Farmers for Tomorrow Benefit Happy Hour set for June 11 at CAFF Farm
May 12, 2026
By John Lovett
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- Proceeds directly benefit Center for Arkansas Farms and Food program graduates
- Chef Jerrmy Gawthrop will prepare canapés from produce grown by students
- Crescent City Combo, Tonik Mobile Bar, local brews featured
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — In 1961, President John F. Kennedy told Congress that “the family farm should be protected and preserved as a basic American institution.”
Carrying on that spirit of supporting local farmers is the Center for Arkansas Farms and Food’s annual Farmers for Tomorrow Benefit Happy Hour, 5-7:30 p.m. on June 11, at the CAFF Farm, 1005 Meade Ave. in Fayetteville.
In the event of rain, an alternative location will be announced on CAFF social media and the event website.
Tickets for the event are $75 each or $390 for six. All proceeds benefit the Farmers for Tomorrow Fund to help Farm School program graduates purchase seeds, tools, structures and equipment for their farms.
“Supporting the event increases food security, diversity and a thriving, healthy local food system,” said Heather Friedrich, CAFF program manager. “These farms provide fresh produce to local farmers markets, schools, restaurants and community-supported agriculture programs.”
Guest speakers at the event will include local farmers and Chef Jerrmy Gawthrop.
Chef Gawthrop’s canapés
Gawthrop, the guest chef for this year’s Farmers for Tomorrow event, has influenced the northwest Arkansas food and farming community for nearly two decades.
“From Greenhouse Grille in the mid-2000s, to co-founding the Roots Festival, to crafting wood-fired pizzas at Woodstone Pizza, Chef Gawthrop has long championed fresh, locally grown, chef-driven food,” Friedrich said.
Gawthrop will create a selection of canapés for the Farmers for Tomorrow event using fresh produce grown by CAFF Farm School students.
Music and more
The evening's music will evoke a night in The Big Easy with northwest Arkansas’ own Crescent City Combo.
The event will also feature a tour of the farm, a silent auction, local beers and a seasonal cocktail with a non-alcoholic option from Tonik Mobile Bar.
Why it matters
Starting a new farm is expensive, Friedrich said. Aside from land, the bare start-up essentials for fruit and vegetable production include tools and equipment, irrigation, soil amendments, seeds and plants, harvesting bins, cold storage and possibly fencing.
“These essentials add up quickly, especially if you’re a first-generation farmer,” she added. “That’s why CAFF established the Farmers for Tomorrow Fund for aspiring farmers who have invested their time in our Farm School program.”
Once former Farm School students have established access to farmland in Arkansas and are ready to break ground, they can apply for start-up funds from Farmers for Tomorrow.
How to help
Supporting the Farmers for Tomorrow Fund can be supported by purchasing a ticket to the benefit event, becoming a sponsor, or donating. The goal is to raise $10,000 annually. Tickets can be purchased and donations can be made at caff.uada.edu.
Also, supporters may register for CAFF’s monthly newsletter at the CAFF website’s contact page to stay informed about this and other events.
Aspiring farmers may apply for the CAFF Farm School program at UAFarmSchool.org. Applications will open in June.
Farmers for Tomorrow Fund recipients
Recipients of the Farmers for Tomorrow Fund include:
- 2026 — Bloom Table Farm, Majestic Paradise Farms, Maggie Lynn Farms and Welcome Home Farm
- 2025 — Vernie Loretta Farm
- 2024 — Blooming Hope Mushroom Farm
- 2023 — Purple Finch Farm
- 2022 — Sunny Acres Farms
Sponsors of the 2026 Farmers for Tomorrow Benefit Happy Hour include the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, Arkansas Farm Bureau and Adventure Subaru.
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.
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Media Contact:
John Lovett
U of A Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station
(479) 763-5929
jlovett@uada.edu