Barn houses technology not cattle
By Anya Rao
JournalNews
HAMILTON ‹ Carol and Dennis Coler's new computer
training business is centrally located inside a
100-year-old barn.
The Colers recently moved back to the 120-acre family
farm owned by Dennis' family and decided that technology
‹ not raising cattle ‹ would be a good use for the
barn.
The top half of the structure still looks like a barn,
complete with bales of hay ‹ the couple's only salable
crop. But the Colers converted part of the barn's lower
half into a modern 12-terminal computer training
classroom. Once inside the room, the only evidence of the
surrounding barn is the slight, sweet scent of hay.
The Colers offer a variety of computer training courses
for various proficiency levels, with a focus on serving
beginners that have specific items they want to tackle on
the computer or Internet.
"It is geared to exactly what they want to
learn," said Carol Coler.
The Colers teach anything from basic Internet use and
word-processing programs to Web page construction and
maintenance. They also teach courses for beginners and
more advanced users of digital cameras and
digital imaging, their specialty, Dennis Coler said.
All courses are taught in small groups and are tailored to
the needs of the students. He said they try to make the
technical jargon associated with computer use more
understandable by using "plain English."
"People often have the information they need to
get information from here to there, but they don't know
how to handle that digital information," Dennis Coler
said.
The couple combined their skills from their previous
professional careers to launch the company last month.
Dennis Coler has a background in medical imaging using
digital technology and Carol Coler is a physical
therapist, experienced in training others, who has become
an accomplished digital photographer.
The name of the company, which is located just a few
miles outside of downtown Hamilton, is Flyingfarm. The
unusual name comes from the Colers' hobby of flying
experimental aircraft from the airstrip behind their house. That
interest in flying often combines with their interest in
digital photography, producing a gallery of aerial
photographs.
The Colers will also be teaching digital imaging
courses through the continuing education program at Miami
Hamilton.
For more information about Flyingfarm or courses
offered at the computer training center or in your own
home, go online at www.flyingfarm.com or call 895-3276.