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The 1980s was a decade of extravagance and materialism. Ronald Reagan became president and introduced an economic plan that brought the country out of stagnation. After the troubling times of the 1960s and 1970s, society adopted a more conservative ideology and politicians and leaders followed suit.

Technology became smaller and made its way into people’s homes. Camcorders, VCRs, and microwave ovens became affordable household items. Steve Jobs introduced the first Macintosh computer on January 24, 1984. It cost $2,495 (equivalent to $7,898 in today’s value). Cable TV was also new and on June 1, 1980, CNN went on the air, becoming the world’s first 24-hour news network.

On February 22, 1980, the winter Olympics were held in Lake Placid, New York. The men’s ice hockey game between the underdog United States team and the more experienced Soviet Union team led to a victory for the United States. Known as the “Miracle on Ice,” the victory was seen by many as a victory in the Cold War between the two powerhouse nations. A newfound wave of patriotism swept the country at a time it was needed most.

The attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan took place on March 30, 1981. Moments after finishing a speech at the Hilton Hotel in Washington, DC, the president was shot by John Hinckley, Jr. He suffered a punctured lung and internal bleeding but survived the incident and remained president until 1989.

Oceanographer Robert Ballard and his team discovered the wreckage of the Titanic in September, 1985. To help protect the final resting place of the victims on board, the RMS Titanic Maritime Memorial Act was introduced by North Carolina Congressman Walter B. Jones, Sr. and signed into law.

One of the most tragic events in NASA’s history occurred when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after take off from Kennedy Space Center on January 28, 1986. Faulty O-rings led to a leak in the external fuel tanks which caused the fuel to mix and explode, tearing the shuttle apart. All seven crew members perished in the accident.

In September, 1989, Hurricane Hugo, one of the most destructive hurricanes to hit the eastern coast, made landfall in Charleston, South Carolina.

1980

November 3 – George Biddix assumes the role of Buncombe County Extension Chairman, succeeding David Burnette, who was promoted to Western District Extension Chairman.

A native of McDowell County, Biddix graduated rom Berea College in 1957. He held positions in Vance County, as 4H Agent, and served Caldwell County Extension as their livestock and tobacco agent before being Chairman, or County Extension Director as the position is now known, for Rutherford County. He served as Buncombe County’s Extension Chairman until 1984.

1981

April – Consumer Horticulture Agent Beth Carroll trains 7 volunteers to become Master Gardeners, introducing the program at Buncombe County Cooperative Extension.

The seven volunteers were: John Burnham, Marjori Gash, Nan Hanna, Ed Krauser, Robert Sawinski, Alan Stanger, and Richard Swogger.

The Master Gardener program continues to be a strong volunteer-based program of NC State Cooperative Extension. Through the program, volunteers receive training in a wide variety of horticultural topics in exchange for providing assistance to their local county N.C. Cooperative Extension office in educating the public about research-based gardening practices.

More information on Buncombe County’s Master Gardener program can be found on their website: Buncombe County Master Gardener.

1983

September 29 – William A.V. Cecil, president of the Biltmore Company, announces plans for a winery to be built on the Biltmore Estate. A new company is created, the Biltmore Estate Wine company, which will oversee the project. Plans to convert the dairy barn into the winery begin immediately.

1984

August 14 – George Biddix, Chairman of the Buncombe County Cooperative Extension, announces his resignation, returning to Rutherford County as that office’s Chairman.

1985

January 1 – Extension agent Kenneth Reeves is promoted to Buncombe County Extension Chairman.

A Buncombe County native, Reeves is a graduate of Erwin High School. He received his Bachelor degree in Agriculture from Berea College in 1974. He began his career with Buncombe County Extension in 1976, working with livestock and tobacco while continuing his education in Agronomy.

January 31 – Home Economics Agent Nancy Stancil retires from Cooperative Extension after 20 years of service.

May 15 – The Biltmore Winery opens to the public.

