Supporting and Networking Homesteaders in the Ozarks
and providing opportunities for learning beyond the annual conference event.
...And Succeeding in the Business of growing local foods in, and for our Communities
Doing What we All Love
A Vision for Change
We are Barry and Mechel Wall and have lived in NWA for 30 years and raised our family of 8 children here. Our home was never without a garden, a few chickens, rabbits, goats, sheep, cows, pigs and dogs (not all at the same time). We have learned through experience over the years and definitely have our favorites. We love attending Homesteading Conferences to continue building our base of knowledge, and in fact have spent our last two anniversaries attending a great one up in Missouri. We kept hoping someone would plan one here, and instead of waiting, we decided to jump in with both feet.
So, it is with great excitement we invite you to the First Annual NWA Homesteading Event planned just for you! NovaTerra is a nonprofit I set up in 2009 and is the main sponsor of the first annual Homesteading Conference, with it's beginning event April 18-20, 2024 at the Benton County Fairgrounds in Bentonville, AR. All are welcome, no matter where you live or how you live. There's something for everyone.
These events require many hands. The Committee has worked hard and deserves recognition: Barry Bryant, Donny Sibbett, Becca Sprinkles, Amy Henry, Karen Wagman, Steve Wood, Cassie Smith, Ashley McKenzie, Kelsey Smith, Cara DeMuynck, Ashley Ryan and Amanda Zoellick.
2024 Homesteading Conference
Conference: April 18-20
Location: Benton County Fairgrounds
7640 SW Regional Airport Blvd. Bentonville, AR 72712
(close to airport and hotel)
Thursday April 18 AM Eleni Parsons: Chickens: meat birds, egg production, hatching with a video segment by Dr. Parsons
LUNCH - Food Truck will be available TICKETS
Conference Kickoff Thursday April 18
Farm to Table Feast $45 TICKETS
and FREE Live Music - No Ticket Required for music
Cowboy Catering Company is cooking up a Farm to Table Feast for us and you won't want to miss this! After dinner, go out and enjoy some free live music. Make an evening celebrating local food and local music.
HOMESTEADING CONFERENCE
is April 19-20
Schedule for Friday April 19
8:00 AM Pledge by 4H group, Prayer by Pastor Russell Hamby and National Anthem Lindsay Burnett
(one ticket gets you in both days)
Auditorium Building #1
8:30-9:45 Construction 101: building raised beds and tool use/safety
10:00-11:15 Katie Helams: Microgreens: ( hands on) workshop class, go home with kit (20) Grow NWA
11:30-12:45 Chef Matt Cooper: Conifer "Feasting on Farmers Market: Becoming a seasonal chef & collaboration Project"
LUNCH 1 hour
2:00-3:15 Raised Beds and Patio Gardens - KarenYoung
3:30-4:45 Seed Starting and Soil Blocking & Companion Planting: Mechel Wall
Exhibit Hall Presenters Building #2
8:30-9:45 Garden Planners: Crop Rotation/ timing/hardy annualsMelissa Millsap: garden planning
10:00-11:15 Kitchen Apothecary Fire Cider: Janelle WhitlockJanelle Whitlock
11:30-12:30 Sheepherding: Hanna Family Farm/Ranch
LUNCH 30 minutes
1:00-1:45 Cheese Making Class: Riley & Ciera
2:00-3:15 Elder Farms: Elderberries: growing, harvesting, processing, preservingElder Farms
3:30-4:45 David Tankersly: Market Gardening (Cane fruits, garden huckleberries, melons, corn, tomatoes)David Tankersly
Livestock Building Presenters Building #3
8:30-9:45 Susan Kohler: Getting Started: finding land, land trust, financing, budgeting, co-op equipmentSusan Kohler: Land Trust
10:00-11:15 Joe Hannan: Organic: why or why not Joe Hannan: CAFF
LUNCH 1 hour
12:30-1:45 Greenhouse Growing: equipment, IPM,light, heat/vent/cool, aquaponic, hydroponic, WallapiniDavid Welch (still tentative)
2:00-3:15 Lisa Lewis & Kayli Humphrey : life balance: maintaining family time, friendships, self care - preventing burnout Lisa Lewis
3:30-4:45 Kenny Simon: Fencing: Fencing including moveable electric and permanent
FREE After Hours Class: Auditorium Building 1 Developer Workshop: preserving greenspace, community gardens, native landscaping, edible forests
FREE Live Music: Everyone is invited, no ticket required
Schedule for Saturday April 20
8:00 Pledge by 4H group, Prayer by Barry Wall and National Anthem by Lindsay Burnett
Auditorium Building #1
8:30-9:45 Goats: Debbie Bean of Bean Family Farm
10:00-11:15 Craig Keever: Plant Based Diets and Functional Medicine
11:30-12:45 Daryll Holliday: Food Storage: Long and short term storage (jerking, smoking, salting meats)Daryll Holliday
LUNCH 1 hour
2:00-3:15 Rotational Grazing: Regenerative Farming: Multi species GrazingHank Reid: Natural Gramma
3:30-4:45 Joe Woolbright & Joe Neil :Wildflowers: benefits, meadows, beneficial insects, identifying pests/friends + birds
Exhibit Hall Presenters Building #2
8:30-9:45 Food Preservation: Canning 101 Cathy Love,Trudy Mcmanus
10:00-11:15 GardenSoxx Class and demonstration NEW PRODUCT (Bella Vista Gardeners - you'll LOVE this)
11:30-12:30 Composting:Ricky Ludman techniques and how-to Ozark Compost and Swap
LUNCH 30 minutes
1:00-1:45 Sow and Grow: Garden Design & Installation Services
2:00-3:15 Bookeeping, business structure, taxes and deductions Brandon Lewis and Bryan Holjeson
3:30-4:45 Beekeeping for Beginners: Clay Berger
Livestock Building Presenters Building #3
8:30-9:45 Jack of all Trades: review of basics: power tools,welding construcion, plumbing etc. Lanny Rice - voAg
10:00-11:15 Nena Hammer: Sourdough and bread Class Nena Hammer
LUNCH 1 hour
12:30-1:45 Ozark Wild Ones: Using Native Plants Roslyn Imrie & Laurie Scott
2:00-3:15 Essential Oils and why they are Essential: Nancy Davis
3:30-4:45 Panel Discussion Revenue Streams: venue, events, products, insurance, laws (Amanda Myers, Brynn Kent,
Joe and Mary Saumwebers, Cameron & Becky Porter)
FREE After Hours Class: Barndominium Forum: building, contracting, buying, selling, living, designing - all things Barndo
Thank you to our Sponsors and Donors
Contact Us or find the event page on Facebook
“To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves.”
“To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves.”
Mahatma Gandhi