Like many Wyoming women, Loretta is strong-willed and independent. She takes pride in her ability to do things for herself, and to not rely on others. But when her mobility started to decrease, Loretta’s daughter became concerned for her safety and wellbeing at home.

Loretta did not want to leave her home of many years for an assisted living facility, so her family knew that improvements to her home would be necessary.

Three Rivers Farm helps bring fresh, locally grown produce to the marketplace in a sustainable way. Nathan Holmes is the owner and founder of the business and knew early on that he wanted to help local farmers while fueling economic development in his community.

The bleating of sheep when they hear the feed bucket can be deafening.

“BAAAAA! BAAAAA! BAAAAA! BAAAAA! BAAAAA! BAAAAA!”

Like a nearby car horn or a low-flying jet, the sound can stop conversations cold.

To a sheep producer, that is the sound of money, and more and more producers across Kentucky are looking at sheep in a renewed light. That is thanks in part to the efforts of the Southeast Kentucky Sheep Producers Association and its president, Dr. Patrick Angel.

For many, apples are a sweet addition to a balanced diet. For Eric Jorgensen, one of the founders of Finnriver Farm & Cidery, apples are a way of life.

Jorgensen and his partners started their small organic fruit and vegetable farm in Chimacum, Washington, on the state’s rural Olympic Peninsula in 2008 and began making hard apple cider two years later. This decision to explore cider making as a value-added way to expand their farm’s reach and reputation became a great source of revenue for the company and set them up for long-term success. 

Latanya Moultry was devastated when her husband, Quinten, passed away suddenly at home after being diagnosed with COVID earlier that day in March 2021. She had been a loving wife and stay-at-home mom caring for her son with autism. Overnight, she became the head of the household and sole parent to her three children. Not long after this crushing loss, the roof of her rental home caved in. Mrs. Moultry’s world was literally falling apart. She urgently needed help.

When communities look to expand facilities, often they’ll call on Rural Development to learn what loan and grant opportunities might provide support.

Rural Development Community Facility Program Loan Specialists like Katie Hammer offer a valuable resource for those communities.

Recently during a routine trip to conduct compliance and security reviews, Katie along with Deputy State Directory Dana Kleinsasser, met with several organizations to discuss new possibilities for various projects on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation.