Janes Island State Park

February 23, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Campsite

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Introduction to the Park

Janes Island HVujPGW4dTis conveniently located near Crisfield. The Janes Island State Park, as the name suggests, includes both an island park section along with a mainland section. The state park offers plenty of camping for visitors along with a conference center, picnic spots, pavilions, and a marina with a boat ramp. The Janes Island section holds an impressive 2,900 acre saltmarsh with more than 30 miles of water trails. Janes island contains uncrowded and uncommercialized beaches, too. In fact, Janes Island is entirely untouched from commercialization and offers a wonderful way to get in touch with nature. Catch a sunset on one of the island’s beaches or watch crabs scuttle across the beach with your family. Janes Island is also a haven for crabbers and fishers looking for a great catch. Motor boats and paddle boats are other great water activities.

Water Trails

The park’s six water trails are largely protected from wind and current, making them a perfect experience for amateur paddlers as well as experienced ones. The American Canoe Association recommended the Janes Island water trails in its first-ever list of water trails recommended for paddlers. Primitive camping spots are also available for those who want to go on overnight exploring adventures.

Swimming

No lifeguards and chattering tourists here! The unguarded, isolated beaches are swim-at-your-own-risk and only accessible by boat, but offer visitors the chance to swim in the Chesapeake.

Camping

With over 100 campsites (49 with electrical hook-up) and three bath houses, Janes Island State Park is a great camping destination. Each campsite contains a camping pad, fire pit, lantern post, and picnic table. There are also five heated/air conditioned cabins that can sleep up to four. The back country campsites on the island have a boat landing and tent platform, but campers must follow the Leave No Trace set of ethics and permits are required.

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Annual Events in and Around Crisfield

February 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Description: Entertainers at the Cathedral gre...

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Are you thinking of moving to Crisfield and wondering what the town has to offer? Are you a new resident of the town looking for things to do? Are you thinking of planning a trip to Crisfield and are looking for the perfect weekend to visit? You’re in luck! Crisfield offers a ton of great local events that celebrate Crisfield’s heritage, community, and seafood culture. So what are you waiting for? Plan a trip to Crisfield and visit one of these great events!

  1. Somerset Strawberry Festival. If Crisfield is the “Seafood Capital of the World,” nearby Marion Station is the “Strawberry Capital of the World.” While Marion Station is no longer producing strawberries like it did back in the early part of the century, the town hasn’t forgotten the produce that built their town. What better way to kick off summer than with a festival dedicated to one of summer’s most iconic fruits? The Somerset Strawberry Festival takes place in May every year. Events include a Little Miss & Mr. Strawberry Festival Pageant, the Strawberry Strut 5K, Strawberry Jam & Jelly contests, and the Strawberry Festival Parade.
  2. Freedom Fest. The Freedom Fest is an Independence Day celebration that features food, fireworks, and fun that costs only $5 for regular admission. Veterans get in free.
  3. National Hard Crab Derby. Arguably one of Crisfield’s most famous events, the National Hard Crab Derby is a four-day crab extravaganza in early September. Visitors come from all over the world to celebrate one of the sea animals that made Crisfield famous: the Maryland blue crab. Events include a carnival, a Crab Cooking Contest, live entertainment, a 10K race, a parade, skiff races, and arm wrestling contests. Major events include the Crab Picking Contest, the Governor’s Cup Race, the Boat Docking Contest, and the National Hard Crab Derby Race. The Hard Crab Derby Race is exactly what it sounds like: it’s a race where live crabs race. The crabs are all numbered on the back of their shells so participants and race officials can tell which crab has won. It’s a national event!
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Changing the way we use Land

February 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The way cities are made up these days is an affront to the effective use of our land. And since the old saying about how they are not making any more land is true, we have to deal with what we already have in as efficient a manner as is humanly possible. The way we use land has gotten very inefficient, because we are so used to having extremely abundant resources. Unfortunately, those resources are only so resilient against the relentless onslaught of our tendency to let our cities sprawl out into the countryside. Urban sprawl hurts our environment in several different ways, and what hurts our environment will ultimately end up hurting us, as well as every other living thing out there.

One problem that spreading out into the suburbs carries with it is that, by definition, people in the suburbs are far away from everything. So they have got to use a lot of gas, just to get back into town. This obviously put a lot of fluorocarbons into the air. And this is not even considering how many animals have to lose their habitats, just so a bunch of identical houses can be dropped out of an assembly line in five different shades of beige. The overall impact of urban sprawl is ultimately devastating to the ecosystem we have to share with all of the other creatures of the Earth.

Of course, it is still possible to correct these kinds of problems, and stop urban sprawl in its tracks. Good property managers, just like good city planners, can help us to use the land that we have far more efficiently than we would have otherwise. Oceanside property management is an example of how, even in established cities, we can change the way that the land is being used, in order to help the environment to be in balance. With a solid balance between humanity and the environment, our world will get better.

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Advertising for a Home Based Childcare Center

January 29, 2011 by Leave a Comment

So you want to open an at-home childcare. Once you have survived the inspections and have the go ahead to begin operations you may wonder, “what next?”  Unlike some businesses, this can be a hard concept to advertise and even harder to get new customers in the door.

First, you will likely want to see if anyone you know is looking for childcare. Just because their children are already enrolled in a day care center doesn’t mean that they aren’t looking for an alternative. Many people would love the opportunity for their children to stay with a trusted family friend than with strangers in a large day care center where they likely won’t get the personal attention that they deserve.

Next, you will want to reach out to “friends of friends.”  If you are a member of the PTA at an elementary school, or you children play on any sports teams, this is a great way to find parents that you don’t know well, but know of that may be looking for a new childcare option.

Hopefully by this time you are full, but if not there are other ways to advertise for potential clients without spending a bundle. The social networking sites are a great way to get in touch with those around you. Post about your business on your Facebook profile or on your Twitter account and encourage your friends to share the post with their friends. If everything works like it should, your message should be shared with dozens or hundreds of people that many need your services.

The traditional approach of handing out business cards and flyers or posting a sign in your neighborhood is also a great option. Many people are too busy to go out actively looking for a new daycare, but if they see your advertisement in their mailbox or while they walk around the neighborhood they may consider giving you a call.

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At-Home Childcare Centers – The Inspection

January 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment

A very popular home based business is that of operating an in-home childcare facility. This idea is very appealing to many potential business owners because it may be something they are doing already. While this can be a very lucrative business, it is one that should not be entered into lightly.

There are many important things that you must consider before you open an in-home childcare business. One of the most important is passing inspections. This goes hand in hand with providing a safe and nurturing atmosphere for the children who will be staying at your home, so this is doubly important.

The inspection process may vary from state to state, but will involve making sure your facility is safe and secure for any children who may enroll with you. There will often be requirements about space, fire escape plans, cleanliness, playground equipment and toys that are left in reach of the children.

The inspection will seem very stressful if you have never been through the process, but  in reality, it should be simple. If your childcare center is normally a nice, safe place for children then it should reflect in your inspection. One thing to remember is that the inspectors are not the enemy, they want the same thing you do, a safe childcare facility.

Hopefully you will pass the inspection on your first try. If you do not, don’t get discouraged, simply fix any problems and prepare for the second inspection. You will likely be better prepared this time around and should pass with flying colors. Once the inspection process is over you can breathe easy and get ready for the adventure of childcare. Just make sure you keep all of your safety practices up to date because most states require retesting at least annually if not more often.

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Owning a Food Service Business

January 25, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Operating a business that sells food or beverages is a whole new experience from owning a retail or wholesale business. If you sell prepared food you will have to face many different hurdles that other businesses do not. This is a trade of sorts, because food service businesses tend to have a higher profit margin than other types of businesses.

First, you will face inspections that go above and beyond what is typical for other establishments.  In my state all food service businesses are inspected twice a year by the health department. These inspections are very strict and involved. A health department inspection will check out nearly every square inch of your restaurant and the inspector is specially trained to find even small problems that may occur. These inspections seem tough, but they are protection for the business as well as the customer. If you follow health department guidelines you will be better protected if anything bad ever occurs at your business.

Another hurdle that restaurant owners face is that of merchandise with limited shelf life. Your food products may only have a few days before they go bad, which will add to your waste. When calculating your budget and purchasing inventory, make sure you take into account waste that may occur. You want to carefully date every product you use so that you don’t accidently sell spoiled product. This is a sure way to lose business and possibly get shut down by the health department.

A final issue that you may find when running a restaurant is that of finding good help. It is hard to find quality employees that want to work in a food service business. Paying reasonable wages and offering benefits will attract a higher caliber worker than simply paying the minimum wage does. It is well worth the expense of obtaining quality employees.

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Hiring for Your Small Business

January 22, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Hiring employees for your small business is a task that many owners do not particularly enjoy. It is however something that must be done, and if you choose wisely you will spend much less time training and rehiring in the future.

