Grown from the Red Barn Farm rubble of the 2024 summer tornado, FarmHand Co-Founders and seasoned farmers, Dominic and Riley Silva, have pooled community support and experience to bridge gaps in local farm-to-table partnerships while offering access to land and equipment, as well as invaluable mentorship for budding farmers who simply want a seat at the table.
FarmHand and Porch Life Farm, Dominic and Riley Silva
What brought you to Bentonville, and how has it compared to other areas of the country you've worked/lived?
"Bentonville is among the friendliest places in the country. What specifically has shocked me about Bentonville is how much opportunity there is here. There are limited opportunities for young, aspiring farmers in other parts of the country. Land ownership is nearly impossible, and salaried farming jobs are few and far between. We have been able to accomplish things here in three years that would've taken at least ten in other parts of the U.S.The small farm community in northwest Arkansas is spirited, headstrong, warm, and innovative. The people here make the hard times bearable and the good times raucous."
Explain the post-tornado transition between the Red Barn operation and what is now FarmHand.
The farm was destroyed Memorial Day weekend, 2024. In September, we learned that Red Barn Farm would be retired by its owner at the end of the year. But the farm owner took a chance and encouraged us to take over the farm's lease. We took over the lease of the farm in February of 2025, and he donated a significant portion of the farm's equipment, tools, and materials to our incubator program, FarmHand. Now, we're working our tails off to make him proud; to take chances on promising people who just need help getting started.
What farms does FarmHand support today?
We are currently supporting three different farms. We specifically help aspiring commercial farmers because we want to continue to strengthen the wider food system in Northwest Arkansas. Our farmers are small business owners; they positively contribute to our local economy, food network, and culture. While each of our farmers has their own niche, we also collaborate to fill sales accounts in ways that benefit all of us.
What does the next phase of FarmHand look like?
We hope to connect our local farm network to local chefs in a streamlined and effortless way - a current gap in our local food system. But more excitingly, we are working on developing our food donation program. Partnering with for-profit farms to feed our neighbors is a much more nimble way of filling this need. Other non-profit farms that grow for hunger relief have to cover the overhead involved with running a farm, whether they're producing well or not. By working with independent farmers, we can help aspiring farmers achieve their dreams while utilising donations and grants to their greatest and best use. We are working to secure local and federal funding for these efforts so that our farmers can confidently donate nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables to chef-driven feeding programs like Rethink Food, For the Love, and The Northwest Arkansas Children's Shelter.
Orthodox Homesteading Founders, Philip and Ciera Nelson
What inspired your desire to run your own farm?
Ciera has an extensive background in the restaurant industry and growing produce, but was particularly inspired to open and operate a small farm after working with fine dining and Michelin-starred chefs. The continued observation was the lack of local premium specialty produce, and the need to import (fly in) many of these ingredients from the other side of the world. With NWA’s growing fine dining food scene, the need for premium, locally grown, specialty produce became evident to us.
Share some examples of how FarmHand has supported your goals.
FarmHand provides a whole host of benefits that are invaluable to us as a small business. Through our partnership with FarmHand we gain affordable access to land, tools, wash/prep/pack stations, greenhouse, and refrigeration. This allows us to keep our overhead low while building our business. We also benefit greatly from continued mentorship from FarmHand. Riley and Dominic have helped us learn how to use equipment and answer questions like how to calibrate our seeder, and which local markets to pursue.
East of Eden Founders, Bradley and Julia Gavrielides
When did you start working with FarmHand and how did you hear about it?
Riley and I used to be co-workers at Cobblestone Farms in Fayetteville. Her expertise with farming was a true gift to be around. When I decided to apply to Farm School with the Center of Arkansas Farms and Food (CAFF), she was their Field Instructor, and finally, I had the chance to learn directly from her. Knowing Riley, I knew she was conjuring up some super ambitious yet beautiful thing for the local food system so I kept an open ear to any updates happening at Red Barn Farm (now FarmHand). When I heard about FarmHand and that applications were being accepted for beginner farmers, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity for me as a novice farmer living in Bentonville.
Share a little about your farm brand and your plans for its products/services.
I grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, surrounded by a strong Korean community. Being half Korean, and having that cultural immersion specifically draws me to its cuisine as a farmer. Thankfully, vegetables play a central role in Korean cooking, which makes it easier to envision both farming plans and value-added products. I plan to gradually grow asian varieties, create value-added products like kimchi, and see what the market demands are over the next couple of seasons.
Bloom Table Farm, Desiree Garnier
What inspired your desire to run your own farm?
Growing up on a homestead in south Arkansas was my first inspiration to farm. After working in PR/marketing, event production, and the art non-profit sphere, I realized I wanted to channel that same creative energy into something more tangible, something that connects people to their community and the food and flowers that nourish and inspire them. Farming felt like both a fresh start and a way to honor traditions—growing with the seasons, working with my hands, and creating something beautiful and nourishing to share. What inspires me most is the chance to cultivate not just crops, but experiences—whether it’s through fresh vegetables, flowers, or products that bring people together.
What's next for you and your farm?
Right now, the exciting part is just getting started. My next steps are securing funding, preparing the land, and planting the first crops that will shape Bloom Table Farm. From there, I’ll be working toward officially launching Bloom Table Beverage Bar and Bloom Table Flower Bar, bringing the farm’s harvest into drinks, flowers, and experiences. Together, these three pieces create a full-circle experience: food and flowers grown on the land, transformed into goods and services that nourish, delight, and connect people. The long-term vision is to keep expanding in ways that stay true to that mission of cultivating beauty, wellness, and community through the farm.
How has FarmHand supported your goals?
FarmHand has helped me understand my goals for my farm business and take the first steps to make it a reality. I've had assistance in writing business and crop plans. I've found great inspiration in FarmHand's current programs and the ones on the horizon.
"The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops but the cultivation and perfection of human beings." Japanese Farmer, Masanobu Fukuoka
"Through our partnership with FarmHand, we gain affordable access to land and tools. This allows us to keep our overhead low while building our business."
"Being half Korean, that cultural immersion draws me to its cuisine as a farmer. I plan to grow asian varieties and create products like kimchi."
What inspires me most is the chance to cultivate not just crops, but experiences—whether it’s through fresh vegetables, flowers, or products that bring people together.