By Mallory Phelan –
Make your own trail to Oregon ✈ to find the bounty at the end of the famed westward-bound expedition of Lewis and Clark, this November 6-10 in Tigard for the 2019 American Agri-Women Convention. You may register for the entire convention, or by the day as your schedule allows. Register Online Now!
This 44th annual convening of American Agri-Women begins with an optional training of Mental Health First Aid on Wednesday, November 6th starting at noon. A certificate will be given to those who complete the full 8-hour training. There is limited space for this training and you must register to attend.
Included with regular registration is a half day of tours on Thursday, November 7th showcasing crop production and processing that make Oregon unique including hazelnuts, berries, Christmas trees, and more. Dinner will be out on a farm and include Oregon salmon among other local flavors, including the state’s world-famous Pinot Noir.
On Friday, November 8th we kick off with a welcome by lifelong Oregonian, farmer, 4H leader, and Deputy Director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture Lisa Hanson. Round-table topics that morning include agricultural literacy through outreach (Adopt a Farmer, Oregon Agriculture in the Classroom, and Summer Ag Institute), affiliate fundraising and programs (OWA Auction and Truck Wraps), unique non-profits in ag (Farmers Ending Hunger and Cultivating Change Foundation) and leveraging social media.
Three tracks for attendees to choose from Friday afternoon include “She Flies with Her Own Wings” which is not only Oregon’s state motto, but includes sessions focused on leadership development. The “Soaring Over Oregon” track will highlight the state’s unique crops and trail blazing history. Finally, the “Force for Truth” track will have sessions packed with tools you can use from the boardroom to the social media world.
For non-members guests, a full day of tours focused on award-winning equipment, fabrication, and technology is available on Thursday – lunch included.
In between sessions, attendees can enjoy Oregon grown refreshments, conversation, networking at the trade show, and shopping the silent auction from Friday morning through Saturday afternoon, including a special opportunity to buy a limited-edition world-famous Pendleton Wool blanket made for Oregon Women for Agriculture’s 50th Anniversary.
On Saturday morning, AAW members will attend a business meeting and non-member guests can connect with local farmers for unique tours of farming in the Willamette Valley. General session on Saturday afternoon will feature Dr. Kevin Folta from the University of Florida who is an expert in biotechnology and will speak about science communication with the public. Saturday evening will close with inspiring remarks from New York Times bestselling, award winning Oregon author Jane Kirkpatrick who writes stories based on lives of historical women.
On Sunday morning, there will be an optional, non-denominational worship service complete with the gospel bluegrass harmonies of the Bethel Mountain Band. Afterwards, there will be two options available for a post-tour on Sunday, depending on preference and when you plan to leave town. Option one is a morning trip through the Columbia River Gorge to Multnomah Falls, a 611 foot waterfall cascading down basalt cliffs, making it the tallest in Oregon. It was noted in Lewis and Clark’s journal in 1805 and created by the Missoula Floods 15,000 years ago – the events that gave the Willamette Valley its rich soil. Option two is a full day trip to the Oregon Coast, including lunch, visiting the Pacific Ocean, and stops along Highway 101.
In addition to the Thursday equipment and tech tour as well as the local hosts on Saturday, guests of AAW members can enjoy all that Portland has to offer including tax-free shopping and numerous local sites such as the Museum of the Oregon Territory, Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, World Forestry Center, Bob’s Red Mill World Headquarters, a free walking tour of Portland – even underground tunnels through the city which were built to move goods to the ships docked on the Willamette River.
Hotel accommodations must be booked through the Embassy Suites by Hilton Portland Washington Square located on Washington Square Road in Tigard. Learn more and register online here. We look forward to sharing the bounty at the at the end of the Oregon Trail with you in November!