Author Archive: Ruth Collins

SBA Celebrates Woman-Owned Veteran Small Businesses

July 15, 2019

Woman Business Owners from around the country join U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet for this special Veteran’s Day Google Hangout-On-Air.

This post is part of a network of sites interested with the intersection of small business, the philanthropic sector and government in creating healthy and sustainable communities.

Find additional information and resources on small business grants and loans, home buyer programs and Community Foundation programs from around the world.

Community Development

Organic Gardening Tips You Can Try Today!

July 15, 2019

For some people organic gardening is a fun, relaxing pastime, whereas for others it can be a major headache. Use the tips presented here to make the most out of your earth friendly organic garden.

When you are organic gardening, ask your children to lend a hand. An organic garden will help your child learn more about plants and insects, and it’s a wonderful bonding time while growing healthy produce.

If you want your children to enjoy your organic garden, plant some tasty strawberries. Little ones will be more likely to help when they can enjoy the fun of harvesting their own fruit.

When growing indoor plants, the thermostat should be set between 65-75 degrees throughout the day. This is the optimum temperature to ensure strong growth. You can also buy a heat lamp to maintain ideal conditions for your inside plants during the winter.

If you’re planning on gardening inside, the first thing you should consider is an adequate light source. If your residential space has limited sunlight, it will be best that you grow plants that are ideal for this type of environment. If you do and this does not help, consider investing in some grow-lights.

You’ll save time and energy if you keep tools nearby while working in your garden. Use a large bucket, or wear rugged pants with several pockets. Make sure your trowel, pruning shears, gloves and other important tools are always handy. This will allow you to make easy work of your gardening up-keep!

The space you leave in between your plants is an important measurement when it comes to gardening. When the garden is bare, it is sometimes hard to envision how much space a mature plant actually needs. Failure to provide adequate room will restrict growth because it forces plants to compete for valuable nutrients and oxygen. If necessary, use a ruler to measure the distance between each plant.

Organic Gardening

Organic gardening is a more involved form of gardening than is often realized. While it takes quite a bit of effort and lots of patience, your pay off in the end will be a fantastic organic garden. By using the advice you learned here, you will be well on the path to becoming an organic gardening pro.

Community Development

SBA Resources for Women-Owned Businesses

July 14, 2019

The Small Business Administration has a variety of offerings to assist woman entrepreneurs start and grow and their business endeavors. This latest video provides an in introduction to how the SBA can help you.

This post is part of a network of sites interested with the intersection of small business, the philanthropic sector and government in creating healthy and sustainable communities.

Find additional information and resources on small business grants and loans, home buyer programs and Community Foundation programs from around the world.

Community Development

Grants from the Department of Health and Human Services

July 14, 2019

In 1979 the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was established in an effort to protect the health of all Americans and to provide essential human services to everyone, especially to those who are least capable of helping themselves.

This post is part of a network of sites interested with the intersection of small business, the philanthropic sector and government in creating healthy and sustainable communities.

Find additional information and resources on small business grants and loans, home buyer programs and Community Foundation programs from around the world.

Community Development

Tips That Will Help You With Organic Gardening

July 14, 2019

You are committed to the idea of planting a garden that works well with the environment. The time to do it is now. This article contains helpful adivce to get you started in your organic gardening endeavors.

Indoor plants have been bred over time to thrive in temperatures that are characteristic of a home. Most indoor plants like to be in about 70 degree temperatures, plus or minus 5 degrees. The temperature needs to remain steady and warm so the plants can grow. If your thermostat is normally kept lower in winter, you can use a heat lamp to keep your plants warm enough.

To be most efficient in your gardening, always keep your tools close at hand. Use a large bucket, or wear rugged pants with several pockets. Keep common tools such as your gloves or your pruning shears within reach so that you can quickly and easily maintain your garden whenever you need to.

Flower Beds

Cover your flower beds with two or three inches of compost or organic mulch. This will prevent weeds from growing, retain humidity, and feed your plants with the nutrients they need. Also, the flower beds will look beautifully maintained at all times.

When working in the garden, try to work as efficiently as possible. You do not have the time to spend an hour looking for each tool you need. Have all of tools you will need for the day before you head out your garden. When you are finished, put them away neatly for the next time. You may also wish to invest in a tool belt to keep all of your tools within reach while gardening.

You will now be better prepared as you start pursuing organic gardening. By reading and applying the information you have learned, you can go from a novice gardener to an expert-level organic gardener in no time at all. These tips should have helped you get started growing a lovely organic garden.

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Rock Solid Advice On How To Spruce Up Your Landscaping

July 12, 2019

It might seem like a difficult endeavor to landscape your yard, but it’s easier than you think. You will find landscaping to be easy, as long as you become as informed as possible. This guide is full of helpful landscaping tips.

If you want your landscaping to have a fresh look you should work on giving your rock or flower beds soft curves on the edges. Remember that curved beds are seen as more contemporary, as well as sharp corners. Cutting fresh edges could be an inexpensive task that could have a great impact on the way your flower bed and lawn looks.

Use a drip irrigation system to help you water your plants. The expense of this system will be worth it. This type of system continually provides water to your plants. You also save money on water as it’s all being used by the plants, none will run off or be evaporated by the sun.

Designing a garden that will look beautiful in all seasons will ensure that your hard work is enjoyed year round. Choose many different plants and flowers that thrive in your region and bloom during different seasons. You can also use trees with interesting foliage or evergreens to keep your yard looking lively all year long.

