Past Events

2013 ECFWA AGM & Tour - Exploring Norfolk...After the tobacco transition - Thursday, May 9, 2013



Farm writers gathered in the Simcoe area for the most recent AGM to learn more about the area that was once predominantly a tobacco growing region, and that is now transitioning to alternative crops.  For over 40 years, Frank DeLeebeeck has lived in the area, growing tobacco and now other specialty vegetable crops. He is responsible for the vineyard planting and oversight at Burning Kiln Winery, where the group enjoyed a tour and tasting.  Remi Van De Slyke of Van De Slyke Farms grows hops and ginseng on what was predominantly a tobacco farm.  He shared the story of his journey into specialty crops and how he is making a future for his family farm.

Thank you to our 2013 AGM Sponsors:  Dairy Farmers of Ontario; CanWEA; Grain Farmers of Ontario

2013-14 Board of Directors - President:  Clare Wooding; First Vice-President: Karen Dallimore; Second Vice-President: Christina Franc; Past President:  Kelly Daynard; Secretary-Treasurer: Terry Stevenson; Communications Coordinator: Kathie McDonald; Directors:  Sarah Andrewes; Sara Avoledo; Melanie Epp; Andi McKillop; Kristy Nudds

Etiquette Dining Training with Jodie Beach
The Etiquette Advantage - Wednesday January 23, 2013

This ECFWA professional development session provided an evening of business and etiquette dining training with Jodie Beach.

Jodie has been an etiquette expert since 1992, taking her high-energy and entertaining approach to business etiquette on the road. She took the group through many of the challenges that we all may face while working in various corporate settings, along with solutions and tips for those occasions where you enjoy a business dinner.

Think Quick: What are the six steps of an effective handshake? Does your name badge go on the right or the left side? Should your socks match your pants or your shoes?

Jodie frequently presents to agriculture commodity groups in the United States and Canada, helping new board members project themselves with power, confidence and credibility. She has been featured in various publications and has also written her first book, entitled “Power, Presence & Style - The Top 50 Tips For The Business Professional”.

This event was open to ECFWA members and friends.  

Thank you to our speaker Sponsor - Syngenta

ECFWA Professional Development Session - Optimizing Your Website - November 28, 2012

Does Your Website Suck…People In?

It usually takes time and effort to create a successful website that attracts and converts traffic successfully. If you build it, will they come? In most cases it is not that simple. 

In this session we learned more about several website development and optimization considerations, including website usability, search engine promotion, and mobile, social and local marketing. There was something for everyone! 

About The Presenter:  Nardo Kuitert  started his online consultancy firm U-C WEBS in 2001 in Fergus, ON, offering website optimization coaching and affordable small business web design services to help his clients make the most of their websites. Some of the services that U-C WEBS offers include candid usability evaluations, website promotion, and online lead generation. Visit www.u-cwebs.com/cw-articles to read some of Nardo’s columns; he has written On The Web on behalf of the Centre Wellington Chamber Of Commerce since 2006.

Farm writers met afterwards for some networking over a pay-your-own-way dinner at the Shakespeare Arms, 35 Harvard Road, Guelph.

 ECFWA Regional Social at St. Lawrence Market - November 15, 2012 

Agriculture comes to the city every day at St. Lawrence Market and on November 15, 2012, ECFWA hosted a regional social to showcase all that this 200+ year old market has to offer.

The two hour tour included a visit to the market hosted by local historian Bruce Bell who described the history of the market as well as other sites in the area including St. Lawrence Hall, St. James Cathedral and more.

 


Following the event, ECFWA colleagues joined for dinner at  C’est What? Restaurant, 67 Front Street East and to hear from Farmers Feed Cities about the results of their recent Informed Food Philosophy Study examining the factors Canadians consider when making food purchase decisions.

 ECFWA Regional Social - June 20, 2012 

A Regional Social hosted by Terry Stevenson, ECFWA secretary-treasurer included a tour of Blackburn Radio Station / CFCO-Chatham with agricultural news reporter, Simon Crouch on June 20, 2012. Farm writers learned how Blackburn Radio is adapting to the changing media landscape to remain relevant and progressive in broadcasting agricultural news. The tour was followed by dinner at The Chilled Cork restaurant in Chatham.  

Regional social events encourage our members to invite farm writers to their own ‘neighbourhoods’ across Ontario and Quebec, to share local agricultural treasures and communications’ resources.