How do business owners decide which prospective employee is right for to work for them?  It’s not as hard as you might think. Before you even interview the first candidate you can often eliminate many candidates simply by reading their job application and resume. If the resume is not written in good English, or the application is so mess you can’t read it, this is not someone you likely want working for your business. You want someone that is ready to put their best foot forward.

Another aspect to consider is availability. If you are hiring for a position that will require a lot of weekend work and the availability on your prospective employee’s application says that they want Saturdays off, they are probably not a good fit.

Once you have a pool of candidates to choose from you can begin interviewing. Do not be tempted to hire any candidate on the spot. You are only cheating yourself by not interviewing all of the potential candidates you have before you make a decision. If the potential employee finds other employment in the meantime, they are likely fickle and may have left your job in a short time anyhow.

Handling the hiring for your business may never be one of your favorite tasks, but there is no reason why it has to be a task you dread either. Using some common sense, and utilizing all of your options will enable the task to go more smoothly and hopefully allow you to find an employee that will be with you for a long time.

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Difficulties for Small Business Owners

January 20, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Ask ten small business owners what the hardest part of their job is and you will likely get ten different answers. Many people think that owning and running your own business is an easy way to make a living. This couldn’t be further from the truth.

Handling the accounting and tax aspects of a small business is a very difficult part of the process for many first time business owners. It is vitally important to keep good records and save every document you obtain so that you can successfully calculate how well your business is operating and also file your taxes each year.

Another part of owning a business that can be hard for new owners to get used to is handling all of the customer service issues. If you are the owner and manager there is no one you can refer an irate customer to. You will have to do everything in your power to make your customers happy, so that you can keep them as customers for a long time. It is much easier to retain your current customers than to attract new ones.

A final common concern of small business owners is weathering the down times. No matter what business you own, you will have times that are leaner than others. You must be responsible in saving so that you can pull through the rough patches and continue to keep your business running successfully for the long run. If you are not able to save when your business is performing well, you will face many difficult days when things aren’t going your way.

No matter what business you are in you will face hurdles, it is up to you to learn how to get past them. There is always help and advice to be found online, from other business owners and your local chamber of commerce if you aren’t afraid to find it.

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Keeping it Simple with your Online Business

January 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Operating your own business online can be as easy or as complicated as you want to make it. For many years I owned my own online business and I ran it under a very simple system. I purchased goods from local flea markets and used bookstores and I resold the products online for a profit.

I never owned my own website; I simply sold through eBay and some industry specific trading boards. This helped me keep my expenses to a minimum and I was still able to reach the audience that I needed to reach.

My accounting process was simple too. I had an excel spreadsheet where I recorded the purchases I made and the sales I made. I kept my receipts for a couple of years in case I ran into any problems. Doing my own taxes is something that I wouldn’t recommend to everyone, but for me it worked out very well.

I was very lucky because the product that I sold was very small. I could keep an inventory in the thousands in a small room in my basement without feeling cramped. If you sell a larger or bulkier product you may need a storage unit for your overstocked items.

Another way I kept my business simple was my shipping methods. I only offered one method of shipping, USPS Priority Mail. I loved the fact that the post office provided free mailers and boxes and they would deliver them directly to my home. The shipping prices were simple to calculate and the items arrived at their destination quickly.

As you can see, it is possible to keep things very simple when you are running an online business. By figuring out ways you can cut corners you will save time and money in the operation of your small online business.

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The Fire Inspection

January 15, 2011 by Leave a Comment

In many areas if you are planning on opening a new business, one of the most important steps you must go through before opening your doors is having a fire safety inspection.  The actual inspection will vary from place to place, but there are some steps you can take to make sure that your building will pass inspection before you pay the inspection fee.

First, find out the laws for your area about fire extinguishers.  You may be required to have one, or possibly more than one.  This may not be necessary in every location for every type of business.  This information can generally be found on the website for your state fire marshal’s department.

Another thing that many fire inspections check for is working exit signs.  This is important because in case of a fire or other emergency your customers and employees may need to have lighted exit signs to help them find their way out of the building.

The fire inspector will likely help you set a maximum capacity for your building.  This is a set number of people that can safely be in the building at one time.  In an emergency situation it can be hard for customers to move about in a building if it is overcrowded.

Another aspect that may come under the umbrella of a fire inspection is the ADA inspection.  ADA stands for Americans with Disabilities Act, and this act requires that businesses make necessary repairs or changes to the structure to make them accessible to the disabled.  Check out what is necessary for your business to meet the required guidelines.

If you find out what you need to do, and do it before you are inspected you will save time, hassle and money in the long run.  The fire inspector is there to make your business a safer place, not to cause you trouble, so take the time to thank them for what they do.

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