The idea of a vineyard and winery on the Biltmore Estate came to fruition in the 1970s when William A.V. Cecil, George Vanderbilt’s grandson, planted the first grape vines and established the wine making facility. In 1979, Philippe Jourdain was personally selected by Cecil to be the Estate’s first winemaker. After much experimentation in both growing grapes and making wine, the first vintage was bottled in 1984. 2001 marked the first year Biltmore Winery reached 1,000,000 bottles sold in a year. Today they sell approximately 150,000 cases of wine annually. This year the Biltmore Winery celebrates their 40th anniversary of creating wines available to visitors and admirers of the Biltmore Estate legacy. For more information on Biltmore Winery visit their website at: Biltmore Winery.

1986

January 16 – A 300 acre site adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway at Bent Creek, is announced as the location for the new Western North Carolina Arboretum.

While talk of a Western North Carolina Arboretum began in the early 1980s, it was not until 1985 that the NC General Assembly allocated $250,000 in funds for the purchase of a site. A selection committee was formed that same year and the search for a site began. Twenty potential sites in areas as far west as Cherokee County to as far east as McDowell County, as well as specific sites in Transylvania and Henderson counties were explored before finally determining the site at Bent Creek in Buncombe County.

1987

August – Buncombe County Cooperative Extension agent Bobby Peek is honored by the National Association of County Agricultural Agents.

September – Buncombe County Cooperative Extension secretary Sandra Ballard is honored by the NC Association of Agricultural Extension Secretaries.

Now known as NCCEAPA, or the N.C. Cooperative Extension Administrative Professionals Association, this group continues their work in community service and promoting the efforts of Extension.

June 28 – Ten graduates of Cooperative Extension’s first “Master Food Preserver” program begin volunteering their time answering phone calls from the public and assisting with food preservation classes. Similar to the “Master Gardener Program,” this group attended a seven-week course on all things related to food preservation. After completion of the course, they devoted time to assisting in Cooperative Extension’s various food preservation classes, events and in testing pressure canners.

Though the group no longer exists, Buncombe County Cooperative Extension continues to offer food preservation classes to the public in addition to testing pressure canners. Our Family and Consumer Sciences Agent Cathy Hohenstein can provide research based information and answers to questions regarding food preservation, starting a food business, and an array of other food and home related topics.

August – Extension Home Economist Lynda Spivey wins an award for her work on the topic of microwave cooking.

In 1988, the Future Farmers of America (FFA) officially rebranded as the National FFA Organization to better represent the agricultural industry’s growing diversity and emerging career opportunities.

Current FFA chapters in Buncombe County include: Asheville High School, Erwin High School, Reynolds High School, TC Roberson High School, North Buncombe Middle School, North Buncombe High School, Enka High School, and Owen High School.

For more information on the National FFA Organization and the opportunities they offer, visit their website at: ffa.org.

December 30 – Bobby Peek, well known long-time Agricultural Agent, retires after 25 years of service with Buncombe County Cooperative Extension.

1989

February 13 – Agricultural Agent Alison Arnold joins the staff of Buncombe County Cooperative Extension, filling the restructured role of Bobby Peek.

Alison Arnold continues her career at Buncombe County Cooperative Extension today, serving as our Consumer Horticulture Agent. In this role, she specializes in horticultural topics relating to homeowners including lawns, ornamental trees, shrubs, annuals, perennials, fruit trees, and pollinator plants. She oversees the Master Gardener volunteer program and provides education and research based information in a variety of discussions and workshops offered to the public.

May 8 – North Carolina Cooperative Extension celebrates their 75th anniversary.

Today, 111 years later, North Carolina Cooperative Extension’s mission remains the same. Serving in collaboration with NC State University, NC A&T University, and national, state and local governments, more than 1,100 experts in 101 offices (including one in every county and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians’ Qualla Boundary) focus on agriculture, food, health, nutrition, and 4H youth development to translate science and research into practical solutions across North Carolina.

The 1980s was a difficult decade for the American farmer with changing economics, widespread drought, market conditions, and the decline of new farmers entering the industry. The 1990s, however, would lay the foundation for an even more significant shift in the landscape alongside profound changes to historically significant regional crops.

