After the Harvest Conference - Sept. 5-6, 2025

After the Harvest is a two-day gathering focused on the infrastructure, innovation, and relationships that keep local food systems moving - after food leaves the field. Join us to explore post-harvest handling, aggregation, distribution marketing, food safety, and business models that support small and mid-scale producers across Arkansas.

This year’s event brings together growers, retailers, educators, and advocates to explore the infrastructure, innovation, and partnerships that keep local food systems thriving.

Sessions will cover a wide range of topics—from post-harvest handling and food safety to retail models, business logistics, and producer support strategies. Whether you're a farmer, a food entrepreneur, or a local food champion, there’s something here for you.

Friday, Sept. 5 offers a special pre-conference opportunity to attend the Argus Farm Stop School, a hands-on workshop led by the nationally recognized team from Argus Farm Stop. This session will dive into the farm stop model, sharing practical tools and real-world lessons for launching or improving your own retail and aggregation space. The afternoon workshop is followed by a casual dinner, cooking class with renowned Chef Margie Raimondo, and social event where attendees can network with speakers and fellow participants.

Saturday, Sept. 6 is the main conference day, featuring keynote speakers from Argus Farm Stop,  breakout sessions, and opportunities to connect with growers, market managers, value-added producers, funders, educators, and others strengthening Arkansas’s local food systems.

Early bird registration is available through August 6. Space is limited - reserve your spot today!

Location: Arkansas 4-H Center, 1 Four H Way, Little Rock, AR 72223

Register Now!

Who Should Attend?

After the Harvest is designed for anyone working to strengthen local food systems in Arkansas and beyond. Whether you're just getting started or have years of experience, this event offers tools, connections, and inspiration to support your work.

This event is ideal for:

• Farmers, growers, and value-added producers looking for expanding their markets
• Farm stop/stand operators and aggregators distributing local food
• Farmers market managers and food retail operators
• Local food advocates and nonprofit organizations
• Anyone working in the “middle of the supply chain” for moving food
• Anyone interested in building a stronger local and regional food system in Arkansas!

If you're involved in growing, marketing, distributing, funding, educating, or advocating for local food, this event is for you. 

Urbana Farmstead in Little Rock, AR. 

Meet our Speakers!

Kathy Sample & Bill Brinkerhoff  

Kathy & Bill started Argus Farm Stop in 2014 as an experiment to see if a new model of the traditional farmers market would work, both for farmers and consumers. Having subscribed to Community Support Agriculture for years, they have enjoyed locally grown food and were interested in a way to increase the economic prosperity of smaller farms. They believe a re-envisioned retail connection between small farms and consumers is the key to growing local food systems. After 10+ years, they are as enthusiastic about this model as ever – realizing how powerful it can be both economically and socially.

Casey Miller   

Casey has worked with Argus Farm Stop since 2014. After spending nearly 20 years working in human resources for higher education, nonprofits, and private industry, Casey is happy to have made a home with Argus where she melds her people and organizational skills with her love of vegetables. Energized by the tangible impact on Ann Arbor’s local food economy, she does what she can to help Argus thrive. In her current role as External Training Manager, she does her best to stoke the fires of the farm stop movement nationally and, sometimes, internationally. In her free time, she can be found pushing the boundaries of what can be grown in her tiny yard, or relaxing with her partner and son. She would love nothing more than to hear about your farm stop aspirations.

 

Kathryn Barr  

Kathryn is an organic farmer, researcher, and local food systems advocate. She received a master's degree in behavioral psychology and regional food systems planning at the University of Michigan's School for Environment and Sustainability. She wrote a book on how to develop Farm Stops and a report detailing how Farm Stops strengthen local and regional food systems. She currently works as a Local Food Systems Outreach Specialist at The Common Market, a non-profit regional food distributor that connects local, family farms directly to institutions. She is a member of the Leadership Circle of the North American Food System Network and is currently working on expanding her master’s research on Farm Stops to include analysis of more than 40 farmer interviews who participate in this model. Her work has been featured by the New York Times, on FoodTank.com, and Resilience.org. 

 

Tentative Schedule

Sessions will cover a wide range of topics—from post-harvest handling and food safety to retail models, business logistics, and producer support strategies. Whether you're a farmer, a food entrepreneur, or a local food champion, there’s something here for you.

*schedule subject to change

What does it cost? 

Friday, Sept. 5 (half day)

• Early bird registration (until Aug. 6): $15
• Regular registration (Aug. 6 – Sept. 1): $30

Saturday, Sept. 6  (full day)

• Early bird registration (until Aug. 6): $30
• Regular registration (Aug. 6 – Sept. 1): $60

Meals, snacks, and beverages provided with registration.

Lodging options available with registration or contact for more info.                             

Register Now!

Want to stay connected?

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Questions?

Contact Dr. Amanda Philyaw Perez at aperez@uada.edu or Sarah Bakker at sbakker@uada.edu