Now in its thirteenth (13th) year, the South Carolina Ag+Art Tour is a free self-guided farm and art tour is a great way to educate people about where their food and fiber come from and introduce them to local artisans, says Will Culler, Clemson Extension Agribusiness Agent, and Tour Director.
"We are proud of the commitment of our farms, artisans, and county teams. Because of that, we can sustain continued growth," Culler said. "One of our goals has been to give people a better knowledge of what is produced in their backyard and help them to support local businesses while making healthier food choices. This event does that by putting food and product with a face."
This year Colleton County will have 6 participating sites and over 20 Artisans placed throughout the tour sites. The South Carolina Artisans Center will host a kickoff event May 17th from 5-7pm with FREE admission to meet and greet the farmers and artists, enjoy live music, food trucks, a petting zoo, and family friendly activities.
The South Carolina Artisans Center is the official folk art and craft center for the state of South Carolina. We are proud to host farmers and artists at our headquarters for the tour!
The following locations are the participating farm sites for Colleton County:
Treasured Earth Homestead Herd It Here Farm
Bowman Vineyards
Colleton Museum & Farmers Market Instinct Earth Farms
South Carolina Artisans Cente
The South Carolina Ag+ Art Tour is already the largest FREE farm tour in the nation and has drawn over 100,000 visitors since its inception.
Tour stops include farms and farmers' markets, with art at each location. Artisans on the tour range from weavers, painters, musicians, storytellers, metalworkers, and craftsmen to poets and live musical performances. Some farms will offer value-added products, such as jarred and canned foods, honey, baked goods, or even farm-fresh meals. There is no fee to attend; visitors can start and stop their tour at any location.
The South Carolina Ag+ Art Tour is a free self-guided tour of farms and farmers' markets featuring artisans at every stop occurring every weekend in June. The first Ag+ Art Tour was held in 2012 in York County to blend agriculture and art. The tour began to expand in 2013 and has continued yearly. It is the largest free farm and art tour in the nation.
The tour is coordinated by leadership and county-level planning teams led by Clemson University Cooperative Extension. Partner organizations include economic development agencies, chambers of commerce, tourism bureaus, farm and artisan organizations, education and extension offices, arts councils, and community volunteers.
