photo credit: pqs

Google has yet another service they are offering free that could make a great homeschool entrepreneur project. I set up a survey for our newsletter readers as an example, and it took me less than an hour. Most of that time was thinking up questions! Here’s the easy instructions to create a survey with Google Docs:

First, if you don’t have an account with Google, you will need to sign up. It doesn’t cost anything, but you will need it to sign into your Google Docs account.  I don’t think you have to have a gmail account, but don’t quote me on that. I believe any email address you have will do. Once you’re signed in, go to Google.com and click on ‘documents’  which is found in the “more” drop down list of their services listed at the top left. Or, go to docs.google.com.

Second, now that you’re into the program, click on the “NEW” button on the left, which drops down some choices, and for a survey, click on “FORM“. This will bring you to a new screen, and at the top you will put the name of your survey, like “My First Survey“, or whatever your survey is about. The box under that is where you can explain about the survey, like when you will give them the results, or skip questions if you like, etc. You leave the “name” box blank, it’s for the survey taker to put their name.

Third, write your questions. “Question Title” is the actual question, such as, “What kinds of music do you listen to?“. The help text can tell them if they can choose only one answer, or as many as apply. You can put a box there for a short typed answer from them, or a paragraph box for a longer answer. You can even have them rate something on a 0-5 scale. Be sure to click “Done” after each question, and add another question with the button “Add Question” on the top left. Don’t worry about mistakes, you can go back later and edit or even trash the question later with the little icons you see on the right of the question box. You can even drag and drop the question boxes to rearrange the questions if you want.

Fourth, save it all (top right), and you can view your survey by clicking the link at the very bottom of the survey, where it says, “You can view the published form here“. Try answering your own questions and be sure they all work the way you wanted them to before you send it out. To send it, just copy the link at the bottom and paste it into your email or webpage.

Finally, to view your results, just log into your Google Docs account and your surveys will be there, sorted, ready to read! Nice, huh? I’m no pro, but if you have any questions, I’ll be happy to help. Have fun!

If you missed the survey we sent out, you can still view it at:

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?key=pMDeq1m3fhvynqx_u3n4jGw

SCORE has a wealth of information for start ups, this site is a must for new, AND old, businesses! This link alone- http://www.score.org/template_gallery.html -

has the templates for a Business Plan, a Balance Sheet, Start-Up Expense Sheet, a Break Even Analysis, and more.

Score also provides mentors that you can connect with in person, on the phone, or online. There is no charge, so what’s stopping you? SCORE.org

photo credit: Shimenawa

The eating local movement is really good news for homeschool entrepreneurs. If you haven’t heard of the eating local movement, it’s basically a grassroots movement to buy your food as close to home as possible. It’s currently estimated that the average meal travels 1500 miles to get to your table, which translates to a lot of gas! As for the environmental impact, it’s a no brainer. A study at Cornell University actually stated that if Americans ate local and reduced their junk food consumption (which requires more than average processing and packaging) we could reduce our oil consumption by 50%! It takes an estimated 500 gallons of oil to produce and transport food per person, so if everybody in the US ate local just ONE day per week, that translates into a reduction in oil usage of 21 BILLION gallons per year. Do you think that would make a difference?

The “Five is fine, but nine is divine” fruit and vegetable quota is toted as a ticket to good health, but buying that produce locally would bring countless other benefits to your local economy! Did I mention that homegrown food tastes better? Oh, you know that already! I know that many homeschool families already grow their own food, and are more than aware of the health benefits, but have you thought about the BUSINESS benefits to this ‘eat local’ movement?

I’ve never seen any statistics gathered on homeschool families and exactly how many live on a farm, or have a sizeable garden, but my guess is a very high percentage do….or would like to.  Starting a CSA is a little more complicated of an effort (though VERY doable), but selling at a farmer’s market is relatively simple. I’ve listed several places to find a farmer’s market in your area at the end of this post.

What if you don’t have a place to farm or garden? You could organize a farmer’s market, or help coop several smaller growers into a group effort, or make or bake a great food item from locally purchased food.  Jams, jellies, breads, even herbal remedies and teas all go well at the farmer’s market. Start planning now because the projections are for next year to be a record breaker for local farmer’s markets!

What can you do now? If you have some land you haven’t planted, till it under and plant a cover crop-if you aren’t too far north, you still have time. Contact your AG center for good cover crops in your area, and a nearby farmer might help you out with plowing the land if you don’t have the equipment. You can also get a wealth of information from your county extension agent about the best crops to grow, how to make jams and much, much more.  Calling the contact person of your local farmer’s market  would be wise if you’re not sure what to offer. They can tell you what items are in demand, and which are over-supplied! They can also tell you what you need to do if you are planning on joining their market next year.

I’m really excited about this “Eat Local” movement, I believe that it is bringing hope to the family farm and to families that would like to have a self-sustaining lifestyle. Most of all, it’s opening a new area of business possibilities to the homeschool family, and everyone will be healthier for it!

Here’s some resources to get you started:

The Eat Well Guide is a free online directory of sustainably raised meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs from farms, stores, restaurants, inns, and hotels, and online outlets in the United States and Canada.

Food Routes.com Plan your next trip with stops at all the best LOCAL food stops! On their interactive map, you can find a listing for local farmers, CSA’s, and markets near you.

www.farmfresh.org

http://www.localharvest.org/ This website will help you find farmers’ markets, family farms, and other sources of sustainably-grown food in your area, where you can buy produce, grass-fed meats, and many other goodies.

Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA)
www.buylocalfood.com
CISA is dedicated to sustaining agriculture and promoting the products of small farms.

Chicago’s Green City Market Chicago’s only sustainable market with the highest quality locally farmed products

Usda.gov has a WholesaleandFarmersMarkets page – fantastic resource!
photo credit: jwalsh