Agriculture and Art: Together!

Posted

By VICKI BROWN

Colleton County kicked off the Ag and Art Tour for the state of South Carolina on May 29-30.

Colleton residents were able to attend sessions regarding heirs property and tree farm ownership with local Joe Hamilton and participate in a question and answer time at the S.C. Artisans Center.

The self-guided tour took visitors through Bowman Vinyards, 17114 Augusta Highway in Round O, where people could explore the cultivation and harvesting of several varieties of muscadines on their Oakman Branch Road farm land. Wine is produced and bottled on their Augusta Highway site. The sandy soil and hot weather in this coastal region of South Carolina makes for the ideal environment to farm a wide variety of muscadines.

Next on the tour was Breland Hill Farm, 849 Spence Drive in Ruffin. This multigenerational family farm grows peanuts, cotton, corn, and other crops and they operate a farm market where they sell fruits, vegetables, and many other farm products.

An unusual part of the tour was the agritourist attraction Herd It Here Farm, 541 Sullivans Ferry Road in Cottageville. Visitors were able to bond with alpacas, Silkie chickens, fainting goats, Eddie the mini donkey, Tilly the pony, kid-friendly activities and the rescue horse Cherokee. Their onsite Country Store sells alpaca fleece clothing and local artisan goods.

Colleton County Tour Ancillary Sites

As usual, the Colleton Museum & Farmers Market, 506 East Washington Street, and the South Carolina Artisans Center, 318 Wichman Street in Walterboro, represents farms and artisans year round.

The Ag and Art Tour is a free, self-guided tour of farms featuring local artisans at every stop. Interested individuals can tour some of the state’s best farms and handmade art.

Tourists can pick a weekend or several sites to visit, but just need to be aware that everything cannot be seen in one day. There is no admission and restrooms are available. Visitors can bring a cooler and pick up some fresh veggies, enjoy a hay-ride and barnyard animals, watch artists in action, or enjoy a day in the country.

The rest of the 2021 Ag and Art Tour Schedule is as follows:

Saturdays 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., and Sundays 1:00 p.m.

- 5:00 p.m.

June 5 – 6: Charleston County, Kershaw County, Lancaster County, Lexington County, and York County - East. June 12 – 13: Newberry County, Richland County, York County - West. June 19 – 20: Fairfield County. June 26 – 27: Chester County, Chesterfield County. Go to www.clemson.edu, and click on the Ag and Art tours for more information about what specific farms are participating in the tour.