Consider consulting with a landscaping professional before you begin your next project. While you probably do not need to have them work on your entire project, spending a little money for a short consultation could help you avoid making expensive mistakes down the line. Especially if you don’t have a lot of experience, this can be an important step.

If you shop on the Internet, you can save some cash and have a greater selection. Many landscaping supply websites offer a tempting combination high quality and affordable prices. Read customer reviews before ordering to ensure a quality product. Comparative shopping between websites may also save you a considerable amount of money.

As this article stated, landscaping is not always easy. Although it may not be simple, you can create a beautiful landscape at home with just a little research and studying. Knowing the correct way to landscape is vital to success. You can landscape your home’s lawn beautifully by following the tips presented here.

Community Development

Get Excellent Information For Sprucing Up Your Garden Right Here!

July 11, 2019

Gardening is a great pastime and could bring many benefits. Whether you decide to grow a flower garden or plant some fresh herbs, you’ll find that tending to your plants is incredibly fulfilling. The ideas here can provide some gardening guidance, and give you a little hand as you get started growing your own special garden.

To grow properly, plants need adequate levels of CO2. The majority of plants thrive when they are exposed to a high level of carbon dioxide. Getting a greenhouse is the best way to get a higher amount. Higher CO2 levels can provide optimal conditions for growing plants.

Stink Bugs

When horticulture, beware of stink bugs and other insects, particularly in the autumn. Stink bugs like to reside in tomatoes, beans, and pepper plants, as well as many fruits. If they are left in the garden, they can do great damage to your plants, so you should do whatever you can to eliminate them.

If your plants do not grown very tall, try buying some knee pads used for gardening. You will spend a lot of time on your knees while gardening, which can result in knee pain. A pair of good horticulture knee pads can cushion your knees for more comfort.

Do you enjoy fresh mint leaves though hate how they grow so fast and take over your entire garden? You can slow down this growth by planting them inside a pot or container! The container will keep the roots from spreading throughout you garden, and prevent the mint leaves from sprouting in other areas.

Split up irises. Try increasing your stock by dividing your overgrown clumps of plants. If you notice a dead foliage, lift the bulb. They will literally split in your hand, flowering the next year after replanting. Use a knife to carefully divide rhizomes. You can trim new pieces away from the outside of the bulbs and then simply throw the old center away. Every piece needs to have a minimum of one good offshoot. Replant your pieces right away.

As discussed at the beginning of this article, horticulture has many rewards that come with it. The benefits ranges from seeing your garden filled with brightly colored flowers and thriving, luscious green plants, to cutting your grocery bill in half by providing your family with fresh home grown vegetables. Apply these tips to make sure you do everything properly for better results.

Community Development

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Small Business Administration Background

July 11, 2019

The Small Business Administration was established in 1953. Since that time the agency has dispensed millions of dollars in loans and loan guarantees, contracts, consulting assistance and other programs for small business across the United States.

This post is aligned with a network of sites interested with the intersection of small business, the philanthropic sector and government in creating healthy and sustainable communities.

Find additional information and resources on small business grants and loans, home buyer programs and impact investment programs from around the world.

Community Development

How You Can Benefit From Green Energy

July 10, 2019

You may be surprised at how many cheap and easy ways there are to make your home more energy efficient. With the tips in this article you can learn how to be as cost-effective as possible, all while bringing green energy into your life.

Solar powered outdoor lighting is a wonderful enhancement to your outdoor living areas. The solar lamps are relatively inexpensive and will not need any additional power other than direct sunlight. Not only does this save energy. It means you don’t have to wire up outdoor lights.

Use a solar water heater to keep your pools, tubs and plumbing full of piping hot, but cheap, water. Using natural gas and electricity is certainly the norm, but it’s not very energy efficient. By contrast, solar energy is very efficient, and it keeps water temperatures steady just as well as traditional heating methods. Some of these upgrades, while more expensive up-front, may qualify for green energy tax deductions.

Save money and energy by only running your dishwasher with a full load of dishes. Running it with half loads is wasteful. It will likely surprise you how much you can actually put into your dishwasher when you load it properly. Make sure you take time to place the dishes in properly so as to maximize the space available.

If you clean your dishes using a dishwasher, do not operate before it fills up. Dishwashers do not allow for minimizing water or power consumption. It is the same, full or not. When you run a dishwasher, use the ‘energy-saver’ setting so dishes can air-dry.

Buy products that save energy so that your home is more energy efficient. Examples of these include windows, light bulbs, and appliances, all of which have been designed to run efficiently on reduced energy. If you use these products extensively, you will see quite a bit of savings on your energy bills.

All the things we went over throughout this article are easy to implement, so don’t let excuses keep you from using them where you live. Becoming a green energy user allows for some peace of mind and more money in your budget. Implement these ideas today and make tomorrow a little brighter.

Community Development

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Small Business Administration Loan Guarantees Program

July 10, 2019

The Small Business Administration has established the Loan Guarantees Program wherein they aim to be able to provide guaranteed loans to small business establishments which are not capable of acquiring financing from a private credit marketplace but greatly manifests the ability to repay funds in a timely manner.

This post is aligned with a network of sites interested with the intersection of small business, the philanthropic sector and government in creating healthy and sustainable communities.

Find additional information and resources on small business grants and loans, home buyer programs and impact investment programs from around the world.

Community Development