Greetings from Andrew -
Hi, everyone! I hope this newsletter finds things going really well for you since the beginning of the year and that the economy has not caused undue hardship to you, your family or your farm. Gas prices seem to be going down a bit, but how ironic that sounds when they’ve almost, and sometimes, hit $4.00 recently. And I’m young enough to remember when a gallon of gas cost less than $2.00!
ANA has had a pretty good year so far. Our ANA conference was a huge success in February at Little River Golf and Resort near Pinehurst in Moore County. More about that further on.
Our usual Spring workshops have had mixed reviews. Six were planned, and three didn’t have enough registrations to warrant holding them. Three others did go on as planned: April 14 at The Vineyards at Southpoint in the North Central District, Durham County, owned by ANA member Guy Loeffler; May 19 at ANA members Lola and David Coston’s Coston Farm and Apple House in the West District in Henderson County; and June 2 at ANA member Chuck and Jamey Johnson’s Shadow Springs Vineyard, West Central District in Yadkin County. Attendance at the workshops was slightly below last year’s average, and this has led the Board to look at some alternate ways of holding workshops and/or the annual conference. More on this.
I ask you to share your new ways of attracting visitors to ANA and new methods of making your farm more attractive and successful through the ANA members-only list serve. The address to share your successes, ask questions of other members, and share your newsletters is ncana.members@lists.ncmail.net. Just plug that in and tell us what’s going on in your “neck of the woods.” The list serve is also a good way to let members know of local matters that affect farmers either positively or negatively.
~Andrew Gillis, ANA President
"Taking Local Beyond the Farm" Theme of 2011 ANA Annual Winter Conference
ANA held its 5th annual winter conference February 17 – 18 at Little River Golf & Resort near Pinehurst. The theme, “Taking Local Beyond the Farm,” was highlighted in the remarks of two speakers well-known in the local foods movement: Tim Will, Foothills Connect, Rutherfordton, spoke at the morning session to over 125 attendees about the successful efforts in Rutherford County to connect small farmers with high-end restaurants in the Charlotte area, and how the process was being used in other areas of the state, and Dr. Nancy Creamer, Director of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems at NCSU, who spoke at lunch about the “NC Choices” program designed to measure the increase in local foods purchases by North Carolinians and the growing success of the ‘buy-in’ of citizens who value fresh, local produce and meat, and whose purchasing power is growing constantly.
On Thursday afternoon two ANA member farms and an antique tractor museum were open for tours. Crystal Pines Alpacas Farm, owned by Joe and Ursi Picariello; Lighterwood Farm, owned by Jess Wimberley; and Ederville Tractor Museum, owned by Ken Eder, welcomed ANA members who arrived Thursday afternoon. A wine and cheese reception was held from 5 – 7 pm, followed by entertainment by ANA member Jeff Darnell of Darnell Farms in Bryson City. Jeff is well-known for his entertaining stories of rural life.
The ANA Board met Thursday evening, and after adjournment, ANA member Dr. Carol Kline, ECU Sustainable Tourism faculty member, led the board members in a focus group discussion about agritourism and the effects on their lives. Her findings were recently finished for publication and distribution.
Friday morning’s plenary session included a review of the year, election of new officers and district directors, and other business. The new officers are President Andrew Gillis, Gillis Hill Farm in Fayetteville; Vice President Vicki Sundberg, SundMist Pastures, Bolivia; Secretary Gwen Stowe, Stowe Dairy Farms, Gastonia; and new Treasurer Tami Thompson, Lazy O Farm, Smithfield. Cathy Lewis continues to serve as Immediate Past President.
Northeast District Directors are Dorita Boyd, Raindrop Ridge Farm, Washington, and Sue Ellen Brock, Brock’s Berries & Produce, Winterville; Southeast – Jack and Amy Moye, Rabbittown Farms and Vineyard, La Grange; North Central – Caroline Lineberry, D. L. Tuttle’s Berry and Vegetable Farm, Stoneville, and Mimi Games, Burleigh Plantation, Semora; South Central – Amanda Swisher, Robeson Co. Extension, Lumberton, and Tommy West, West Produce, Spring Lake; West Central – Sharon Berry, Bloomtown Acres, East Bend, and Devon Stamey, Stamey Farms, Statesville; and West District – Marilyn Cade, Mountain Farm, Burnsville, and Bill Carson, The Orchard at Altapass, Little Switzerland.
A full day of concurrent workshops ranging from a panel which discussed the various ways local foods were moving from the farm to farther destinations to discussion of how social media benefits the farmer provided information and new ideas to over one hundred-twenty conference attendees.
The evaluation summary of the conference was sent to members soon after the conference. If you are interested in seeing it again, email martha.glass@ncagr.gov and one will be sent to you.
