fund grows through financial gifts and wise investment, the size and number of grants grow as well.
An anonymous donor has challenged the community with a matching gift of up to $25,000 to establish this endowment fund through CFSW. The generous donor will match gifts dollar for dollar up to $25,000. All funds must be received by CFSW by December 22, 2008, to be eligible for the match. The minimum amount required to establish a community fund through CFSW is $50,000.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Laura Brown
Community Development Educator
Crawford County - UW Cooperative Extension
225 N. Beaumont, Suite 240
Prairie du Chien, WI 53821
Phone: 608-326-0224
Fax: 608-326-0226
Email: laura.brown@ces.uwex.edu |
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Economic Snapshots
