By HEATHER WALTERS
A unique new spin on touring farms in South Carolina is coming to Colleton County, giving tour-goers a chance to visit area farms and enjoy artwork from the state’s official folk art center.
The South Carolina Ag and Art Tour is the nation’s largest farm and ag tour. It begins in Colleton County on May 29th and continues through May 30th in Colleton County. However, the festival will continue each weekend through the month of June in other counties across the Palmetto State.
“This experience is a free, self-guided tour of designated farms in South Carolina and is a great way to explore our farms and artistic heritage,” said Alta Mae Marvin, with Clemson Extension in Walterboro. Clemson Extension is one of the hosting agencies for this tour.
One of the farms in Colleton County that is being featured on the tour is Bowmans Vineyards.
The Bowman family has been farming since 1720. Today’s generation is the 14th generation of farmers, and they have been making wine since 2007, according to Marvin.
“Bowman Vineyards cultivates and harvests several varieties of muscadines, the only grape native to North America,” she said. “With these muscadine grapes they produce delicious, robust white, blush, and red wines as well as blush and white grape ciders.”
The Bowman’s also have a vegetable garden and sell raw honey, hot and mild chow chow, jarred pickles, hot pepper jelly, peach and fig preserves.
“They carry selection of paintings depicting beautiful deep--south folklife art. The Bowman’s love and commitment to Southern agriculture make them a meaningful and interesting Lowcountry destination,” said Marvin.
Bowman’s Farms is one of three farms in Colleton County that will be featured in the upcoming tour. The other two farms are Brelands and Herd it Here, an alpaca farm.
In addition to the farming tours, the S.C. Artisans Center in Walterboro is also a focal point of the tour, giving participants a first-hand view of artisan artwork from throughout South Carolina.
The artisans center is located in downtown Walterboro, and is the official folk art retail site for the Palmetto State. As a part of their experience with the Ag and Art Tour, the S.C. Artisans Center will be offering presentations from both Joe Hamilton and Cathy Nelson. Hamilton and Nelson are Colleton County residents who are active in the farming and art worlds: Hamilton will be speaking about the importance of tree farming and its relation to heirs property preservation, while Nelson will be talking about aquaponics and her Native American culture of farming.
According to Marvin, this national tour has attracted more than 45,000 visitors since it began in 2012.
This is the first year that Colleton County has been involved.
For more information, go to www.clemson.edu/extension/agandarttour/index.html.
