Women's Leadership Conference
Join us for "Bridge the Gap" and learn how to become stronger advocates and educators for agriculture. Our featured speaker is Ashley Weston, owner of Hidden Truth Jewelry. We'll also have workshops, district caucus meetings, and our annual banquet. Stick around after the conference and enjoy tours around Charleston.
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8:00 PM–8:30 PM: Welcome Address
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Event Location
Hilton Garden Inn - Charleston Airport
5265 International Boulevard
North Charleston, SC 29418 -
Cost
Conference—Monday Only $55
Conference + Hotel $85-$185
Optional Tours $35
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Contact
Elizabeth Wood
ewood@scfb.org
803-936-4249
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Time
8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
Title
Registration & Group Photos
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Women’s boutique open
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9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
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Welcome & Introductions
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Hear from the SCFB Women’s Leadership Chair, Frances Price, meet the State Women’s Committee and get to know other Farm Bureau women from around South Carolina.
Time
10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
Title
Keynote Address—Planting Seeds for an Eternal Abundant Harvest
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It has been said that if you plant a thought, in time you will reap a destiny. Journey together with Ashley Weston to find out what 3 key seeds from the Lord you need to plant in the garden of your heart, to reap a harvest of eternal abundant fruit.
Time
10:45 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
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Break
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Enjoy refreshments and shop the Hidden Truth Jewelry collection.
Time
11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
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Bridging the Gap with Schools
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Speaker: Tracy Miskelly, Director - South Carolina Ag in the Classroom
This session will teach you tips and tricks for making connections with schools in your area and help you gain access to students to share the food and farming story.
Time
12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Title
Lunch & Bridging the Gap with Local Government
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Speakers:
Speaker: Cassidy Evans, SCFB State Legislative Coordinator and hear from South Carolina Farm Bureau President, Harry Ott.
As a grassroots volunteer, engaging with local leaders is one of the most important things you can do. Learn how to share your story and how to make an impact on those who write policies that affect your farm and community.
Time
1:00 p.m. - 1:40 p.m.
Title
Breakout Session I
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Speakers:
You'll be assigned to one of the following groups—hat, high heel, or pearls—and attend the designated breakout session together.
- Hat: School Gardens
- High Heel: Bee Cause
- Pearls: County Involvement
County Involvement (Palmetto Room)
Speaker: Jessica Cabrera
Purpose activities are at the core of every county farm bureau. This session will give you some new ideas to try in your county and will help you make the most of your volunteer experience as an active grassroots leader.
Bee Cause Project (Hunley Room)
The Bee Cause Project empowers students, teachers, and community members to experience the wonder, ingenuity, beauty, and power of the honey bee. Learn how to join the network of passionate educators, beekeepers, and community leaders in building the buzz for integrating bees into STEAM education.
Clemson School Garden Program (Magnolia Room)
Speaker: Amy Dabbs
Let’s grow! Try a hands-on Kratky Hydroponics Method lesson where everyone will grow a lettuce or basil plant. Also hear an update on Clemson’s school gardening program.
Time
1:45 p.m. - 2:25 p.m.
Title
Breakout Session II
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Speakers:
Continue with your designated group to the second breakout session.
- Pearls: School Gardens
- Hat: Bee Cause
- High Heel: County Involvement
County Involvement (Palmetto Room)
Speaker: Jessica Cabrera
Purpose activities are at the core of every county farm bureau. This session will give you some new ideas to try in your county and will help you make the most of your volunteer experience as an active grassroots leader.
Bee Cause Project (Hunley Room)
The Bee Cause Project empowers students, teachers, and community members to experience the wonder, ingenuity, beauty, and power of the honey bee. Learn how to join the network of passionate educators, beekeepers, and community leaders in building the buzz for integrating bees into STEAM education.
Clemson School Garden Program (Magnolia Room)
Speaker: Amy Dabbs
Let’s grow! Try a hands-on Kratky Hydroponics Method lesson where everyone will grow a lettuce or basil plant. Also hear an update on Clemson’s school gardening program.
Time
2:30 p.m. - 3:10 p.m.
Title
Breakout Session III
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Track
Costs/Fees
Speakers:
Continue with your designated group to the third breakout session.
- High Heel: School Gardens
- Pearls: Bee Cause
- Hat: County Involvement
County Involvement (Palmetto Room)
Speaker: Jessica Cabrera
Purpose activities are at the core of every county farm bureau. This session will give you some new ideas to try in your county and will help you make the most of your volunteer experience as an active grassroots leader.
Bee Cause Project (Hunley Room)
The Bee Cause Project empowers students, teachers, and community members to experience the wonder, ingenuity, beauty, and power of the honey bee. Learn how to join the network of passionate educators, beekeepers, and community leaders in building the buzz for integrating bees into STEAM education.
Clemson School Garden Program (Magnolia Room)
Speaker: Amy Dabbs
Let’s grow! Try a hands-on Kratky Hydroponics Method lesson where everyone will grow a lettuce or basil plant. Also hear an update on Clemson’s school gardening program.
Time
3:10 p.m. - 3:30 a.m.
