Signs of economic life in the North Country

The entrepreneurial energy of the North Country is alive and well, thank you. For all those gloom and doom skeptical types that questioned the entrepreneurial spirit north of the Notches, a quick tour of Saturday's North Country Trade Show should put your doubts to rest. There were artists, like Andre Belanger (left) hugging Reike masters like  Betty Gosselin -- bakers and builders, and quilters and booksellers and web designers and interior designers and aromatherapists and detoxifiers . Organized by Valley Ventures it was a wonderful local celebration of creativity and entrepreneurship.

Even more interesting was how quickly they got the message about Social Media. Jim Wells, who was at the Microcredit Entrpreneurial Exchange last week, left inspired to take the plunge into social media. He signed up for Twitter, found three other people interested in locally made in wooden toys, called one of them and now has a whole new outlet for his wonderful north country made wooden cars, trains, planes and busses.

What struck me was the number of great ideas that were circulating around the White Mountains Community College cafeteria. 

My personal favorite was Dennis Bisson selling tropical fish and hand-tied fishing lures. He refused to test how well those lures worked on the tropical fish, but they looked really lovely.

   

Next door to him was Gateway Gallery & Gifts, a framer who in true Yankee tradition couldn't bear to throw away her left over framing remnants, so she started making box frames for lures which are just gorgeous:

Just as I was getting so hungry that the tropical fish started looking like sushi, I found my way over to the bakery table. Who know that you could get a wide variety of yummy, low-fat, low-sugar and even some gluten-free, breads and cookies, right here in Berlin?

Photos of all the exhibitors are posted here.

Comments

[Allen Walters]

We need a tu..... Another day!

[Allen Walters]

Could one argue that the drug trade in America and Berlin be a sign of strongly creative peoples and a creative, robust economy? Could people afford drugs if there was not a surplus in the economy? Would drugs still be a massive global market if that industry was not one of the most creative and exploitative in the world? My point is of supply and demand. Without a pre-emptive, massive re-investment in the housing and village infrstructure not one of these new Federal Workers will live in the old subdivion and we would have allowed the intrusion of this federal prison, on this hallowed valley and failed to use that sacrifice as a means to reinvent Berlin. Without bringing more middle class residents to Old Berlin we will have missed that opportunity to re-build, reconstruct the Capital of Northern Appalachia. And those wondeful, creative minds, mentioned in this post, will not be able to survive.

[Allen Walters]

Walmart has miniature fish poles.

[KDPaine]

Thank you Jim, glad I could be of help. We need more entrepreneurs like you.

[Jim Wells]

Thank you Katie. You have helped me beyoud belief. Thank you so much. Keep up the good work. I am passing the message on to as many as I can. Thank you again. Jim Wells

[dennis bisson]

hey everyone. never thought of making a miniature fish pole. i think the kids would of had a good time with that.lol. den