The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville FARM Program is already preparing for the students who will begin the program this fall.
On June 16, Dr. Patricia Harrelson, FARM Program Faculty; Bryan Anderson, Farm Manager; and Jacob Holder, Farm Technician, were in the fields at the new UACCB Gateway Center planting pumpkins and sunflowers. The crops will give incoming FARM students hands-on learning opportunities as they begin working directly with the land, crops, equipment, and day-to-day responsibilities of farm and ranch management.
The pumpkin planting included several varieties, each with its own expected harvest window. Baby pumpkins are expected around Sept. 14, followed by Jarrahdale blue pumpkins and Snowball white pumpkins around Sept. 24. Porcelain Doll pink pumpkins are expected around Oct. 4, and Howden’s Field jack-o’-lantern pumpkins are expected around Oct. 9.
The mix of pumpkins and sunflowers will help create a working outdoor classroom for students while also adding a seasonal touch to the new Gateway Center fields.
The FARM Program is designed to give students practical, hands-on experience in agriculture. From planting and crop care to livestock management and equipment operation, students will learn by doing. The June 16 planting is one more step toward making sure students have real crops, real responsibilities, and real learning opportunities waiting for them when classes begin this fall.
