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

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Center for Arkansas Farms and Food will hold a fundraising event 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, to support the Farmers for Tomorrow fund, a program to help aspiring farmers start their small farm businesses.

FARMERS FOR TOMORROW — Brian Foster, center left, of Sunny Acres Farms speaks with Farmers for Tomorrow fund supporters at the 2022 fundraising event. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

Dandelion Heart will provide live music, and Chef Haley O’Brien will prepare heavy hors d’oeuvres using ingredients grown by Center for Arkansas Farms and Food, CAFF, students in Fayetteville. Each guest will receive drink tickets for beers from Fossil Cove Brewing Co., Arkansas wines, or cocktails made with blackberries from the farm. A non-alcoholic version of the blackberry drink will also be available.

The event will be at the Milo J. Shult Agricultural Research and Extension Center, 1005 W. Meade St., in Fayetteville. CAFF is a part of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Farmers for Tomorrow raised $5,000 at the inaugural fundraiser in 2022. Brian Foster and Frank Ostapowicz, two graduates of CAFF’s Farm School and Apprenticeship programs, received equal portions of the fund to help start their farms.

Foster started Sunny Acres Farms and sells produce at the farmers markets in Fayetteville and Goshen, and through community supported agriculture subscriptions. The former restaurateur also offers recipes with his produce at the markets.

Ostapowicz started Purple Finch Farms in Prairie Grove, selling produce in the region’s markets.

Foster and Ostapowicz were among the first CAFF Farm School and Apprenticeship Program participants in 2021. According to Heather Friedrich, CAFF program manager, the program is designed to strengthen and expand the region’s food and farming system, enhance local communities, and provide opportunities for farmers, food entrepreneurs, and food system leaders.

Ticket purchases and donations are an investment in the community’s regional food system, the local economy and food security, Friedrich added. Through the Farmers for Tomorrow Fund, CAFF aims to raise $10,000 annually to assist new Arkansas farmers.

Once former CAFF Farm School students or apprentices have acquired farmland in Arkansas and are ready to break ground, they can apply for start-up funds from Farmers for Tomorrow, Friedrich said. The funds are designated for purchasing tools, equipment, irrigation materials and seeds.

General admission tickets to the Farmers for Tomorrow fundraiser are $65 per person, or $330 for reserved tables of six people. Event tickets include complimentary food and drinks. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the event website, http://farmersfortomorrow.org/.

For those who may be unable to attend but still wish to support Farmers for Tomorrow, the registration form includes an option to make a donation.

The 2023 event is sponsored by Arkansas Farm Bureau, Adventure Subaru, Farm Credit of Western Arkansas and the Division of Agriculture, allowing all proceeds from the event to go directly to the Farmers for Tomorrow fund.

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.

By John Lovett
U of A System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Center for Arkansas Farms and Food will hold a fundraising event 5-7:30 p.m. on Oct. 19 to support the Farmers for Tomorrow fund, a new program to help Farm School and Apprenticeship program graduates start their farm business.

FARMERS FOR TOMORROW — Graduates of The Center for Arkansas Farms and Food's Farm School and Apprenticeship programs can be supported through the new Farmers for Tomorrow fund. (U of A System Division of Ag photo)

The event will occur at the Milo J. Shult Agricultural Research and Extension Center, 1005 W. Meade St., in Fayetteville. The Center for Arkansas Farms and Food (CAFF) is a part of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. If it rains that evening, the event will be held at the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences near the farm at 1371 W. Altheimer Dr.

Farmers for Tomorrow was established to help new farmers who have invested their time in their farm training through CAFF’s Farm School and Apprenticeship programs. The fundraising event will feature canapés from Chef Micah Klasky of The Hive, made with fruits and vegetables grown by CAFF students. The Creek Rocks, featuring musicians Cindy Wolf and Mark Bilyeu, will also perform. Wines from Arkansas wineries, beer from local breweries and a cocktail prepared with Arkansas fruits will also be served. A selection of non-alcoholic drinks will be available.

“Starting a new farm can be very expensive for first-generation farmers whose dream is to work the soil and provide healthy foods for their communities,” Heather Friedrich, program manager for CAFF, said. “Aside from land, the bare start-up essentials for fruit and vegetable production add up quickly.”

“Students who’ve completed the CAFF programs have positioned themselves to succeed in farming,” Friedrich said. “They’ve trained in small farm production and farm entrepreneurship. Once they’ve acquired their farmland, they are well on their way to providing food for Arkansas. Farmers for Tomorrow can give these new farms a boost to launch. Ticket purchases and donations are an investment in our community’s regional food system, the local economy, and food security.”

General admission tickets to the Farmers for Tomorrow fundraiser are $65 per person, or $1,200 for reserved tables of six people. Event tickets include complimentary food and drinks. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the event website, http://farmersfortomorrow.org/.

For those who may be unable to attend but still wish to support Farmers for Tomorrow, please visit the website and click the “Donate to Farmers” button at the top of the screen.

Farmers for Tomorrow fundraiser set for Sept. 14 at Center for Arkansas Farms and Food

Farmers for Tomorrow fundraiser set Oct. 19 to support aspiring farmers