Farmers Market Correspondence

A small group of us have been working for nearly five months on a proposal for Wellmark of Iowa, the parent company of Blue Cross/Blue Shield. We labored mightily on all aspects of the proposal, the specifications of which were on their foundation website. The fit between our project and what they were looking to fund projects that would promote a healthier Iowa we felt was perfect.

You can download the document (4 pages to conform to RFP specifications set forth by Wellmark) and examine what we proposed. It was submitted on August 2nd after three months of work on it with our partners at Dubuque Main Street, LTD and Dan LoBianco.We asked for $150,000 which was appropriate to the grant guidelines.

This is what we received from Wellmark's Foundation Director Matt McGarvey on August 24th the date designated for responding to all proposals.

Thank you for submitting your Letter of Interest to The Wellmark Foundation as a response to the 2011 Healthy Communities Grant Program – Level II (due August 2, 2011). Over 110 Letters of Interest were received and reviewed as a part of this Healthy Communities grant offering making competition very strong for the invitational proposal round.

Your Letter of Interest was not selected for invitation for full application at this time. Letters of Interest not invited to develop full grant proposals may be modified to strengthen the proposal and resubmitted in future grant cycles. Please visit our Web site (www.wellmark.com/foundation) later in 2011 to learn about future (2012) funding opportunities.

A summary of reviewer comments is offered below to provide you with feedback as you consider other future funding options for this proposal. This summary is offered as technical assistance from our staff.

Thank you for your hard work and your work to improve the health of your community. We wish you the best with your proposed initiative.

I think it will relieve you to know that Gary Olsen is not stewing in his juices over this turn of events regarding the Wellmark rejection. I'm not going to waste one more minute or ounce of energy analyzing why we didn't succeed.

I'm thinking of what we have and don't have to carry on this (still) awesome idea of ours. So I've been doing some creative thinking.

We need cameras and production equipment, and originally I calculated a budget based on a very ambitious production. However, I can reduce the requirement for production to approximately $75,000 if all we want to do is record, edit and transfer an edited show to KWWL for telecast. What will $75,000 buy?

I can scrounge whatever else we would need to get the job done. Of course there would be no production truck, no live switching, no wireless cameras. But we really don't need all this to produce approximately the same result.

Would we travel all over Eastern Iowa? Well, perhaps we would stay closer to home, cover Northeast Iowa, and grow from here in subsequent seasons.

The Week of June 20

The Week of June 6th, 2011

Milestone Moment: We have a Letter of Commitment from KWWL TV

It's been a a few weeks since I added something to this page, and there is a good a reason. I was corresponding with Kim Leer of KWWL TV, "Eastern Iowa's News Channel" and one of the great broadcast institutions in the Midwest. Kim is the station manager, and she readily admits she sees countless ideas for television shows, but that "people who think they have a great idea for television sit across from me at the table, but they have no clue what it takes technically to produce a quality television show."

For the Monday morning meeting I brought along Brandon Noel, my 13 year-old engineer and protege whose help was invaluable in the production of our pilot episode for Farmers' Market Live TV. Kim told us, "We have never seen anyone walk in the door with a show of this quality that was ready to go and that was produced with such an understanding of the medium."

As my teaching colleage, Dr. Abdul Sinno, Clarke University, told me, "When you are making a sales presentation, you are selling a solution and not a problem for the client." Now I know precisely what he means.

Ok, let's backtrack like in one of those Quentin Tarantino films. This all started with a casual conversation between Brandon and myself after I returned from my meeting with the manager of programming for Iowa Public Television in Ankeny this past April. Wayne Bruns was nothing but praiseworthy of our efforts and presentation, but we couldn't get a commitment until we agreed to cover the entire state of Iowa (a nearly impossible proposition from a cost standpoint). I understand where he's coming from. They are sensitive to criticism that they don't cover the entire state. I made a counter proposal. "Let's cover Eastern Iowa for the first season where over half the state's farmers markets reside. Of course, he had to obtain management approval, and that has yet to take place and it's been two months.

Brandon suggested we approach KWWL because he felt they do a great job of covering Dubuque and the rest of their market area, and they are particularly good at covering farm topics. "What do we have to lose?" he queried. "Let's at least ask them to look at our show."

"Maybe they can offer some advice," I reasoned. "It certainly can't hurt. This time, however, you're coming along."

I also reasoned that KWWL is expanding their channels with the mandatory conversion from analog to digital. They now have three channels that not only reach the rural areas of Iowa, but can be seen on cable and satellite TV. If we could strike a deal with KWWL, we would be reaching all TVs in eastern Iowa regardless of the type of service they rely upon.

I've been involved in enough of these types of presentations to know how to conduct myself. However, I wanted to leverage technology, provide Kim with enough information as possible before the actual meeting was to take place. It's part of my "offering solutions instead of problems" strategy Dr. Sinno taught me.

