If you've enjoyed CAN's recent stories on arts and agriculture, you'll love Renewing the Countryside. The Minnesota nonprofit wants to "provide inspiration, ideas and assistance to individuals and communities who are looking for sustainable ways to strengthen their rural communities and reduce poverty." Their We site sports a database with hundreds of great stories about innovative farmers, artists, business owners, community leaders, nonprofit organizers, youth and entrepreneurs, filed by region or topic, including arts and culture. Right now they're featuring "microenterprise stories from Appalachia." There's an online tool kit and a bookstore selling their publications. Their sustainable-lifestyles resources section leads to projects like Green Routes, the Rural Renaissance Network and lots more inspiration. [LINK] Posted by Linda Frye Burnham