 President Andrew Gillis installs, l-r, new district directors Mimi Games, North Central; and Bill Carson and Marilyn Cade, West District |
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Bill Carson, owner of The Orchard at Altapass, leads ANA Winter Conference session on successful sales at farm stores and gift shops |
Three Successful ANA Workshops Held
New and potential ANA members along with current members attended three workshops this Spring. The three workshops were held at ANA members’ businesses – Vineyard at Southpoint near Durham, Coston Farm and Apple House, Hendersonville, and Shadow Springs Vineyard near Hamptonville. Lack of registration for the Northeast, Southeast and South Central districts caused those workshops to be cancelled.
New members were introduced to the concept of networking and sharing experiences with other farmers and vintners, and all three workshops received very positive evaluations on session topics, getting new ideas, finding out information about insurance, estate and business planning, staff hospitality training, how to make sure first impressions are positive, the benefits of social media as a marketing tool, and the importance of forming relationships with policymakers and elected officials who effect agricultural policy and laws.
 North Central ANA workshop attendees enjoy dinner on the patio at Vineyards at Southpoint |
Attendees at West District ANA workshop gather in front of Coston Apple Store |
 Mimi Games welcomes participants to ANA workshop at Vineyards at Southpoint |
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ANA Board Announces New Initiatives
The ANA Board met Wednesday, June 22 via telephone conference call and voted to provide new membership alternatives. The first is a new Corporate membership with annual dues of $50.00. Businesses, associations, agencies, non-profits and similar entities supporting agritourism farms and rural tourism are some of the examples of Corporate members. This membership is effective immediately for new members and current Sponsor members that are businesses. Corporate membership will entitle the member to lower rates at conferences and vendor exhibit areas.
ANA now welcomes any Sponsor member to join at five and ten year dues. The new dues for five years would be $80.00, and ten years would be $160.00.
The new membership application can be found on www.ncagr.gov/agritourism in the side column.
There will be two workshops in addition to the Annual Conference March 7-8, 2012 in Asheville. The Coastal region will host a workshop at some point between mid-January and early February. The Central region will host a workshop soon after the Annual Conference. The workshops will be structured to allow for longer sessions and more discussion time. Tentatively, the time of the workshops will probably remain from mid-afternoon into early evening, but this too may change.
Membership Stays on Par With Recent Years
ANA membership currently is almost 240 members as we go to press.. There are 208 active members, including 33 Century Farm members, 33 sponsor members, 11 ten-year members (2 of whom are new for 2011) and 42 five-year members (9 of whom are new for 2011). Of the active members, 59 are new. Of 33 sponsor members, 7 are new. Some of our 32 Century Farm members have renewed, but many have not indicated if they wish to renew their membership.
Booth at Carolina Farm Stewardship Association Meeting, November 11-13, 2011 in Durham
The Board voted to pay the $315 fee for a booth at the November 11 – 13, 2011 CFSA conference at the Sheraton Research Triangle Park off I-40 between Durham and Raleigh. The theme of this year’s Sustainable Agriculture Conference is about growing and marketing local food in the most sustainable ways. ANA has its three banners listing members who grow and sell locally which will show CFSA that our farmers not only entertain but feed “locavores!”
Any ANA member who is interested in showcasing their farm at the booth is welcome to help out on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Even if you can’t attend, please send 30 - 50 farm brochures to the Agritourism Office to have at the booth for this statewide convention. Contact Martha Glass if you are interested in helping staff the booth.
North American Farmers Direct Marketing Association ( NAFDMA) 2011 Conference
NAFDMA, also known among members as the “Networking Association for Farm Markets and Agritourism,” began its winter conference in February with approximately 350 attendees going on the three-day bus tours starting in Baltimore, traveling through Pennsylvania near Philadelphia, and back to Baltimore for conference sessions and workshops. Another 250 joined the earlier group for those final three days of information, networking and learning.
ANA members Dal Snipes and Andrew Branan spoke at the “Agritourism 101” all-day workshop facilitated by Martha Glass, ANA executive director. Dal distributed to the class a pamphlet on risk assessment and agritourism liability insurance he had written, and made a presentation on those subjects. Andrew talked about the uniqueness of the school tours at historic Gillis Hill Farms.
Martha later led a roundtable discussion on how trying to solve local issues depends so much on establishing relationships with policymakers and local and state elected officials.
At the conference business meeting, Martha was elected to a three-year term on the NAFDMA board of directors.
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 Special weekend event and fundraiser |
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NAFDMA 2012 Conference to Convene in Williamsburg
ANA members of NAFDMA from North Carolina can travel to Virginia to attend the 2012 NAFDMA conference scheduled for February 10 – 17. ANA members invited to speak on various subjects at the conference are Dr. Carol Kline, sustainable tourism – connecting rural arts and crafts with agritourism farms; Andrew Branan, family risk assessment in business and estate planning; Steve Tate, dining at the farm; and Tim Will, matching farmers with restaurants.
NAFDMA membership is required to attend the conference, but there are several packages from which to choose, including the first three days on the bus tour, the second three days of workshop and sessions, or just coming for one day. The most popular and well-liked part of the conference are the bus tours, which are truly learning labs, with critiques of the farms on the bus between stops along with networking and finding new friends. Approximately 10 – 12 farms are on the several tour schedules.
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