Recently, Arkansas Department of Agriculture field staff have been working to ease a backlog of housing inspections for the H2A worker program utilized by many Arkansas farmers. Plant Industries Division Director Scott Bray outlined how the department was able to get involved and what plans are moving forward. Monroe County farmer Jon Carroll explained how these efforts helped his farm stay on schedule and why timely inspections are important for farmers.
The Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame Induction Luncheon was held in Little Rock on Friday, May 25. The event honored the six members of Class XXXIV after a long pandemic delay. We talked to members and family of the new class to get their thoughts on this special day and what joining the Hall of Fame means to each of them.
Rob Galloway, owner of The Nurserie in Little Rock, has been working to get his business ready for customers for the past two years, since purchasing the location from another nursery operator.
We visited Urbana Farmstead to get a taste of what owner Margie Raimondo has been up to at her Little Rock oasis. She gave us a look at her winter garden and showed us how to make a delicious, farm-fresh frittata. You can visit Urbana Farmstead as well, or, with farmers market season right around the corner, you can pick up fresh ingredients in your area and try Raimondo’s recipe for yourself.
Theron and Jeanie Rowbotham named their Hagarville farm Infinity Ranch, because they believe that building a legacy means creating something sustainable and enduring that can be passed on again and again to future generations. The Rowbothams were recently honored with the Family Farm Environmental Excellence Award from the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association, so we visited them to learn more about why they incorporated solar power into their operation, and how it could help keep their farm sustainable for years to come.
Siblings Kesha Cobb and Kevin Holloway El are growing a community through urban agriculture. Inspired by their family and community experiences, they've taken on the challenge of teaching people to lead healthier lives by cultivating their own sustainable sources of food. We got to know them when they attended Arkansas Farm Bureau’s annual convention last fall. Now you can learn about the ventures they're developing in Little Rock and Pine Bluff and hear their personal stories.
Trent Dabbs of Stuttgart joined us to explain how shortages and increased input costs are making it difficult for row-crop farmers in Arkansas and around the country to solidify plans for the upcoming planting season.
With 75 years of serving patrons from across the world, the Venesian Inn in Tontitown is a pioneer of Ozark-inspired Italian dishes. In celebration of the 2022 Arkansas Heritage Food Hall of Fame's Food of the Year, chicken, we visited the Venesian Inn to learn more about the restaurant's rich history and get a tutorial on how to cook up their famous fried chicken.
