Sustaining rural communities: tourism & agriculture

The only unique thing about what we have done is to apply heart-felt principles of sustainability and earth-friendliness to various, related small businesses in Europe, the U.S., Canada, and Central America. We innovated by remaining small, manageable, and in tune with the economic & social realities of each locality in which we chose to operate. We have learned a tremendous amount in 20 years.

To briefly summarize, we founded a number of small businesses, some of which are now closed, that expressed a distinct sense of place. These included:
--a diversified, small-scale agricultural enterprise in Washington Parish, Louisiana that grew certified organic produce, produced European-style cheeses, cultivated edible mushrooms, and collected wild foods;
--a Creole vegetarian restaurant in New Orleans;
--a 5 Green Key rated wilderness lodge & cooking school in Nova Scotia;
--a community-centred country inn in the Costa Rican mountains;
--an eco-friendly vacation rental in Granada, Spain;

We have always been in business--for a profit--but with an eye towards the different levels or hierarchies of community surrounding each of our enterprises. The locations we have chosen to operate in have often been isolated and difficult, and so innovation became a necessity.

The primary social business principle has been the importance of the immediate society and the hiring of local employees within their context. Betterment of the most-local of communities through hiring, training, support, and friendship.

The second principle has been to look for integrated, sustainable solutions--whether in agriculture, construction, or hospitality management. This has meant adhering to a concept of geographically appropriate technology and solutions.

A third principle