Welcome to sunny Okanogan! District 7 is so excited to host you all this year for WAAE conference. We have worked hard to put together a quality, high caliber conference for you all. Including, a wide range of different tours available for you, each showcasing different aspects of North Central WA. Please read through the descriptions below and select your first, second and third choice for a tour on Wednesday, July 1.
Note: Some tours may have up to 90 minutes of travel time each direction. We will try to set up carpooling as much as we can!
Tour 1: Market Lamb SAE 101
A start-to-finish workshop on the selection, feeding, shearing and fitting of market lambs for local stockshows and county fairs. Participants will walk away more confident and comfortable in the supervising and assisting of their students who elect to raise market lambs. Attendees will engage in the following activities:
Rough cut shearing of a young market lamb or ewe in teams of 2-3
Acquisition of purchase orders and sources for shears and clippers
Final slick shear of the lamb to prepare for showmanship
Feeds and feeding
Sheep evaluation and selection
20 people Max, Full Day Tour,
For Beginners to fairly inexperienced
Dress accordingly, be prepared to get dirty and sweaty
Tour 2: Wells Dam and Douglas County PUD Fish Hatchery
Visit Wells Dam and the Wells Dam Fish Hatchery to explore how hydroelectric power and fish conservation work hand in hand along the Columbia River. See how energy is produced while learning how the hatchery supports salmon populations through spawning and release programs. This tour offers a unique look at balancing natural resources, wildlife, and energy needs
20 people max
Full day tour
40 minute drive there and back
Tour 3: Smith Flower Farms
Tour a family run u-pick flower farm in Omak. Nichole runs a wide variety of cut flowers that she starts from seed, and bulbs. This tour will include a farm tour, u-pick session, and farmers market bouquet class.
Black antler floral is a floral shop on the main street of omak. Join us to see the ins and outs of running a floral shop with a fun class included!
Max 17 people
Cost $ 10 for Smith's, up to $30 for black antler
Tour 4: Okanogan Valley Organic Orchard Ag Tourism Field Trip
Join fellow agricultural educators for a unique Ag Tourism experience in the beautiful Okanogan Valley, where agriculture, entrepreneurship, and community engagement come together. This full-day tour will provide an inside look at five successful organic you-pick orchards that have developed innovative approaches to marketing, customer engagement, and farm business management. We will also tour a Fruit Snack factory in Omak.
The tour offers participants the opportunity to visit a variety of orchard operations throughout the valley. At each stop, orchard owners and managers will share their experiences in organic fruit production, direct-to-consumer sales, agritourism development, seasonal labor management, and strategies for building a successful farm business.
Participants will gain valuable insights into: Organic orchard production practices, Agritourism and you-pick business models, Challenges and opportunities in direct farm sales, Marketing customer experience and visitor engagement, Farm diversification and business sustainability, Industrial processing organic fruit snacks
Contact Paul Quick 509-240-7050 with questions
Max People: Unlimited for the Orchards, but only 20 for SunOpta
Cost $ lunch at Smallwood Farms, and what you want to buy at U-Pick
Please Carpool as much as possible
Tour 5: Spur Making
Looking for a new forge project? Got a forge that kids never use because you can't think of a useful project for them? Look no further, join Kyle Stapleton in the Okanogan HS shop to learn how to forge your own set of spurs from a rasp. Please try to source your own 2 rasps.
Please be prepared with your PPE, and dress accordingly to work in the shop.
Max People 15-20
Cost $ 20
Tour 6: Brew with our Neighbors of the North
MUST HAVE: PASSPORT, or ENHANCED ID to cross into Canada and be able to get back into the US!
Travel time to Osoyoos BC is approx 1 hour there and back. Take a quick journey across the northern border to explore the world-class tasting rooms of Osoyoos, British Columbia! Experience a curated mix of the South Okanagan's famous bold estate wines and local craft brews. You will want to carpool across the border.
Max People 20
Cost $ 20
Tour 7: Ranch Tech OC Ranches
OC Ranches is a large cow calf operation run by the Olma family of Tonasket. The tour will begin at the main headquarters (4 miles out of Tonasket) with an overview and tour of our operation followed by demonstrations of the current technology we use for herd records, genomic testing in our herd and how that data is used in our breeding program and the 701x cattle tracking tag system. Lunch will be provided. The tour will continue after lunch with a visit to one of our summer range pastures in Molson (40 minute drive from the main ranch). The day will conclude with a self-guided tour of the Molson Historical Museum.
Travel time back to Omak from Molson is approximately 1 hour
Tour 8: Mansfield Plateau Farm Tour
Come see what farming looks like on the Mansfield Plateau! Tour will focus on dryland farming practices and the unique challenges of farming in North Central Washington. The tour will provide firsthand opportunities to learn about local crop production, soil management, water conservation, and modern farming technology. Douglas Poole will discuss how his operation successfully grows crops with limited annual rainfall. Common crops observed include wheat and canola. Also, learn about the use of Bio Solids and the relationship with King County and Boulder Park Inc. Learn about the importance of crop rotations, residue management, and conservation tillage practices in preserving moisture and reducing soil erosion. The tour will emphasize the economic importance of dryland farming to the Mansfield community and surrounding region as well as market fluctuations, production costs, and the challenges of maintaining profitable operations while serving as responsible stewards of the land. The tour will provide agriculture teachers with valuable knowledge and real-world examples they can incorporate into their classrooms.
Lunch will be available for purchase at Jameson Lake Resort (North)
Max: 25 people
*one hour drive there and back*
Tour 9: Lavender Farm
Join Beth Hammerberg in a showcase of her Lavender Farm. This tour includes distilling, wreath making, and a farm tour with a stop in Chelan for lunch on the way back north. There are many different local fruit stands to stop at on the way north as well.
Cost - $30
Maximum 12 people, Minimum 6 people
*90 minute drive there and back*
Tour 10: WSU Colville Tribe Tour
AM Half Day TOUR: Explore the WSU Extension Center in Nespelem with an informative morning tour of our facility. Learn about the vital collaborative programs bridging university research and tribal community needs, including local agriculture, youth education, and cultural preservation initiatives. Meet our staff and learn about upcoming workshops, resources, and partnership opportunities. 22 Nespelem/San Poil St., Nespelem, WA 99155
Cost- $0
Maximum 20 people
*45 Minute Drive there and back*
Tour 11: Rangeland CDE
Join us in the beautiful Tunk Valley for a crash course learning about the Rangeland CDE. We will meet at the Riverside Grange for some classroom instruction and then carpool up to the Range site and go through the hands on portion of the contest.
Tour 12: Brewster Ag Tour
Gamble Sands - golf course, management, miscellaneous tour
Cherry packing facility, Helicopters for drying, Field management, drones, Cattle management
Max 16 people
Cost $0
*30 minute drive there and back*
Tour 13: Ski the Loup Mechanics
Come check out the ins and outs of chair lift, snowcat, and the mechanics of a ski hill. Loup Loup ski hill relies heavily on skilled tradesmen to operate through the year.
Max 20 people
cost: There may be a meal provided - pay your own way!
Fill out the Tour Sign up Form!