2016 State Meeting
2016 NCACAA Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference
June 21-23, 2016
Ramada Inn Nags Head Oceanfront
The 2016 North Carolina Association of County Agricultural Agents state meeting will be hosted by the Northeast District in Nags Head, NC. The meeting will be June 21-23. Our headquarters hotel is the Ramada Inn Nags Head Oceanfront.
The Northeast District has put together what we think is a great meeting starting with a pre-conference activities on June 21st. Annual Leave must be taken for early bird activities. The State Board will hold their meeting Tuesday evening. The meeting will officially begin with Wednesday's opening luncheon, followed by professional development sessions and then the Awards Banquet on Wednesday evening.
Hotel Rates & Room Types
5/20/16 Update
Our room block at the Ramada has now been exceeded! If you have not booked your reservation yet:
You may still try the Ramada. Ask to speak to the sales department, specifically Jamie or Audri, to see what accommodations they have left. Be sure to mention the Ag Agents Association.
You may also try the Comfort Inn next door (oceanfront, 2 minute walking distance). We have now booked a small block of overflow rooms. Be sure to mention the Ag Agents Association.
Street side rooms $169
Oceanfront rooms $219
Guaranteed until June 5th, or while they last!
Spouse & Life Members Information
Due to the numerous attractions at the Outer Banks, including shopping, adventure parks, fishing, and of course the beach, spouses and life members are invited to spend their free time as they choose. We also invite you to all scheduled events, meetings, sessions, and tours offered by the Association throughout the duration of the conference.
Early Bird Activities
Organized Opportunities
1 – Deep Sea Fishing on the Country Girl, 57’ CANNADY, Captain Allan Foreman
Leave 5 AM – Return 5 PM
Cost $1900
Minimum of 6 people, $317/ person, not including mate tip
NENCACAA must have payment by May 10th
2 – Off Shore Fishing on Fowl Hooked, 35’ Custom Carolina, Captain Troy Boyd
Leave at 11 AM – Return 3 PM
Cost $550
Minimum of 5 people, $110/person, can take 6, $92/person, not including mate tip
NENCACAA must have payment by May 10th
Pirates Cove Marina (Distance from hotel – 10 miles)
Make checks payable to: NENCACAA
If there are not enough people to fill charter, money will be refunded.
On Your Own Opportunities ~ please confirm options 4 & 5 with Early Bird Activities Chairs Tommy Grandy or Paul Smith
3 – Fishing on the Crystal Dawn Head Boat (fishing capacity – 50 people)
Leave 7 AM – Return 12 PM
Leave 12:30 PM – Return 5 PM
Cost: $45 adults, $35 children (10 and under)
Make reservations on your own: 252-473-5577
Booked individually, not through NENCACAA. Call 252-473-5577 to reserve a spot.
4 – Sporting Clays
136 Powells Road, Shawboro, NC 27973
Distance from hotel – 42 miles
Cost: $25 – 50 clays; $35 – 100 clays (pay at range)
Guns are not provided; shotgun shells available – $8 per box, 12 ga. and 20 ga. only
5 - Golf Course Outing
215 West Side Lane, Powells Point, NC 27966
Distance from hotel – 16 miles
Cost: 18 Holes: $50 (includes cart, pay at pro shop)
Professional Development Tours
Tour 1 – Cherry Farms Seed Company and Middle Creek Farms
Cherry Farms Seed Company, located in Columbia, NC, is the largest Asgrow seed producer east of the Mississippi River. The company contracts with growers in surrounding counties to produce high quality wheat and soybean seed. They bring in soybeans from at least 30,000 acres and bag 2 million bags of soybean seed each year. Cherry Farms Seed Company was founded in 1988 and has continued to grow and prosper ever since. They produce foundation and pre-foundation seed.
On the way to Middle Creek Farms, we will take a detour to Martelle’s Feed House Reastaurant for a home cooked country buffet lunch on your own.
Middle Creek Farms, located in Engelhard, NC. They produce fresh market sweet onions, snap beans, table-stock potatoes, as well as field corn, soybean, winter wheat and cotton on blackland organic soils. The Blackland Farm Managers Association Tour will be held at Middle Creek Farms on August 3, 2016. While touring the farm, you will be able to see test plots that are on the tour organized by the NC State Extension specialists, the Ag Agents in Beaufort, Hyde, Tyrrell and Washington counties and the Blackland Farm Managers Association.
Tour 2 – Bombing Range
North Carolina has the third largest military population in the United States. A 2013 report indicated that the military accounts for 10% of the state’s economic activity, making it the second largest sector in North Carolina. This means the military supports 540,000 jobs in North Carolina.
