A Night of Inspiration at the Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club Meeting

Recently we had the privilege of attending the Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club meeting at the Food Enterprise Center in Viroqua, hosted by the Vernon County Economic Development team. The evening was filled with energy, innovation, and connection as local entrepreneurs gathered to share ideas and explore opportunities.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation by Karin Silet and Sheri Scott, owners of Good Thunder Farm, who shared their inspiring journey of growing elderberries—a perennial crop celebrated for its culinary and medicinal properties. Attendees learned about valuable resources for specialty crop growers, including the UW Emerging Crops Coalition, USDA funding, and the Savanna Institute, all of which support crops like honeyberries, currants, aronia berries, hazelnuts, and small grains.  We are partnered with them and the Driftless Berry growers coop. 

A special thanks to Sue Noble, the Executive Director of the Food Enterprise Center, for her outstanding leadership in organizing such an engaging event. The networking session before the program was a fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow innovators, exchange ideas, and sample some of the incredible products created by local growers—including our very own Aronia juice! We were thrilled to see attendees sampling our juice and loving it. The positive feedback was overwhelming and sparked conversations about exciting collaborations for the future.

As always, the Inventors and Entrepreneurs Club continues to be a hub for creativity, knowledge-sharing, and community growth. We can’t wait to share more about the connections made and the partnerships that may blossom from this amazing evening. Stay tuned for updates!

If you’re an entrepreneur or inventor looking to connect with like-minded individuals, the next meeting is one you won’t want to miss. Everyone is welcome!