By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — As farmer's markets reopen for the summer, communities are feeling and tasting the impact of the Center for Arkansas Farms and Food's programs.

FARM TO MARKET — Brian Foster started Sunny Acres Farm with knowledge gained from the Center for Arkansas Farms and Food. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Paden Johnson)

The center, operated through the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's research arm, the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, teaches sustainable agriculture and business methods to the next generation of farmers.

Now, program graduates like Brian Foster of Sunny Acres Farms in Fayetteville, are taking the first fruits of their labor to market. Produce grown by Foster and his partner, Becca Davis, can be found at the farmer's markets in Fayetteville and Goshen.

Recipe for success

Before becoming a specialty crop farmer, Foster was in the restaurant business from the age of 15. With instability in the restaurant industry caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Foster switched gears from plans of owning a restaurant to providing food for the community and carrying on his family tradition of gardening.

Foster was one of the first CAFF students to sign up for the program when it launched in 2020 with goals to train the next generation of farmers and strengthen farming and food systems in northwest Arkansas.

"I've been able to work in this area with a lot of very talented local chefs who have helped drive my passion for the food scene," Foster said. "What these creative and inspired people can do and what they can turn ingredients into was always really exciting for me."

In addition to fresh, locally grown produce, patrons of Sunny Acres may also receive recipes to take home from the farmer’s market.

"Food has always been my love language," Foster said. "Farming was the next logical step for me because it involved food, growing food, and I could continue to work with local chefs by providing them the ingredients to make cool dishes."

Foster is a 2021 graduate of CAFF’s Farm School. The 11-month program combines hands-on specialty crop farming with classes in production, business, and legal issues. He went on to work with Morgan Boehm at Middle Fork Farm the winter of 2022-2023 to get experience while building Sunny Acres Farms.

In addition to teaching sustainable and regenerative farming practices, Foster said the Center for Farms and Food taught him how to prepare a business plan better and market the produce. The center, he said, also provided networking opportunities to work with established farmers and learn from their experiences. There are 11 mentor farms cooperating with the center.

Training the next generation

Heather Friedrich, Center for Arkansas Farms and Food assistant director, said the center’s programs were developed to support new farmers and help maintain a secure, safe, and independent food system. Across the United States, farmers are aging. The mean average farmer age in Arkansas is 57 and it’s estimated that 70 percent of America’s farmland will change ownership in the next 20 years, she noted.

CAFF’s programs include the Farm School, which will begin taking applications in July for the 2024 session, and the Farm Apprenticeship program to match established farms with those who want to advance their farming skills in a working-farm setting. Both are 11-month programs beginning in January. Priority placement applications for 2024 Farm Apprentices open on Aug. 1.

CAFF Farm Stand opens in July

Beginning July 12, the CAFF Farm Stand will open at Agri Park on Garland Avenue in Fayetteville. Current students at the Center for Arkansas Farms and Food's Farm School will offer fruits and vegetables they have grown at the Milo J. Shult Agricultural Research and Extension Center.

The CAFF Farm Stand will be open 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. through Aug. 30.

The farm stand is completely operated by students as a learning experience and is part of the Farm School curriculum, Friedrich noted. Customer service, marketing and quality control are just a few of the many lessons from running the CAFF Farm Stand. It helps Farm School students set up their own operation after completing the program, she added.

To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.