In the second year of its two-year program, your local Blazing Star Grange explores ways to build a stronger community and a healthier local economy. All programs are free and open to the public following the suppers. (You don’t have to attend the suppers to attend the presentations!)

Beginning on Saturday, June 21, at 7 PM after the Chicken Barbecue Dinner at the Grange Hall in Danbury, featured speaker Terri Daucher from Plymouth State University’s College of Business Administration will assist budding entrepreneurs by helping them to discover what they are good at, deciding if the product is marketable, and explaining how to go about developing the business. Current business owners are welcome to pose questions about taking their businesses to the next level of development.

Come with your questions, and find out if a home-based business is right for you and your family. Discussion will also include regulatory and compliance guidelines, agri-tourism, and where and how to sell.

Continuing at the 100th Blazing Star Grange Fair on Saturday, September 6, Suzanne LeBlanc of Autumn Harvest Farm will build on the June 21 presentation by discussing how she launched her multi-faceted home business, starting from creative ideas and a very green thumb. The presentation will be held at 10 AM at the Danbury Fire Station, across from the Blazing Star Grange Hall.

Recognizing that the Danbury/Alexandria/Grafton region is rich with fertile farmland, South Danbury farmer Tom Curren will speak on the topic of food self-sufficiency and security in Danbury and surrounding towns. Just in Danbury, millions of dollars annually leaves the area to benefit agribusinesses. How can we gain more of this market share, and thus increase local prosperity?

With the growth of the interest in local foods, discussion will focus on opportunities that area farmers can benefit from. This very important program will follow the Saturday, November 8, Chicken Pie Supper at 7 PM.

The Blazing Star Grange strongly supports local businesses – that’s what we are about! For more information about the Grange, membership, and what the Grange can do for you, please contact Donna Sprague at 768-5579.