By: Jonathan Teal
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – In conjunction with the U of A Division of Agriculture, the Center for Arkansas Farms for food created a farm school this semester.
Heather Friedrich, a program manager with the Center for Arkansas Farms for food, said it is important to have farmers to access healthy foods. She said there is a lot of interest in Northwest Arkansas for local foods.
“It is important that we have farmers, so we can eat and eat healthy,” Friedrich said.
The program started in January with 8 students said Friedrich. She said the program is roughly 20 hours a week.
Friedrich said the curriculum is focused on crop production, but there are multiple factors of farming that these students must learn. She said it is important for them to learn how to develop a business plan. She also said it is important for them to have legal classes as well.
Friedrich said the program is exciting for her because of what our region could look like in five to ten years. With more farmers, our area could look different said Friedrich.
“Different people have different visions with what they want to do with this, which is really exciting,” Friedrich said.
Friedrich said the most important benefit from this farm school will be adapting to the challenges given to students.
“Our goal with our program is to help them be more able to face those challenges and develop solutions,” Friedrich said.