This page is subject to change. All information is tentative until everything is finalized. 

MONDAY, JULY 29th 

TUESDAY, JULY 30th


Pre-Conference Sessions 

8:00am: Guided Hike at Moses Cone Park Trails | Transportation will be provided 

We’ll park at the Cone Manor House and head up to Flat Top Tower for spectacular views. This hike will cover 2 ½ miles of the 25 mile carriage trail system established by Moses and Bertha Cone back in the mid-1890s. Very good cardio conditioning required for a 2 ½ mile climb with 593 feet elevation gain followed by the descent. The surface is gravel without many stones, so trail, running or walking shoes with good tread will work. Don’t forget to bring water. Led by veteran hiker Margie Mansure, Extension Agent in Watauga and Caldwell counties.

8:30am : Discover Downtown Blowing Rock

Enjoy the sights and shops of downtown Blowing Rock as you stroll the streets with Kim Terrell, FCS Agent, Clay and Macon Counties. 

10am-11:30am : Discover the World of Fermentation

Discover the world of fermentation with Avery Ashley. In this class you will learn about the science and practice of fermentation methods that you are likely to come across as an agent. We will also discuss methods for delivering successful fermentation classes and how to guide clients toward safe and tested fermentation techniques. Each participant will also get their own fermentation kit and recipes to bring home.

Opening Session and Luncheon

12pm-2pm : Welcome from Watauga CED, Jim Hamilton, West District Director, Steve Duckett, and Watauga County Commissioner, Ray Russell, with Guest Speaker CoCo Daughtry from the NC Sweetpotato Commission

2:00pm - 2:30pm | AFTERNOON BREAK

Get rested up and energized for your afternoon professional development sessions

Afternoon Session A, 2:30pm - 3:30pm 

Home Food Business Regulations, Susan Parrish, NCDA

Some of the most common questions FCS agents receive are about selling food products that are made from home. Learn how high-risk vs. low-risk foods, a home’s water source, pets in the home, and more, determine whether a product can be made at home or must be made in a commercial kitchen.

Effective Scheduling, Tracy Davis, Retired FCS Agent

Do you often feel unproductive despite going to work early, heading home late, and working on weekends? Is stress building with each impending meeting, presentation, and deadline?  It's time to free yourself from over-commitment and endless multi-tasking!  This session offers practical tips for designing and executing a more effective work schedule - one that allows you to excel in your job while also having the energy and capacity for your personal life.  Come fill your toolbox with techniques for better work-life balance!

Cooking Up Your Best Shot, Gail Greco, Food and Lifestyles Writer, Photographer

Food photography is a special genre that can be intimidating to get right. But, whether you need to deliver photos for professional work and/or for your own varied usages, we’ll explore how easy it is to create bold, bright, and fun smart-phone photos that transform lifeless point-and-shoot images, into lively distinguished pictures that get results. These days the one behind the lens is also the photo stylist, so we’ll talk about how to achieve beautiful, handsome shots through: composition, foodie props and plating, dramatic use of backgrounds and telltale environments, and much more including uncovering food photography’s best-kept secret (what I call it’s sixth sense) to further the artistic and appetizing appeal of your photos!

3:30pm - 4:00pm | AFTERNOON BREAK

Get rested up and energized for your afternoon professional development sessions

Afternoon Session B, 4pm - 5pm 

Cooking Up Your Best Shot, Gail Greco, Food and Lifestyles Writer, Photographer

Food photography is a special genre that can be intimidating to get right. But, whether you need to deliver photos for professional work and/or for your own varied usages, we’ll explore how easy it is to create bold, bright, and fun smart-phone photos that transform lifeless point-and-shoot images, into lively distinguished pictures that get results. These days the one behind the lens is also the photo stylist, so we’ll talk about how to achieve beautiful, handsome shots through: composition, foodie props and plating, dramatic use of backgrounds and telltale environments, and much more including uncovering food photography’s best-kept secret (what I call it’s sixth sense) to further the artistic and appetizing appeal of your photos!

