By John Lovett
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Center for Arkansas Farms and Food recently opened applications for its 2027 class of Farm School, a nine-month program that provides foundational knowledge, skills and hands-on experience to aspiring specialty crop farmers.
The Farm School is designed for beginning farmers of fruits, vegetables, flowers and herbs with sales at local and regional markets.
Starting in February 2027 and going through November, Farm School students will meet 16 hours per week, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The application deadline is Sept. 30, 2026. Scholarships are available for those who qualify for assistance.
Learn more and apply at LearnToFarm.org.
Farm School was created to help strengthen local food systems, said Heather Friedrich, director of the Center for Arkansas Farms and Food. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the average age of Arkansas farmers is 57. Also, 70 percent of America’s farmland expected to change ownership in the next 20 years, she added.
“We need farmers at the very core of building our food system,” Friedrich said. “We can’t build on the other aspects of our food system if we don’t have farmers.”
Although no formal farming experience is necessary for Farm School, Friedrich said applicants are encouraged to have worked or volunteered on a farm.
Classroom and field instruction is led by educators with several years of experience in commercial farming. Guest instructors include local farmers and resource providers, as well as scientists with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
The Center for Arkansas Farms and Food supports local food entrepreneurs and increases small farm viability through experiential learning. It is part of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture.
To the farm stand
As part of Farm School, students operate a farm stand with fresh produce they grew at the teaching farm.
The 2026 class opened its farm stand on July 16 at the Arkansas Union Mall on the University of Arkansas Fayetteville campus. The stand is open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursdays through Sept. 3, with most dates at the Union Mall and Aug. 13 and Aug. 20 on Old Main Lawn.
“It’s a really great opportunity for our aspiring farmers,” Friedrich said. “They get experience with the public, and it helps raise money for our incoming students who need financial assistance.”
To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit aaes.uada.edu. Follow the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station on LinkedIn and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas 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 22 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three system campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
