May 16, 2013 — You may have noticed flea markets, where different vendors can sell all kinds of new and used things under one roof instead of having their own storefront, becoming more and more popular in the North Country.

There are now three flea markets in the Canton and Potsdam area alone. The newest opened yesterday. The village Mayor, Town Supervisor, and vendors were at the grand opening of North Country Neighbors Too.  Go to full article

Oct 10, 2012 — Cornell Cooperative Extension will receive a 95,000 dollar federal grant to promote local food production in rural Jefferson and Lewis counties. The money is targeted to "food deserts", a name given to areas at least 10 miles from a grocery store.

Extension resource educator Amanda Root said in a press release the new program will bring together consumers and farmers to provide better access to healthy food.  Go to full article

Sackets Harbor, NY, Aug 17, 2012 — Many restaurants in our area are changing where they look for ingredients. They're sourcing more from local farmers. The second piece in our series on local foods looks at how, and why, restaurant owners in Sackett's Harbor and Syracuse, N.Y., say they've made a commitment to local producers.  Go to full article

Jamestown, NY, Apr 03, 2012 — You may have heard of "flash mobs," where a mass of people invade a public space to make a scene. Now the idea has been turned on its head by "cash mobs," where large crowds of consumers show up at small businesses to spend money.

But as the Innovation Trail's Daniel Robison reports, it's not just about propping up the local economy.  Go to full article

Burlington, VT, Mar 06, 2012 — Town meeting day in Vermont is one of the few examples of direct democracy in our country. It's a state holiday, and townspeople turn out to elect municipal leaders and approve local budgets.

This year local issues at town meeting reflect national debates. In Franklin, Vermont, voters will determine whether prayer should be allowed at town meeting. And 52 towns will vote on whether to pass a constitutional amendment overturning the Supreme Court ruling on Citizens United.

In Burlington, the state's largest city, Vermonters are headed to the polls to elect a new mayor. Sarah Harris has more.  Go to full article

Columbia, MO, Dec 31, 2010 — Peanuts, eggs, tomatoes, spinach. These foods are just a few nourishing items among many culprits that have made almost seventy-six million Americans sick each year. In the attempt to make food safer, Congress has authorized food safety regulation that will work to control foodborne illness outbreaks. But these new rules will apply to large-scale producers. Harvest Public Media's Jessica Naudziunas reports how small farmers were almost regulated along with the big guys in close call for the small food producing community.  Go to full article

Potsdam, NY, Nov 12, 2009 — Hookah bars, or hookah lounges, are places where people go to smoke shisha (non-tobacco herbs). They're usually associated with the Middle East, but they're on a run in this country. According to a website that monitors this kind of thing, there are more than 500 hookah bars in the United States, with 5 new ones opening every month. The phenomenon's mostly been restricted to big cities. But a hookah bar opened this fall in one of the North Country's college towns, Potsdam. When many small businesses are falling victim to the recession, are people willing to ante up for a toke? Chelsea Ross went to find out.  Go to full article

Jul 18, 2008 — North Country agriculture is undergoing big changes. The price of corn and other commodities is soaring, but so are fuel costs. Farmers are rethinking their strategies as they may produce energy or biofuels instead of traditional crops in the future. The "buy local" movement is driving an increase of small vegetable and meat farms. Franklin County Farm Bureau recently organized a farm tour for local lawmakers. David Sommerstein tagged along. He reports even as North Country agriculture becomes more diverse, dairy is still king.  Go to full article

May 27, 2008 — In most of the country, small farms are now the exception, not the norm. Farming, especially with livestock, can mean hundreds, even thousands, of animals, and often distant, corporate ownership. Even the smallest farms are pressured to get bigger. So when a family in West Potsdam decides to make their farm smaller, they're rebelling. Kinna Ohman reports.  Go to full article

Jan 29, 2008 — Chefs are always dreaming up the next big dish. Lately, it's been trendy for restaurants to showcase locally-grown farm products and meat from livestock that's been raised on a pasture instead of in a feedlot. But Rebecca Williams reports just because something's hot in the kitchen... it doesn't always mean a better payoff for farmers.  Go to full article