ECFWA Annual General Meeting - April 5, 2012
Farm writers gathered in Collingwood for our most recent ECFWA AGM on Thursday April 5, 2012 with the theme of New Markets for Ontario Grains. The business portion of the meeting included the election of the 2012-2013 board of directors and a presentation from Nicole Mackellar, market development coordinator, with the Grain Farmers of Ontario. Afterwards, the group enjoyed lunch featuring roast bison and a tour of Collingwood's Canadian Mist Whiskey Distillers facility. 

Thank you to our 2012 AGM sponsors:

Grain Farmers of Ontario
Dairy Farmers of Ontario
CanWEA

 
The 2012-2013 Board of Directors are: (L to R)  First Vice-President: Sarah Andrews; Director: Sara Avoledo; Communications Coordinator: Kathie MacDonald; Director: Claire Cowan; Director: Kristy Nudds; Second Vice-President/Newsletter Editor: Karen Dallimore; Director: Lianne Appleby; Secretary-Treasurer: Terry Stevenson; President: Clare Wooding; Director (absent):  Christina Franc    

 ECFWA Professional Development Session - February 16, 2012

ECFWA members and guests met in Guelph on February 16 for a workshop on public speaking, with facilitator Carol Lee Hubert. For over 30 years Carol Lee has led diverse groups in various areas of interest. This lady is an educator and facilitator, a certified Laughter Leader, and wants to be a caring clown when she grows up.

Ever wish you’d said something different after meeting someone for the first time? Do you want to be more confident when speaking to associates? Would you like to be more comfortable with your public speaking? In her workshop, Carol Lee Hubert provided tips to help polish and practice those skills. 

Carol has done doctoral work at the University of Michigan, specializing in group dynamics and enjoys leading workshops to help others improve their skills and comfort in speaking. The workshop focused on communicating clearly, whether it’s an ‘elevator speech’ – a short, introductory conversation – or a longer dialogue; on the spur of the moment or with time for preparation. Listening, empathy, eye contact, mind-mapping, preparing speeches and impromptu speaking are just some of the topics addressed. A lively discussion over dinner followed, at the Shakespeare Arms restaurant in Guelph.

Professional  Development Workshop: Self Publishing  - February 17, 2011

As professional communicators, we are used to seeing our by-line in print. But what about weighing in on the risky and often rewarding business of book writing? The publishing avenues are getting wider and this workshop explored options in a Q&A style.

Nicolette Novak, The Good Earth Food and Wine Co. shared her publishing experience. (www.goodearthfoodandwine.com)
AJ McDonald, a Public Relations Representative with publisher Lulu in Raleigh, NC
Gavin Jocius, also with Lulu is a Marketing Analyst, responsible for promoting the company’s numerous products and services. A published author himself, Gavin’s recent focus has been on helping authors publish, sell and distribute their eBooks online. (www.lulu.com)

Twitter Techniques for Ag Tweeps & Tweets TM - ECFWA On-line Webinar - Tuesday, February 23, 2010

• Have you ever tweeted your tweeps in a twub as part of the Twitterverse? Like it or not, Twitter has become mainstream and boasts the largest percentage growth of any social media tool. If you’re not familiar with micro blogging, aren’t quite sure about @, don’t understand the business value, or haven’t participated in “tweet-ups” or chats such as #AGChat – you’re not alone.

  As a follow up to the popular new-media session held in February of 2008, the ECFWA offered an hour-long on-line Twitter webinar for ECFWA members on February 23, 2010. And the best thing was that if you had a computer, you could take this course – regardless of your location in Ontario, Quebec or the Maritimes and regardless or whether you attended the 2008 session. 

  
                 Photo by Jim Romahn
  
  

  Michele Payn-Knoper created #AgChat in April of 2009, a weekly streaming conversation that now draws 1,000 to 1,500 international tweets over two hours about the business of raising food, fuel, feed and fibre. In the interest of agriculture advocacy, Michele shared her experience, insight from extensive social media training and what she’s learned first hand in building a network that has garnered a nomination as one of Mashable’s Top 5 Twitter users of the year.

  The course helped ECFWA members to:

  * Become familiar with one of the hottest social networking tools* Understand Twitter terminology* Learn how to build your community quickly and effectively* Identify ways to efficiently track anti-agriculture messaging* Break through clutter by finding Twitter management tools to help