Title
Break
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Time
3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Title
District Caucus Meetings
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Gather with other women from your district and hear program updates from the State Women’s Leadership Committee.
- Central District (Magnolia Room)
- Coastal District (Hunley Room)
- Pee Dee District (Palmetto Room)
- Piedmont District (Carolina Room)
Time
4:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Title
Closing
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Don’t miss the last group gathering of the day for the chance to take home some fantastic door prizes.
Time
6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Title
Banquet
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Don your “Southern Belle Best” and enjoy entertainment by Ben Davis and
Leland Pinder.
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Time
8:15 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.
Title
Board Buses for Cypress Gardens
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Time
9:00 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.
Title
Tour Cypress Gardens
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Cypress Gardens
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Visitors from all over the country come to experience this unique and exciting attraction, which has been featured in numerous national magazines and popular television shows and motion pictures including The Notebook and The Patriot. Enjoy the Swamparium, Butterfly House, walking trails and more.
Time
10:20 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Title
Board Buses for Mepkin Abbey
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Time
11:00 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Title
Tour Mepkin Abbey
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Mepkin Abbey
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Mepkin Abbey is a community of Roman Catholic monks established in 1949 on the site of the historic Mepkin Plantation located on the Cooper River, north of Charleston, South Carolina. Founded by the monks of Gethsemani in Kentucky, the brothers of Mepkin belong to the worldwide Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance popularly known as Trappist.
Following The Rule of St. Benedict, the monks at Mepkin Abbey devote their lives to prayer, spiritual study, work and hospitality. Living by the work of their hands, the monks provide a livelihood for themselves and the poor.
Mushrooms and garden compost from the Abbey’s farm, and candies, preserves and creamed honey from other Trappist Abbeys are available at the Reception Center Gift Shop. The Shop also offers select books, tapes, religious articles, icons, candles, and other specialty gift items.
Time
12:50 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Title
Board Buses for Corn Maze
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Time
1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Title
Lunch & Shopping
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West Farm Corn Maze
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Celebrating their 15th year, Steven and Charlotte West encourage you to get lost in their “Save the Earth” themed corn maze. Shop for pumpkins and other fall treats!
Time
2:50 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Title
Board buses and depart for hotel
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Amy Dabbs
School and Community Gardening Coordinator, Clemson Extension Service
Amy is the statewide School and Community Gardening Coordinator for the Clemson University Cooperative Extension Service. Prior to taking on this role, Amy was the Consumer Horticulture Agent and Master Gardener Coordinator for Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties. She has a master’s degree in horticulture from Clemson University with a specialty in horticulture therapy.
Amy spent ten years at the South Carolina Botanical Garden as a registered horticultural therapist where she coordinated the after school children’s gardening program, Sprouting Wings. As an area horticulture agent working with a large urban audience in the Lowcountry, Amy taught many classes about her favorite subjects including: native plants, composting, pollinator gardening, family-friendly gardening, edibles and perennials.
Speaker Sessions
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Ashley Weston
Owner, Hidden Truth Jewelry
Ashley Weston was born and raised in South Carolina and graduated from Clemson University. She and her husband have been married for 13 years and have 2 children.
After working in the Insurance Industry for 15 years Ashley started a new jewelry line, Hidden Truth Jewelry in January 2016. Hidden Truth Jewelry was inspired by the Lord and created to encourage women and girls in faith by inscribing scripture on the back of each piece to spread the gospel and glorify God.
Ashley enjoys leading Bible studies, going on short term mission trips to Nicaragua and feels passionate about encouraging and empowering women in every stage of their life. Ashley loves the Lord and seeks daily to humbly follow him and intentionally love others by leaving eternal imprints of Jesus’ love with everyone she meets.
Speaker Sessions
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Cassidy Evans
SCFB State Legislative Coordinator
Cassidy joined the Government Relations team at the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation on August 1, 2017 where she focuses mainly on state legislative and regulatory issues. Prior to joining SCFB, Cassidy was a senior consultant at the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services where she worked on policy issues within the Long Term Living and Behavioral Health division.
Cassidy is originally from Wenham, Massachusetts, but, other than still preferring the NFL (Go Patriots!) to college football, she has fallen in love with being in the South and cannot imagine a better place to live and work.
Speaker Sessions
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Jessica Cabrera
Director of Member Engagement and Leadership Development, SCFB
Jessica Cabrera is the Director of Member Engagement and Leadership Development at South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation. Originally from Columbia, Jessica received a Bachelor’s degree from Clemson University and a Master’s in Education and Human Resource Studies from Colorado State University.
Jessica has worked in education, training and organizational development for more than 16 years. In a volunteer capacity, she currently serves as the President of the South Carolina Association for Talent Development and she serves on numerous committees through Farm Bureau to help promote agricultural interests in the state of South Carolina.
Jessica is energized by inspiring people and organizations to overcome their challenges and reach their full potential. At Farm Bureau, she works daily with young farmers, volunteer leaders and organizational partners to strengthen the agricultural community in any way possible. Jessica is married to her husband of 15 years and has two boys, ages 9 and 12. She enjoys traveling, watching her kids play sports, leading ministries at her church, and cheering on the Clemson Tigers!
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