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“Santa Gourdy”: A Value-Added Holiday Decoration

Santa Gourdy Picture

“Santa Gourdy, hurry down the chimney tonight…”

 

CAIC social media director Pam Foulke loves to get into the holiday spirit by crafting her own decorations from local produce (see, for example, the terrifying pumpkin monster that she made for Halloween). And with Christmas quickly approaching, she was searching for the perfect use for a gourd that she’d picked up at Greensboro-based Quarter Acre Farm—also home of the tomato gleaning that she participated in back in September—toward the end of the fall growing season.  

With some festively colored acrylic paint, Pam took advantage of the gourd’s natural hat-like shape and transformed it into a holiday ornament, which she dubbed “Santa Gourdy.”

As you can see, Santa Gourdy made a perfect locally flavored addition to her Christmas tree.   

Follow the steps in the video below to make your own Santa Gourdy ornament—fun fact, it’s a value-added product! And make sure to follow CAIC on social media for more holiday fun.

 

What you’ll need:

  • A gourd 
  • Acrylic paint (either medium or heavy works)
  • A set of paintbrushes
  • A plate for mixing paints 
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MINI-GRANTs

Mini-Grants up to $5,000 are available for:
– Market Research and Validation of Target Market
– Customer Acquisition
– Product Development Initiatives
– Food Safety Classes
Eligibility
Value-added producers and companies with traction ($20,000 or more in yearly revenue) in Maryland and Delaware are eligible to apply for Mini-Grants. Participants may apply once for each of the categories. Applicants must demonstrate that they have a unique and differentiated product or service that incorporates an aspect of innovation or technology in its production, processing, distribution, or other element of the food supply system.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Award decisions will be made and funds will be available no later than three weeks following the receipt of a completed application.
Application Process
Applicants must submit Mini-Grant proposals by filling out the form at this link. Copy(ies) of quote(s), proposal(s), estimate(s), or any other supporting documents.

MINI GRANT APPLICATION

ACCESS TO SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS (SMES)

CAIC offers access to Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) who can offer authoritative advice based on their deep knowledge and experience in a specific area. See the ADVISORS page of this Web site to learn more about the SMEs who are available to CAIC participants.

Register For The CAIC

Date and Time of Session: Wednesday, October 20th; 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
Course Description: This presentation discusses strategies for B2B (business-to-business) and B2C (business-to-consumer) growth via marketing and sales. The presentation focuses on each company’s plans to diversify its revenue streams by using e-commerce, exporting, and overall customer acquisition tactics to support and enhance brand awareness.
Desired Prerequisite Knowledge and Experience of Attendees: There are no prerequisites for this Virtual Presentation.
Criteria for Acceptance into the Virtual Presentation: Attendees need to have a product-based business; this is not suited for technology and/or app companies.