I had made an appointment to meet with Kim at KWWL headquarters in Waterloo one month before the actual meeting, but I used the four weeks leading up to it with occasional emails with information on our progress. I also sent her some examples of other work we do, The Garden Organic, Kids in the Kitchen, Crazy Cam! and other shows. One week before our meeting I posted our fantastic pilot episode we produced with Jim Terry, Chrissy Hogue and Kimberly Feltes. I want to clarify that I wasn't writing Kim every day or even every week. I didn't want to come off as some kind of stalker. I kept my correspondence very brief and to the point.

So the day arrives. We drive to Waterloo, and our meeting is scheduled for 10 AM. We arrive at 9:45 AM.

Kim meets us in the lobby, and handshakes all around. I introduce Brandon and I asked immediately if there would be time for him to tour a real live TV station. She said, "We'll all have a tour."

As we sat down in her office, Brandon set up the DVD player we had with the episode I had posted to the Web less than a week previous. "Have you seen the episode?" I asked hopefully.

"Yes I have, and I saw some of the other programs you have done, and they are wonderful."

It was then she talked about others who have walked into her office with what they thought were great ideas but they didn't have the technical expertise and they had no real show to sell. "You, on the other hand," she explained, "have a carefully thought-out plan, an equipment list, and perhaps most importantly, you have identified funding sources to support your idea and concept. And you had a professionally produced sample. Finally, you have a great idea and that's covering farmers markets. And you're passionate about your subject."

Our meeting lasted about 45 minutes, and Kim revealed she had already talked about our show with her corporate parent company that owns several stations in the Midwest. There is a possibility that the show will be "syndicated" to those other broadcast properties, and would we be be agreeable to that? "Of course we would," I responded. We will cross that bridge when we come upon it.

For now we are working out a schedule and format for a 30 minute show, 26 shows per year, an advertising schedule and rate card for the first season which will start early spring of 2012, It will take us a year to secure the funding and gather the equipment we need. This meeting and the agreement with KWWL is a milestone moment in the history of this project. Kim Leer shared our vision.

And here is an amazing coincidence. Kim was camping with friends last weekend, among them the daughter of Dennis Seaton, former principal of Senior High and Central Alternative High School. Dennis is the "Sauerkraut King" who starred in an episode of The Garden Organic last season. So Kim saw that episode, and In my way of thinking, it was the best accidental endorsement we could have had. Dennis loved his stint on our show, and he talks it up to everyone he meets.

Now for the letter of commitment. "I'll send you a draft shortly," Kim said as we adjourned. "Let me know if you want to make any additions."

I'll never forget all of the good wishes I received via my Facebook Farmers Market group list fans, and from the many of you who participated in the pilot project. I'm still making thank you calls. I communicated via Facebook to as many people as I could in the car coming home from Waterloo.

Now I'm training my attention on our grant applications. We need to buckle down and do the absolute bet job we are capable of doing. It's all in the details. But now we have this letter of commitment from KWWL, and that will legitimize our entire project.

Week of April 26th:

This is a letter I just sent on April 27th to thank Wayne Bruns, Iowa Public Television, for giving us an audience to pitch our concept. As you will see, we are still in the negotiations stage with IPTV.

<<I want to thank you for the wonderful hospitality you afforded us during our visit to your headquarters. It was a very worthwhile experience. I'm in the process of letting my stakeholders know the details of our meeting.

I've been giving your suggestions much thought, and everything you said about our show needing to represent the entire state poses some challenges, especially if our production is based in Northeast Iowa. It makes traveling to parts of the state in the Southwest and Northwest somewhat problematic. It significantly raises our costs. I fully understand your reasoning to want to include as much of the state as possible.

That being said, my belief is that it would be better for us to develop our program in Northeast Iowa, work on perfecting it, and then seeing if expanding it makes sense down the road.

Coming out of the gate all things to all corners of the state may be too ambitious our first season, but I fully understand why you want this. However, can I make this suggestion?

Give us a chance to cover Dubuque, Mason City, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and many of the communities in between, and we would also do an episode, maybe two, in Des Moines. This covers most of the state's population, and it is where most of the best and largest farmers' markets reside.

I hope you consider the wisdom of this plan especially in light of the cost savings it represents over the course of a season of shows.

Per your suggestion, we are proceeding with our pilot episode after Dubuque's Farmers' Market opens in May. I will keep you apprised of our progress. I'll be sending you an episode plan segment list and cue sheet also.

On the same day we received this letter from the state horticulturalist, Mike Bivens.

For grant money, there is the Specialty Crops Block Grant Program (more info at thttp://www.iowaagriculture.gov/Horticulture_and_FarmersMarkets/specialtyCropGrant.asp) but proposals for this year are due May 13th, so there isn’t a lot of time left. Grants are capped at $24,000 and you’d have to be sure to write it with the correct slant to be eligible. There is also the Farmers Market Promotion Program from USDA AMS (more information at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/FMPP. One more source would be the Federal-State Marketing Improvement Program (FSMIP) at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/FSMIP. FSMIP would have to be submitted through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship but we’ve done that before for the right project. The Leopold Center also has some small sub-grants available from the Kellogg Foundation.