Join us in September as we look back on the significant events and changes of the 1990s and their effects in agriculture and on Cooperative Extension work in Buncombe County.

Stay with us all year as we explore each decade of Cooperative Extension work in Buncombe County from the early 1900s to present day. To read the history of previous decades, visit our History of Buncombe County Cooperative Extension webpage.

Sources:

“Agricultural Extension Service Employs Arnold as New Agent.” The Asheville Citizen, 13 Feb. 1989, p. 4B, Accessed 25 July 2025.

“Arboretum Is Sought.” The Asheville Times, 19 Dec. 1985, p. 20, Accessed 25 July 2025.

“Biddix Resigns Extension Post.” The Asheville Times, 14 Aug. 1984, Accessed 25 July 2025.

Billings, Lynne. “Master Food Preservers Will Answer Questions.” The Asheville Times, 29 June 1988, p. 5C, Accessed 25 July 2025.

Boyd, Mike. “Biltmore Co. Announces Winery Plans.” The Asheville Times, 29 Sept. 1983, p. 18, Accessed 25 July 2025.

Brower, Nancy. “Biltmore Is Bottling Wine.” The Asheville Citizen Times, 2 Oct. 1977, p. 1, Accessed 25 July 2025.

“Buncombe Extension Agent Honored .” The Asheville Citizen, 17 Aug. 1987, p. 7A, Accessed 25 July 2025.

Carroll, N. Beth. “Master Gardeners – Volunteers Boost Extension Education Services.” The Asheville Citizen Times, 25 Oct. 1981, p. 5, Accessed 25 July 2025.

“Extension Service Is No. 1 in WNC.” The Asheville Times, 24 Sept. 1980, p. 33, Accessed 25 July 2025.

Kendall, Don. “USDA Extension Service Was Born to Help Farmers.” The Asheville Citizen, 8 May 1989, p. 7A, Accessed 25 July 2025.

Kiss, Tony. “Biltmore Winery Visitors Get to Taste the Product.” The Asheville Times, 28 July 1985, Accessed 25 July 2025.

“Lynda Spivey Wins Communications Award.” The Asheville Times, 9 Aug. 1988, p. 3B, Accessed 25 July 2025.

Osborne, Clyde. “20 Sites Offered for Location of WNC Arboretum.” The Asheville Citizen, 9 Oct. 1985, p. 33, Accessed 25 July 2025.

Osborne, Clyde. “Arboretum Organizes for Action.” The Asheville Citizen, 12 Aug. 1985, p. 13, Accessed 25 July 2025.

Osborne, Clyde. “Biddix Assumes Extension Duties for Buncombe.” The Asheville Citizen, 4 Sept. 1980, p. 20, Accessed 25 July 2025.

Osborne, Clyde. “Buncombe Agricultural Agent Bobby Peek to Retire.” The Asheville Citizen, 12 Dec. 1988, p. 4B, Accessed 25 July 2025.

Osborne, Clyde. “Kenneth Reeves Named Extension Chairman.” The Asheville Citizen, 7 Nov. 1984, p. 38, Accessed 25 July 2025.

Osborne, Clyde. “Plans for Arboretum Take Root in Bent Creek.” The Asheville Citizen, 17 Jan. 1986, p. 1, Accessed 25 July 2025.

Scruggs, Kathy. “Officials Push Issue of Locating Arboretum in Transylvania County.” The Asheville Citizen, 10 Oct. 1985, p. 14, Accessed 25 July 2025.

“Secretary Receives Award for Service.” The Asheville Citizen, 28 Sept. 1987, p. 4B, Accessed 25 July 2025.

“What Is FFA.” National FFA Organization, 13 June 2019, www.ffa.org/about-us/what-is-ffa/#:~:text=What%20do%20the%20letters%20FFA,Future%20Entrepreneurs%20of%20America%2C%20too.

Wolcott, Mary Ellen. “Her Job: Keeping Up with Changing Lifestyle.” The Asheville Times, 13 Jan. 1985, p. 35, Accessed 25 July 2025.