For most of his adult life, Zach from Fayetteville, Arkansas, never imagined he’d find himself behind the wheel of a tractor or harvesting vegetables under the sun. His background was as far removed from farming as one could imagine: nearly two decades as a professional illustrator and graphic designer. He came to that career by an unconventional path. After spending a few years doing other work in the restaurant industry, bookkeeping at a bank, and even working in insurance, Zach found his way to graphic design school.
Farm School Student Zach in field
Farming wasn’t on his radar. The closest he had come to farming was helping at a friend’s small cattle operation. The only vegetables he had grown were peppers in pots on his patio. Zach loves spicy, hot foods and enjoys growing peppers to support that craving.
But then, life shifted again, and Zach shifted with it, finding another new path.
After losing his last design job due to a hand injury — coinciding with the rise of generative AI that reshaped the creative industry — he was at a crossroads. Graphic design position openings were limited. So, he began looking for other types of work. Months of unanswered job applications for positions as varied as gas station attendant, liquor store clerk, and car wash worker left him questioning what he truly wanted to do next. “I realized I needed to do something more fulfilling,” he recalls. That’s when a friend recommended the CAFF Farm School program at the Center for Arkansas Farms and Food. Though it seemed the opposite of everything he had pursued, Zach applied immediately.
Slowing Down and Stepping Up
What he discovered in farming was not just new skills — like driving a tractor — but a new way of being. “The thing I like most is the slower pace,” he says with a smile. The deliberate slowness of farm life stood in stark contrast to the profit-driven frenzy of corporate work. For the first time, Zach found himself attuned to the rhythms of weather and seasons.
He explains that the second gift of farming has been the diverse community and connections he’s made. At CAFF, instructors and fellow farmers are more than teachers and peers; they have become what Zach calls “farming superheroes,” people whose generosity and knowledge inspire him daily. The 2025 CAFF cohort, he adds, feels like a family — so much so that missing a day of class leaves him genuinely downhearted. “This is the sort of ‘work family’ that corporate offices try so hard to manufacture,” he says. “But here, it’s real.”
A Future Rooted in Soil and Community
Looking ahead, Zach’s ambitions stretch beyond his current farm school experience. He dreams of cultivating hot peppers. He envisions owning his own land, working alongside his wife, and hiring other burnt-out artists and former corporate workers to help them rediscover joy in meaningful work.
His plans blend his creative past with his farming future. Alongside growing food and supplying local restaurants, Zach wants to create value-added products from his harvest. He also plans to fill a need and offer affordable design and printing services for other farmers, including branding, packaging, vinyl, and screen printing. “It’s about using everything I’ve learned to support others,” he explains.
Advice for Future Farmers
Zach’s recommendation is simple for anyone considering the CAFF farm school: “If you can, don’t wait. You’ll be so glad that you did it.” Farming, he says, has not only given him purpose but also improved his health — both physically and mentally.
While Zach knows this chapter will end soon, he is determined to carry forward the lessons, friendships, and fulfillment he has found in the fields. “I never could have anticipated most of what I’ve learned and experienced in this program. I am so lucky to be here.”
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