Meet Our Partner Procedures
Apple Seeds Teaching Farm
Farm name: Apple Seeds Teaching Farm
Location: Midtown, Fayetteville, AR
Acreage: 2 acres
Farm Crew: Cale Nicholson (Farm Manager), Ryan Dunn (Assistant Farm Manager and Arkansas GardenCorps Service Member), Brett Williams (Farm Program Coordinator and AmeriCorps Vista Service Member)
Sustainable Practices: Cover cropping, OMRI-approved pesticides, drip irrigation, season extension, crop rotation, compost and natural soil amendments
Growing Season: March-November
First Growing Season: 2014
Seed to Student Grower Since: 2015
Seed to Student Products: Beets, Eggplant, Okra, Red and Yellow Onions
Other Retail Markets: Ozark Natural Foods and Apple Seeds School Garden Markets
Agricultural Background: The farm land was a fallow hay field until 2014 when it was leased to Apple Seeds by a Fayetteville resident. Cale, the Farm Manager, grew up on an Arkansas cattle ranch, managed the Heifer Ranch CSA, and completed 5 years of organic farming internships across the country. Ryan, Assistant Farm Manager, completed an organic farming internship at the Dripping Springs Garden and established the Bussey-Scott Urban Garden in Little Rock before joining Apple Seeds.
Educational Programming:
Apple Seeds offers a variety of educational opportunities on and off the farm. They host afterschool garden clubs, school garden workshops, school garden markets, and garden education programs, including Farm Lab, garden-based curriculum integration, and field trips.
Posted by D. SMITH on Sep 24
A & A Orchard
Location: Berryville, Arkansas
Families: John and Elizabeth Aselage
Alex, Isaac Munson
Acreage: 11 acres
Farm Crew: 1.5 farm hands, 1 sales manager
Sustainable Practices: Integrated Pest Management (IPM), mating disruption, organic insect control, crop diversification, intercropping, natural fertilizer
Growing Season: July through November
Seed to Student Grower Since:2005
Seed to Student Products: apples, watermelon and peaches
Seed to Student Involvement: school year and summer meal programs, educational lunches, apple tastings, value added products
Other Retail Markets: Fayetteville, Bentonville, Rogers and Springfield Farmers Markets, Greenhouse Grille, Berry Natural, Harps Foods
Agricultural Background: John received a Master’s in Pomology from Michigan State University. He helped start Gerber Food’s organics program and is the Organic Agriculture Manager of Amy’s Kitchen: Natural and Organic Foods. He co-authored a college textbook and various research articles on IPM. Alex is the farm’s sales manger.
Posted by D. SMITH on Sep 16
Dickey Farms
Location: Springdale, Arkansas
Family: Deana, David and daughters, Kathryn and Sarah Dickey
Acreage: ~19 acres, including two high tunnels
Farm Crew: 4 family members, 1.5 farm hands
Sustainable Practices: Integrated Pest Management, cover cropping, crop diversification, crop rotation
Growing Season: April through November
First Growing Season: 1999
Seed to Student Grower Since: 2005
Seed to Student Products: apples, broccoli, cucumbers, cantaloupe, cauliflower, grapes, lettuce, strawberries, sweet peppers, turnips, watermelon, winter squash
Seed to Student Involvement: school year and summer meal programs, educational lunches, farm field trips, apple tastings, preservation projects
Other Retail Markets: Fayetteville Farmers Market, and Greenhouse Grille. U-pick pumpkins and strawberries
Agricultural Background: Both Deana and David grew up gardening. David’s father was an organic famer in California after his service with the U.S. Navy. David has a Master’s in Poultry Nutrition and Research Management from University of Arkansas. He works as a Researcher for the University’s Horticulture Department. Deana manages the farm’s sales and marketing.
Posted by D. SMITH on Sep 16
Shumate Farms
Location: Elkins, Arkansas
Family: Donna and Allen Shumate, 2 kids, 9 grandkids
Acreage: 390 acres
Farm Crew: 4 family members
Sustainable Practices: Animal Welfare Approved processing facility, restricted pasturing, rotational grazing, natural fertilizer, grass-fed
Growing Season: year round
First Season: 1993
Seed to Student Grower Since: 2005
Seed to Student Products: grass-fed ground beef
Seed to Student Involvement: year round meal programs, educational lunches
Other Retail Markets: Fayetteville Farmers Market
Agricultural Background: Allen received a degree in Poultry Science from the University of Arkansas. He raised poultry for 20 years and both he and Donna have raised cattle all their lives. Donna manages the farm’s finances. Allen is a member of the Cattlemen’s Association and plans to expand his Angus/ Gelbvieh herd from 60 to 100 head. He continues to learn more about sustainable livestock production and values the Seed to Student program as a way to diversify his markets.
Posted by D. SMITH on May 30
McGarrah Farms
Location: Pea Ridge, Arka
nsas
Family: Dennis & Dawn McGarrah, son, Buddy and his wife, and their son
Acreage: 45 acres
Farm Crew: Family + 2 crew members
Sustainable Practices: crop rotation, cover crops
Growing Season: March through November
First Growing Season: since childhood
Seed to Student Grower Since: 2013
Seed to Student Products: bell peppers, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumbers, strawberries
Seed to Student Involvement: school year and summer meal programs, educational lunches, and preservation projects
Other Retail Markets: Bentonville, Fayetteville, Pea Ridge, Rogers Farmers Markets, Allen’s Food Market, Harps Foods, FarmBox Delivers, Go FreshUSA broad-line distributor, and U-pick pumpkins, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries
Agricultural Background: Dennis is a fifth generation farmer; his family has been farming in Northwest Arkansas since 1824. Dennis has farmed since childhood, first with his father and now with his son and grandson.
Posted by D. SMITH on Sep 16