Mental Health and Wellbeing for the Extension Agent, Nikki Kurdys, Assistant Extension Director for Human Resources and Operational Strategy, NCSU

During this session, we will discuss mental health and wellbeing.  In Extension we're often pulled in many different directions so it can be hard to remember to take care of ourselves. We also see a lot of people in our communities on a regular basis and we know they need help sometimes too. Today we will spend some time talking about how we can take care of ourselves properly and how we can work to help others.

Reducing Stigma for Parent Education, Niki Maness, FCS Agent, Yancey County

In 2018, Yancey County started a project with the aim of making Parent Education as sought after as learning any new skill, such as cooking or exercising. In this session, we will share our journey from being a small group in one county to having multiple working groups in Avery, Mitchell, and Yancey Counties, with a full-time coordinator. The key to making this happen was using our county Extension website as a tool, and now we have a template for other counties to use. Join us to learn more!

5:30pm - 7:30pm | FRIENDSHIP EVENT

Relax and indulge in an elegant atmosphere where the soothing sounds of classical guitar surround you, complemented by a selection of light appetizers and refreshing beverages. We will also offer tea and appetizers from Gail Greco’s book, "Afternoon Tea is the New Happy Hour.”


WEDNESDAY, JULY 31st 

Exercise and Breakfast on Your Own, 7am-9am

Kickstart your day on your terms: Fuel your body with a hearty breakfast provided by the hotel, and boost your energy for the day. Get your heart rate up early before the heat sets in, by taking a stroll downtown with Jessica Mollet, FCS, Madison County. This walk is for the early birds, starting at 6:30am! 

NCEAFCS Business Meeting, 9am - 10:30am

It’s essential for all NEAFCS members to attend the business meeting so that everyone’s input is included and we can make well-informed decisions. Your participation and vote are crucial to our success and help shape our association’s future.

Morning Session, 11am - 12pm 

Embracing Health at Every Size: A Trauma Informed, Client-Centered Approach to Health & Wellness, Sally Wimberley, Nutritious Thoughts 

Join Registered Dietitian, Sally Wimberley, as they delve into the transformative concept of Health at Every Size (HAES) and the approach embraced by Nutritious Thoughts (NT), a group practice of dietitians working in Western NC.  Rather than fixating on weight, we provide clients with an authentic, trauma-informed approach to nutrition, health, and wellness. Nutritious Thoughts is a team of compassion-centered dietitians who focus on helping clients explore and transform their relationship with food. We practice under the philosophy that humans of all body sizes, shapes, and abilities are worthy of care. 

Supporting Healthy Food Access through Local Food Programming, Dr. Dara Bloom, NCSU, Morgan Marshall, NCSU and Craig Mauney, NCSU

Increasing local, healthy food access to food insecure populations is a growing interest and effort among FCS agents. NC Cooperative Extension has multiple resources and programs to help grow connections between food banks/pantries and local sources of food. In this session, Dr. Dara Bloom and Morgan Marshall will share a set of resources developed by the Extension Local Food Program Team's Food Security Work Group, including a Farm to Food Bank Resource Guide, food pantry mini-lessons to guide taste tests, and recipe cards that are specially developed for food pantry recipients. We'll also give an overview of the Donation Station program, where volunteers set up a booth at a farmers market to collect donations for local hunger relief agencies. Craig Mauney, Area Specialized Agent for Commercial Horticulture, will join the session to speak about his experiences connecting food banks with farmers, and will share tips for agents interested in learning more.

Managing Conflict in the Office, Nicole McManus, The Counseling Group

Join us for an engaging workshop on Conflict Resolution, where we'll delve into effective strategies for navigating tensions in the workplace. This session is designed to empower participants with practical skills and insights to address conflicts constructively. While a comprehensive slideshow will provide visual support, this workshop is designed to be highly interactive. Participants can share their experiences, ask specific questions, and brainstorm solutions tailored to their unique contexts.

