FAYETTEVILLE — Scott Farmer didn’t have anything like the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks back in New Mexico.
Farmer is from Albuquerque originally, a place with plenty of natural beauty but not a lot of green spaces. When he moved to Northwest Arkansas 12 years ago, he was astonished by how green the region was.
“I came here kicking and screaming 12 years ago,” says Farmer, who lives in Rogers. “After about a year I never wanted to leave the place.
“I remember after moving here, I would be driving with friends or co-workers, and I would talk about how green the trees were, to a point where it bothered people. Coming from a brown landscape to here, it’s just absolutely gorgeous; the entire state of Arkansas is.”
In Farmer’s opinion, few places in the Natural State are quite as enticing as the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, which is on Fayetteville’s northern edge, bordering Springdale.
The garden has become an oft-frequented destination, particularly during the pleasant fall and spring months. Indeed, at the time Farmer was interviewed about the garden, it was filled with a large group of senior citizens, who were on a tour.
In 2011, more than 8,000 paid guests toured the garden, while 7,500 students visited for classes, such as Earth Day and Butterfly Day.
“The educational benefits [from] the school kids coming is just great,” Farmer says. “Kids really take to the open area and beauty ofthe place.
“It’s fun to jump off the bus and have this green, open lawn. To have that so close, I think it’s a huge win for Northwest Arkansas.”
Farmer is a regional sales manager with the olive-oil company Filippo Berio, which for the third year will be the presenting sponsor of the garden’s coming fundraiser, the fifth annual Chefs in the Garden. The event will be held at the garden from 6-8:30 p.m. Thursday. Tickets are $45 apiece, and are available at the same price for garden members and nonmembers.
The event features food prepared by chefs from some of the more-popular restaurants throughout Northwest Arkansas. It’s a great event to bring kids to, says Farmer, who will be there with his wife and their two young children.
“It’s really the very best restaurants in the area using the best ingredients, which ties in really well [with my company],” Farmer says. “It’s such a fun event for family and friends; I think it’s fantastic.”
“It has an organic feel, tying in with the Botanical Garden. It keeps growing, with more restaurants coming in, which is just like the garden itself. It’s really started to blossom and take on a life of its own.”
Farmer says his favorite spot at the Botanical Garden is its Japanese garden, but he’s quick to add that there really isn’t a bad spot in the place.
The large grassy area in the center of the garden is a popular spot for weddings and receptions; the garden is frequently home to events. It’s also popular with young children like Farmer’s, who can run until sunset as their parents wine and dine with other garden supporters.
“You’re outdoors in a beautiful place, having fantastic food and good entertainment,” Farmer says. “It’s got such a good, fun vibe to it.”
Maudie Schmidt, the owner of Cafe Rue Orleans in Fayetteville, will serve as the honorary chairman for the event, which is limited to 400 tickets.
For more information about the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks or the Chefs in the Garden fundraiser, call (479) 750-2620 or visit
bgozarks.org
.
Northwest Profile, Pages 33 on 09/09/2012