‘Grow Your Farm’ Short Course Coming Up in May

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‘Grow Your Farm’ short course covers basics of small-scale farming

By John Lovett – Mar. 29, 2024

Agricultural economist Michael Popp discusses CAFF's instruction program on how to run a farm business. The Center for Arkansas Farms and Food held an open house Sept. 13, 2021, for people interested in learning how to farm. (UA System Division of Agriculture photo by Fred Miller)
SHORT COURSE — Mike Popp, professor and agricultural economist, speaks to Center for Arkansas Farms and Food program participants. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

MEDIA CONTACT

John Lovett

U of A System Division of Agriculture
479-763-5929  |  jlovett@uada.edu

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Center for Arkansas Farms and Food will hold a short course on small-scale farming May 3-4.

The CAFF Small Farm Short Course titled “Grow Your Farm” provides an intensive two-day workshop with a deep dive into bed building, equipment and transplanting.

“We’ll also cover the basics of record keeping, profitability, branding and marketing,” said CAFF Program Director Heather Friedrich. “The course features both classroom and field study, so wear your work clothes. We’ll demo equipment and tour some local farms, too!”

The course will be held 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, May 3, and continue 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 4. The Center for Arkansas Farms and Food is located at 1005 Meade Ave., Fayetteville.

The cost of the workshop is $100 thanks to a grant from Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, a U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture grants and outreach program. Scholarships are also available. Lunch, refreshments and snacks will be provided. No experience is required, and the course is beginning-farmer-friendly, Friedrich noted. Guest speakers will include local farmers and technical experts.

The deadline to register is April 28 at NWAFarming.org.

This is the second CAFF Small Farm short course of 2024, with the first being held in February. The third and final short course of the year will be Oct. 18-19, focusing on crop planning and budgeting, soil health and equipment care.

CAFF supports local food entrepreneurs and increases small farm viability through experiential learning. Explore courses at LearnToFarm.org and follow on Instagram @caff_ar_farms. CAFF is part of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

​To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow us on 𝕏 at @ArkAgResearch and Instagram at @ArkAgResearch.

To learn about Extension Programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit https://uaex.uada.edu/. Follow us on 𝕏 at @AR_Extension.

To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on 𝕏 at @AgInArk.

About the Division of Agriculture

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.

The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

MEDIA CONTACT

John Lovett

U of A System Division of Agriculture
479-763-5929  |  jlovett@uada.edu