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2011 Strawberry Expo Details and Updates

The Southeast Strawberry Expo will be held Sunday, November 6 through Tuesday, November 8 at the Sheraton Imperial Hotel, Durham, NC. This is the Southeast's premier strawberry growers gathering and a great source of crucial information. You can still register as a walk-in. See below.

 Important Links- Registration forms, etc:

Updates and New Information

 A Respirator Fit Testing Workshop has been added CANCELLED on Tuesday afternoon, Nov 8, 1:00-5:00 pm. Registration for this workshop must be received by October 31. The workshop will train participants to perform respirator fit testing, select respirators, and assist others in completing an online medical clearance process. Respirator fit testing is required annually by the new fumigant regulations. Once qualified, you can perform these services for your own farm, your friends and neighbors who fumigate, or your customers/clients. You can save annual costs for your farm and if you wish, may charge for these services. Anyone can sign up – whether grower, extension agent, farm supply dealer, or other, and from any state.     This workshop will be led by George Elderbaum of the EI Group, which has partnered with the NC Agromedicine Institute to support North Carolina’s farmers as they seek to comply with new fumigant regulations. The workshop is limited to six participants and the cost per person is $150. The cost of the equipment that qualified providers will then need to acquire is approximately $150-$200. To sign up for this workshop (it is not on the registration form) or if questions, contact the NC Strawberry Association at 919-542-4037 or info@ncstrawberry.com.  (Note: for information on signing up for respirator testing itself, click here.)

The NC Strawberry Assessment comes up for referendum in 2011. The referendum will be held during the NC Strawberry Association annual meeting. Growers not attending may vote via absentee ballot. The referendum keeps the same assessment rate of $3/1000 plants.

Registration and Accomodations

Accommodations & Travel: , as we may be able to transfer the reservation to someone else who needs one.  If you reserved a room with two double beds but are willing to switch to a King bed room and make your room available to someone else, also contact NCSA.

  • The Sheraton Imperial Hotel is now full. If you are still seeking accommodations, contact the NCSA office at info@ncstrawberry.com or 919-542-4037.  We are working on arranging alternative hotel options very nearby. We should be able to get similar rates for these. If it turns out you cannot come and have a hotel reservation you no longer need,contact NCSA

    • The Sheraton Imperial is conveniently located just off Interstate 40 at Exit 282, Page Road. It offers free airport shuttles to nearby Raleigh Durham Airport (RDU). Click for more hotel information.

    Registration: See files above. Register by November 1 to avoid the late fee ($35). However, late registrations and at-the-door registrations are accepted. We know lots of folks like to wait and watch the weather. Bear in mind, however, that space on the tour bus and in the workshops may not be available to walk-ins. It is alwasy good to call in, even with a late registration.

    Exhibitors: Exhibitor registration materials are online. See a list of currently registered exhibitors.

    Basic Schedule & Program Information

    See a chart of the full schedule in the Schedule-at-a-Glance.

    Click here for a list of Expo Presenters.

    Sunday morning, Nov. 6: Workshops (9 am -12 noon)

    Sunday afternoon, Nov. 6: Farm Tour (12:30-5:30 pm)
    The farm tour will visit three farms,     DJ's Berry Patch and Buckwheat Farm in Apex and Porter Farm & Nursery in Willow Springs. Travel by our charter buses, leaving from the Sheraton is encouraged-- it is safer, more relaxing, and allows opportunity for conversation. For those who choose to travel by car, maps will be provided.

    Sunday evening, Nov. 6: Farm Tour Dinner (6:00-8:00 approximately)
    The farm tour's final destination is     Adams Vineyard, not far from Porter Farm & Nursery, where we iwll have a tour, optional wine tasting, and dinner. Owner Quincy Adams is a past strawberry grower; the Vineyard produces muscadine wines.  

    Monday, Nov. 7: Educational Sessions and Trade Show
    The trade show opens at 7:30 am, with coffee and continental breakfast in the trade show area. Educational sessions start at 9:00 am with a "Grower Spotlight" speaker and a presentation by Dr. William Turechek, a leading researcher on Angular Leaf Spot. For the rest of the day, three tracks of concurrent breakout sessions are offered. Lunch is included in all registrations. The day wraps up with a Social Hour and an auction to benefit the NC Strawberry Association's Scholarship Fund; dinner is on your own.

    Tuesday, Nov. 8: Educational Sessions and Trade Show
    The trade show opens at 7:00 am, with coffee and continental breakfast in the trade show area. Educational sessions start at 8:00 am with a "Grower Spotlight" speaker and a presentation by Dr. Jeremy Pattison, NC State University strawberry breeder. The conference continues until 12:20, with three (possibly four) tracks of concurrent breakout sessions. In the afternoon, optional tours are scheduled to the NCDA&CS Agronomics Laboratory and the NCSU Micropropagation & Respository Unit. these are informal; drive on your own.

    For more information: Call 919-542-4037 or email the NC Strawberry Association.