Just a few minutes south on Route 27 from Nicholasville is arguably one of the most important Civil War locations in the commonwealth.

At the start of the Civil War, Kentucky declared its neutrality, but when the Confederacy tried to take the state by force in 1861, the legislature sought Union assistance, and there its alliance with the Union began to take shape. In June 1863, Union forces started constructing what would eventually become Camp Nelson. 

Mark Dunn, the operator of Railroad Valley Farms in Nye County, Nevada, had a unique challenge: how do you power irrigation pumps for 500 acres of alfalfa when your farm is off the grid in one of the most remote areas of the state?

With the help of a $253,405 Rural Energy for America grant, Dunn developed and installed a system to meet the power demand that also saves money on diesel fuel.  

Goose Creek Candles is a family-owned company that was founded in 1998 by Chuck Meece in a small Kentucky town.

Along with his wife, Tamara, Chuck grew Goose Creek Candles from producing candles from his home to having mass production facilities across the United States.

The commercial fishers in the small southern Oregon coastal community of Port Orford were reliant on the corporate model to sell their catch.

“The fishermen here are fiercely individualist and there’s all kinds of characters,” said Aaron Longton, captain of the Goldeneye. “But when it comes right down to it, we all have the same needs. We want a secure marketplace. We want to have some control over pricing and who we sell our fish to.”