Extension to host homesteading conferences in Batesville, Harrison in November
By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Oct. 23, 2025
Fast Facts:
- Sow, Grow & Know Homesteading Expo to be held Nov. 7 at NW Arkansas District Fairgrounds
- Homesteading with Independence conference to be held Nov. 21 at UACC-Batesville
- Events offer extension expertise in poultry, pasture management, food preservation and more
(560 words)
(Newsrooms: With art)
LITTLE ROCK — As more Arkansans seek resources for both small and large-scale homesteading efforts, the Cooperative Extension Service will host two conferences in November offering expert information on best practices in food preservation, soil health, poultry management and more.
The Boone, Carroll, Madison, Marion and Newton county extension offices are collaborating to host the Sow, Grow & Know Homesteading Expo on Nov. 7 at the Northwest Arkansas District Fairgrounds in Harrison. The cost to attend is $15. Registration is available online.
Extension staff will offer information sessions on poultry processing and management, livestock for small-scale living, farm soil health, food preservation and more.
Later in the month, the Independence County Extension Office will host its Homesteading with Independence conference on Nov. 21 at the University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville. The cost to attend is $20, and the deadline to register is Nov. 14. Registration is available online.
Topics will include basic berry production, high tunnels, seed starting and more.
Torrie Smith, Caroll County extension staff chair, said this is the first time that Boone, Carroll, Madison, Marion and Newton counties have collaborated for an extension expo on homesteading topics. The effort is in response to an influx of first-time property owners, who have moved to the region in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“They’ve moved in from California or Texas, where property costs were astronomical and they couldn’t have a few acres,” Smith said. “Now they’ve moved into Arkansas, where the land cost was cheaper, and they’ve bought a few acres and want to know what to do with it. That’s when more interest started popping up.”
Smith said it is important for the Cooperative Extension Service to answer this call for guidance, because “we want to give you the best research-based information that we can.”
“We want them to know that there are right ways to do things, and we’re just trying to teach people these best practices,” Smith said. “Our agents are experts in many different areas, and when we team up together, we can provide more and better information, and we all get to talk about what we’re passionate about.”
Michelle Mobley, Independence County extension staff chair, said the county first offered a Homesteading Conference in 2023, and “the response was so positive that we’re excited to bring it back again this year.”
“Homesteading skills like seed starting, canning, high tunnel production and making household products help people become more self-sufficient and connected to local food systems,” Mobley said. “These sessions will give residents confidence to start or expand their own operation.”
Both the Sow, Grow & Know Homesteading Expo and the Homesteading with Independence conference are designed to benefit both new and established homesteaders.
“This conference welcomes anyone who wants to live more sustainably, from beginners taking their first steps in homesteading to those looking to build on what they already know,” Mobley said. “We see participants from all walks of life.”
“I would really encourage anybody that’s interested in just starting their homestead to attend, or the ones who have been at it for a while and are wanting to learn about new things they can do,” Smith said.
For more extension resources for homesteaders, visit the Homesteading in Arkansas page on the Cooperative Extension Service website.
The Cooperative Extension Service is the outreach branch of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System 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 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System 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.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact Torrie Smith at tsmith@uada.edu or Michelle Mobley at mmobley@uada.edu as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
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Media Contact:
Rebekah Hall
rkhall@uada.edu
@RKHall_
501-671-2061