Cody Hopkins
I am a co-founder of Falling Sky Farm a diversified grass-based livestock farm located near Dennard, Arkansas. Since 2008, FSF has operated as a pastured chicken, turkey, beef and hog producer and poultry processor. In 2012 Falling Sky Farm will produce approximately 10,000 broilers, 500 turkeys, 120 hogs, and 35 beef cattle.
With both orginizational and finacial support from The Wild Gift, we have met our intial goal of establishing a profitable, environmentally-friendly demonstration farm in the Ozarks, which promotes a local food system that works to reinvigorate the local economy.
In addtiton to co-founding the farm, I have organized a network of 35 growers to serve the expanding demand for locally grown and made products in Central Arkansas. This network of producers is organized via an online marketplace, Conway Locally Grown. Conway Locally Grown works to build a community of consumers and future growers to support the expansion of Falling Sky Farm and the grower network. Conway Locally Grown, in partnership with many Central Arkansas community orginizations, conducts regular festivals, farm days, onfarm community meals, workshops, and participatory learning experiences for customers and potential growers for the network.
Moving forward, my professional mission is to provide technical, processing, buisness, marketing, and organizational support for the development of a profitable and environmentally friendly community of farms in central Arkansas. This community of farms is the backbone of a local-food system that works in harmony with nature and reinvigorates the local economy.