With these jobs come training and instructional facilities such as the Bombing Range is located in Tyrrell County, NC, and is a joint training location for both the Navy and Air Force. It was originally started in the 1960s as a place to target practice on trucks and cars. Aircraft from Seymour Johnson Air Force Base and Naval Air Station Oceana practice at the bombing range but the focus has changed since the Desert War. The bombing range now has replicas of Iranian and Afghan villages that are used by special forces, rangers and Navy SEALs for training. The Air Force is currently attempting to acquire a corridor from Seymour Johnson to the Bombing Range and will affect agriculture in Beaufort, Hyde, Pitt, Tyrrell and Washington Counties. They are currently working with Voluntary Ag Districts to create and allow low level flights of aircraft from Seymour Johnson to the Bombing Range.
Snacks will be provided and lunch will be on your own upon returning to the conference hotel.
Tour 3 – Sanctuary Vineyards and Weeping Radish
Sanctuary Vineyards, located on a quaint seaside farm in Jarvisburg, NC, produces world-class wines in Currituck County. The Wright Family has farmed for seven generations and Tommy and Joey Wright created the estate to begin a new wine tradition by using age-old methods to produce some of the sweetest fruits from the coastal sands. The grapes ripen in the intense summer heat and are tempered by the sea breeze from the Atlantic Ocean. The grapes are grown on ancient sand dunes that offer excellent drainage and contribute a unique flavor to the ripening fruit. Come visit Sanctuary Vineyards to see how the Wright family produces their grapes and taste the unique flavor of their wines. Enjoy a ‘Dutch treat’ picnic lunch provided by Thyme and Tide while overlooking the vineyard. http://sanctuaryvineyards.com/index.html
Neighboring Sanctuary Vineyards is the Weeping Radish, a microbrewery focused on the Bavarian Reinheitsgebot Purity Law of 1516 that states only four ingredients must be used when brewing beer. These include hops, malt, yeast and water. No additives, chemicals or preservatives can be used. Uli Bennewitz came to North Carolina in the early 1980s and was interested in opening a microbrewery like the ones he’d left behind in Bavaria. He was instrumental in working with North Carolina politicians to change a current law at the time that prevented microbreweries to sell their beer on site. Aside from making and selling beer at the Grandy location, Uli has expanded his principle to the food chain. The goal of Weeping Radish is to reduce the food chain to less than 200 miles and create “Reinheitsgebot Food,” which like the beer, has no additives, chemicals and minimal processing. For two years, Uli and his team grew organic and biodynamic vegetable son their 14-acre farm and currently exploring different farm share programs with local restaurants and producers. http://www.weepingradish.com/
Tour 4 – Wanchese Seafood Park and O’Neal’s
Wanchese Seafood Industrial Park is located on the south end of historic Roanoke Island in Dare County, NC. The park opened in 1981 and contains 53 acres of land, a 15-acre basin and its own wastewater treatment and water system. It’s proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, Intercoastal waterway and the regions sound system make it an ideal location for water dependent businesses. The Seafood park is home to a few boat builders as well and contributes and annual impact to the state of North Carolina of 113 million dollars!
For lunch, the group will enjoy a Dutch meal at O’Neal’s Seafood Restaurant, which is located on the shores of Wanchese Harbor. This locally owned seafood harvester and seller uses the daily catch to provide delicious meals including hard and soft-shelled crab, blue crab, deep sea and in-shore fish, shrimp and ocean scallops. O’Neal’s also has fresh seafood for sale to the public. www.onealsseaharvest.com
Youth Activities (Open to youth of all ages and adult chaperones)
Wednesday Afternoon Dolphin Tour (Registration required, also bring money for lunch, ice cream, and souvenir opportunity)
11:45 am Meet at front entrance of Ramada Plaza (bring your own car/booster seats if required)
12:00 pm Depart for McDonalds for lunch (bring your own money)
1:00 pm Depart for Manteo Waterfront
1:30 pm Arrive at Waterfront for Ice Cream (bring your own money)
2:30 pm Depart for Private Charter Dolphin cruise in protected waters featuring:
-Narration and education about the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin
-Local Captain that will share his knowledge of the area's history, culture, and features
-Coast Guard Certified 55 ft x 14 ft vessel with covered seating and restroom
4:30 pm Return to Manteo Waterfront and depart for Ramada Plaza
5:00 pm Return to front entrance of Ramada Plaza (parent pickup)
Wednesday Evening Pool/Pizza Party (Registration required)
5:30 pm Drop off begins for Pool/Pizza party (Lifeguard provided)
8:30 pm Pool/Pizza party ends (or at close of awards banquet)
On Thursday, youth attend Tours and Cookout/Cornhole tournament with adults.
Cornhole Tournament (To be held for all registered after eating at Cookout on June 23)
-Open to all registered for the meeting
-Single elimination team (2 players per team) tournament with cancellation scoring of bag in hole (3) and bag on board (1). Each game decided by first to 21 points or over.
-Winning team will each be awarded a set of cornhole boards.