Taste of the Farm allows residents to sample local products

Palmettovores were on the prowl Thursday night at the Taste of the Farm, sponsored by the Greater Darlington County Chamber of Commerce. In the first of what will become an annual event, vendors paid tribute to South Carolina agriculture.

“This is really a celebration of South Carolina’s agriculture,” said Charlie Caldwell, owner of Ovis Hill Farms in Timmonsville. “It also lets people have the opportunity to see how good the food really is, the flavor, the quality of it.”

“I didn’t know goat was edible, and now he’s making curried goat, and I loved it,” Donald McLean of Florence said.

McLean said he didn’t realize he could get the kind of grass-fed, antibiotic-free meats locally either.

“I live 20 miles away, and I didn’t know they had the grass-fed beef and organic vegetables,” McLean said.

People came from Sumter, Florence, Darlington, Lamar and Hartsville to sample a variety of dishes featuring S.C. products. Honey, soaps, milks, jams, beef, lamb and cheeses were available for sale as well.

“This is a great event it has such good potential for the future,” Jim Money, Darlington County Tourism director, said. “It’s unique. There’s not another taste event like it anywhere around.”

Some of the farms and businesses represented at the event were Ovis Hill Farms, Oaklyn Plantation of Darlington, McLeod Farms of McBee, Lone Palmetto Farms of Lamar, The Farm Store of Sumter, Hamptons Restaurant of Sumter, The Palmetto Restaurant of Florence and Dickson’s Organics of Darlington County among others.

“The chamber feels privileged to be able to hold an event that supports $75 million agriculture industry in Darlington County,” said Susan Alexander, executive director of the Greater Darlington Chamber of Commerce.

“I’m in full support of this event because it’s supporting local agricultural products which are the bread and butter of our economy,” Victor Pizzuro, vice-chair of the Darlington Chamber, said.

“Everybody I’ve talked to has had a good time out here,” Money said.

The farmers also have weekly markets at Naturally Outdoors in Florence, participate at the Good Living Marketplace on the first Saturday in Hartsville as well as hold a third Saturday market at Gardner’s Farm Store on Railroad Avenue in Hartsville. Ovis Hill’s Farm Store is also open Tuesday through Saturday.

Several of the farmers also have joined together to form the Pee Dee Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). In a CSA, customers pay farmers upfront for a regular allotment of seasonal meat or produce throughout the growing season. Vegetable shares are offered for six months in the summer and three months in the winter. Meat shares are available year-round. For information on the CSA, e-mail .

Thursday’s event was a warm-up to the Ovis Hill Farm Festival on Saturday and Sunday, which was held in conjunction with Clemson Extension.

Info: http://www.ovishillfarm.com