07 Sep 2025 Margie and the farmstead market

By Judy Riley

When Margie Raimondo enters a kitchen, plants a garden or talks about healthy food, she means business. Her heritage is Mediterranean, both Sicilian and Italian, but her family ended up in a Southern California, working-class immigrant community. They were all just trying to build a better life.

“Because we came from a culture where people grew their food and nothing was wasted, our families ripped out the lawns in front and backyards and turned them into gardens,” Raimondo said. “I have great memories of waiting anxiously till I was tall enough to reach the kitchen counter just so I could knead dough, roll pasta and cook alongside my mom, aunties and nonnas.”

The kitchen was her classroom. It was where love and survival came together. 

Even with that strong family foundation, Raimondo felt there was something deeper calling her back to the land of her roots. She started traveling to Italy to meet extended family and eventually took her children and grandchildren so they could understand where they came from. That craving for connection led her to train as a chef on farms across Italy and Southern Spain, learning not just how to cook, but how to grow and preserve food in the old ways. 

That is the philosophy behind Urbana Farmstead, her little slice of heaven tucked just outside the Little Rock city limits. She operates a farm, a farmstead market, cooking and preserving schools, all on a one-third acre farm in southwest Pulaski County. Why did she choose Central Arkansas? Because Raimondo and her husband, Chris, who is just as invested in the farmstead, fell in love with the people of Arkansas and saw an opportunity to promote healthy food. The foods they grow are as diverse and interesting as what she does with them. They sell everything from the typical southern vegetables and heirloom tomatoes to herbs and leafy greens that remind her of her Sicilian roots. Obviously, there is a strong Mediterranean influence in what she grows and cooks. Every vegetable in her garden or bottle of olive oil in her farm market has a story she loves to share. For the customers, one visit to her farmstead is pure joy.

One thing that sets her farm market apart from typical farmer’s markets is the offering of items straight from Sicily. She travels there during olive harvest to source extra virgin olive oil that is cold pressed, full of flavor and straight from the groves. She imports pasta made from ancient Sicilian grains, such as Timilia and Russello, naturally low in gluten and easier to digest, especially for those who are gluten-intolerant. She makes small batch tea blends using herbs grown on the farm: chamomile, lemon balm, mint and lavender. She also sells preserves, sauces and other homemade goods that reflect the seasons and her culture.

Raimondo is intentional about teaching others. Her cooking classes, online blogs, Facebook and Instagram posts are always rooted to foods in season. One day, it is pasta making, another pickling or using sourdough. She and her supporters offer tours, allowing people to see how they grow their produce. The real heart of the farm is her kitchen. She thrives on preparing foods for her seasonal “High Tea on the Farm.” It is not a typical English tea, but a four-course meal, with handmade pastries, herb-infused sips and savory bites inspired by the foods she grows.

Not only is she willing and able to share information about growing, preserving and cooking healthy food, she is all about advocating for farmers. Raimondo serves on the Pulaski County Farm Bureau Board and the State Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee. The focus of Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation is to advocate for issues important to those in agriculture as well as telling the farming story. She got involved in the Farm Bureau because she believes small farmers deserve a seat at the table. 

“Margie brings a unique perspective on urban agriculture to our committee,” said Nita Cooper, state chair of the Women’s Leadership Committee. “She has a heart for community education, and her bubbly personality and enthusiasm are contagious. She puts the whole idea of ‘from farm to table’ into action.”

Raimondo’s end goal is to build healthier, more resilient communities through food. “Everything I do, whether it is farming, teaching, cooking or collaborating, is rooted in that vision. To me, food is more than just nourishment. It is medicine, memories, culture, connection and care. I want to support farm-to-market systems that feed the people who live nearby, teaching folks how to grow their own food, cook with confidence and celebrate the ingredients,” she said. 

More information about classes and the latest foods can be found at urbanafarmstead.net. Her tenacity in seeking out her roots and her desire to share were as necessary to her business success as the farm itself. The Raimondo Urban Farmstead is another jewel in the 501.