Financial Management for the FCS Agent, Dr. Patrice Dollar, MS, CFP, Family Resource Management Extension Associate, NC A&T State University

Let’s face it.  Debt is part of our everyday lives; reducing it is one way to improve our financial well-being. PowerPay will give you the tools to develop a personalized, self-directed debt-elimination plan.  Discover how quickly you can become debt-free, how much you can save with interest costs by following your debt reduction plan, and how you can gain greater control of your finances.

Lunch, 12pm - 1:00pm

No guest speaker, enjoy your time to network and catch up with colleagues! 

*Travel to Boone, 1:00pm - 1:45pm

The bus will depart promptly at 1pm from the Meadowbrook Inn. If you go on the Boone Local Food Walking Tour or the Meat Conference, your groups will travel to Boone. This trip takes approximately 15 minutes, so additional time is provided for registration and navigating to Appalachian State University's student union. 

Afternoon Session A, 1:45pm - 2:45pm 

Transportation is provided for Meat Conference sessions and the Boone Local Food Walking Tour


MEAT CONFERENCE: Nutritional Value of Grass-Fed Meats, Stephan van Vilet, Nutrition Scientist with Metabolomics Expertise in NDFS, Utah State University

Emerging research indicates that plant diversity and dietary choice is of paramount importance to herbivores. This talk will discuss how different finishing and grazing systems impact the health and well-being of animals, and subsequent health effects of consumers, thus linking animal and human health based on the premise that "you are what you eat".

OFFSITE: Boone Local Food Walking Tour

During this walking tour, you’ll gain insight into the High Country local food movement by visiting the High Country Food Hub, a High Country Grown certified business and the FARM cafe. The unique models and values of these establishments are truly inspirational! Note: this tour requires approximately 1 mile of walking. 

AT MEADOWBROOK: Incorporating Flexibility Breaks into Your Educational Programs, High Country Yoga

How to incorporate stretching or yoga breaks into your educational programs. Participate in this class to learn how to add movement to your classes that people in average physical condition could benefit from. Weather permitting, class will be held on the outside terrace.

Afternoon Break and Pop-Up Butchery Demo, 2:45pm - 3:00pm 

This is only for those attending the Meat Conference


Visit our sponsors and vendors at the tradeshow in the International Hallway

Join us at The Chopping Block for a butchery demo on how to break down a whole chicken into cuts for the market or the kitchen.

Afternoon Session B, 3pm - 4pm 

Transportation is provided for Meat Conference sessions and the Boone Local Food Walking Tour

MEAT CONFERENCE: Cooking Affordable Bone-In Cuts (with Lamb), Nick Barr, Chef, Chai Pani, Asheville

This workshop will cover how to get the most out of your affordable bone-in meat cuts.  The demo will feature simple homestyle butchery for stew meats, how to braise tougher cuts of meat for tender results, how to use bones and trimmings to make healthy stocks and broths, and how to select seasonings for the most flavorful results when cooking meats.  There will be additional conversations on simple recipes for any type of protein, what spices should be in every cupboard, and what herbs should be in every window seal or garden.  This cooking show style workshop will include finished recipes that can be tasted and discussed.

OFFSITE: Boone Local Food Walking Tour

During this walking tour, you’ll gain insight into the High Country local food movement by visiting the High Country Food Hub, a High Country Grown certified business and the FARM cafe. The unique models and values of these establishments are truly inspirational! Note: this tour requires approximately 1 mile of walking. 

AT MEADOWBROOK: Incorporating Flexibility Breaks into Your Educational Programs, High Country Yoga

How to incorporate stretching or yoga breaks into your educational programs. Participate in this class to learn how to add movement to your classes that people in average physical condition could benefit from. Weather permitting, class will be held on the outside terrace.

Awards Banquet and Photos, 6pm - 8pm 

With special guests, Dr. Bonnano from NC State University and Misty Blue-Terry from NC A&T State University

THURSDAY, AUGUST 1st

Closing Session 10am - 10:30am 

Eleanor Baker, Extension Organizational Development Program Associate, NCSU