IPTV worked with me a couple of years ago when we shot a pilot show featuring Iowa wines and foods. The chef didn’t work out so we never got on air. David Miller is the Producer/Director for IPTV (5115-242-4182 and miller@iptv.org) and I talked to him again about a farmers market program when we met during the inaugural planning meeting last January. I couldn’t push too hard because I didn’t have someone like you to handle the project.

I don’t have a Meredith contact off the top of my head but someone from Meredith came out to my farm to buy trees a couple of weeks ago and I have his card at home so I’ll check on that one.

The is a national farmer market organization called Farmers Market Coalition. I’m sure they would be interested in what you’re doing. They may be a good source of support letters for a federal grants but I don’t even want to introduce you to those folks until we get Iowa covered.

Okay, so when I returned from my trip to Iowa Public Television, I couldn't help be disappointed. Not by the reception to our idea of Farmers Market Live TV, but at IPTV's desire to want to cover the whole state. That, in my opinion, would have been impossible for us headquartered in Dubuque, Iowa. Iowa is a big state, and I was hoping to just cover Eastern Iowa which would have been manageable not to mention less costly than having to manage and finance long drives that would exhaust team members and add tremendous expenses.

So I approached KWWL's Station Manager Kim Leer who has just launched a new channel in their newly expanded digital broadcast spectrum. I wrote her asking for a meeting so we could discuss the possibility of producing our show on KWWL 7.2. We would cover Northeast Iowa and penetrate the rural markets not covered by Mediacom Cable. It could be a perfect match. Here is the correspondence:

My name is Gary Olsen. I've produced two national award winning cable television shows over the last decade working for the Dubuque Community Schools as media designer and creator of Kids in the Kitchen and The Garden Organic.

I have been following the fortunes of regional television especially with the most recent technological advances in HD broadcasting. I am especially interested in the opportunities afforded stations such as yours in offering more local programming via these new "auxiliary channels."

I'm currently applying for a grant from Iowa's Wellmark Foundation to produce a television show called "Farmers' Market Live TV." It fits perfectly with their foundation's mission of promoting local food growers, farmers' markets, restaurants and chefs that use local products, and healthier food supplies through such strategies as organic agriculture. I know you've been to a farmers' market which are weekly events in over 200 communities in Iowa, and I think you'll agree, they are a television series waiting to be produced.

I'm working closely with congressman Pat Murphy and State of Iowa Horticulturalist Mike Bivens and have copied them our correspondence. Our production and funding partner is Dubuque Main Street, LTD that manages our local farmers' market in Dubuque, but our intent is to cover as many farmers' markets as possible in Northeast Iowa.

The purpose of my email is to ask for a meeting where we can discuss the possibilities of our show being on thisTV, perhaps. The Wellmark grant would provide the capitalization we would need to build a sustainable television series producing at least 13 episodes the first season. We could bring our own sponsors to the table who would help us cover the series' operating expenses.

You can call me anytime on my cell 563-564-1992. As you see, I've provided you with linked text above taking you to Web-based information on all projects and my own website which tells you all about who I am.

<<Gary, it sounds like you have quite a project starting, and a great idea. We all love the farmer’s markets and just about every town has one. I would love to set up a meeting with you. We are currently in ratings so May is pretty full for me, how about shooting me some dates in the beginning of June and we can get together.

Let me know when you are available and maybe I can get to Dubuque and combine a couple of meetings that day.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for responding with such obvious enthusiasm. I'm so looking forward to our meeting. We have met once before in Dubuque at a Gold Star Teacher event you may recall. I've been with the Dubuque Community Schools for more than 10 years, and attended most of those events in Dubuque. Also noteworthy, several years ago I won best of show in the KWWL Iowa Artist Annual Exhibition (yes, I'm a painter in my spare time). I remember fondly being on television in your studios receiving the honor.

Here are some suggested dates for a meeting: June 6 (Monday), June 7, June 10 (Friday).

Meanwhile, I will send you a proposal in a few days that will jump start our conversation. I've already prepared some marketing materials which I developed for our grant applications and Website that will no doubt come in handy down the road for other purposes like client presentations. I might have mentioned that I've been working on this project for about 3 years. We are very optimistic about some of our grant applications that are out there, and I'm particularly delighted with the support I have from our state legislators, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture's State Horticulturalist, Mike Bevins.

One more thing. I believe that your venture into the new channel spectrum represents a tremendous opportunity for affiliates such as yours to develop local programming. I'm old enough to remember the great local programs, documentaries, and children's shows that were popular back in the day. As time went by, however, economics, the plethora of syndicated shows, more or less did away with most local programming. But now we have an opportunity to distinguish ourselves from your competitors. I believe with certainty that the key to future success in broadcast television will be found once again in local programming. We need to think about it in entirely new and innovative ways, from finance through production. I just may have the formula for our mutual success. I promise it will be fun talking about it.

Latest News: Major Funding Source Rejects Farmers' Market TV Proposal

Download Our Proposal to Wellmark of Iowa Foundation

The Week of June 20

The Week of June 6th, 2011

Milestone Moment: We have a Letter of Commitment from KWWL TV

Week of April 26th: