Concerning possible economic development ideas...

[Catwoman]

While the fresh air, open spaces and views are great to behold, they in and of themselves do not generate money/tax base.  The region is ripe for tremendous expansion in the area of agr-tourism.  Possibilities include the great ranches of the Chautauqua Hills region such as the Mullendore, the Cross Bell Ranch, and the Red Buffalo Ranch.  One example that already exists is the Flint Oak Ranch, which entertains people from all over this part of the country.  Take the elements that you already have and enlarge upon them.   

[Roma Jean Turner]

As someone who lives out of Elk Co., I would love to more about these ranches.  I think that is a good selling point.  Bring the people in for a peaceful get away and increase income for the county, without having them come in permanently and greatly change the way of life.  I keep thinking about what a pretty bike ride it would be to go through Elk Co.  Most of the bigger attended rides have a rest stop about every 10 to 13 miles.  If it were set up properly the riders could come through the towns, take their breaks, maybe spend some money, etc.  I don't know, just my fantasy and maybe one more thing to promote the county.  The Elk Co Bicycle Roundup.

[Catwoman]

The Mullendore is a working cattle ranch...not open to the public.  The Cross Bell Ranch is over the border in OK...owned by the family related to the boys who run the Mullendore.  The Red Buffalo Ranch is out by Sedan, KS, and is owned by Bill Curtis (newsman)...used to have a gift shop on the main drag in Sedan...don't know if it's still there or not.  You'd have to look it up online to see what the ranch has to offer.  Your idea of a bike path is a good one...there are so many bikers out there who would travel great distances just to be able to take a ride through the hills.   

[Roma Jean Turner]

I think so to, it just takes some time to get if off the ground and people to look forward to it.  Look at all the people who are used to going to Winfield for the Blue Grass Festival. I'd sure love it.

[pepelect]

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Why could you not combine the awesome hunting and fishing in the area with ag tourism at the same time.   Every hunter from out of state that comes here for one to two weeks every year has a wife back home shopping the entire time he is gone with her mother.  Why not do something to entertain them both while they are both here.   (I know that is very sexist of me T to assume that the hunter of the couple would be male but so what)  Spouses spend money..  How do we get them to spend it here?

[Wilma]

It's a dirty job but someone has to do it.

Pep, if my husband was gone with my mother, I would be out shopping, too.

If I didn't do it, Diane would.

[Tobina+1]

Well, I'll use my father-in-law's wife as an example... she would LOVE to spend her money on items found throughout Elk County and the surrounding areas when she's here.  Here are the problems...
1)  How does she know what is out there?  Do we help put together pamphlets and give them out to all the hunting guide companies that guide in Elk County and encourage them to send them out to their customers?  (I think this is what Joanna and Laura are putting together, so hopefully they will get them out to these types of guide businesses.)
2)  Transportation to/from each of the towns.  Hunters bring a vehicle, but normally use it to go hunting themselves.  Do we make a bus service or public transportation available?
3)  Do we have a "Hunter's Craftfair" and bring all the businesses together to one central location to peddle their wares?

[Diane Amberg]

Wilma, I started to, but deleted it. Some on here don't have a sense of humor any more and are too, well, too something to get it. I don't think Pep would have a problem, but some other pimple minded people would.

[Wilma]

Between Pep and me and you, who else is necessary?  I grew up with things like being pointed out to us.  Made for some good laughs.

[Diane Amberg]

I have always loved word and language humor, especially the things that show up in Readers' Digest.