This weekend, the annual S.C. Ag + Art Tour brings together two of the state’s most vital industries, agriculture and tourism, to 15 farm- and art-related sites around Richland County.
Now in its 12th year, the free, self-guided Ag + Art Tour seeks to educate people about where their food, fiber and timber products come from while introducing them to local artisans at each farm site. Visitors can watch artists in action and purchase their works, enjoy the melodies of local musicians, and learn more about rural life.
Eleven S.C. counties, including Richland, are hosting Ag + Art tours on various weekends in 2023, giving attendees a chance to crisscross the state to experience farm life. The event has drawn more than 85,000 visitors since 2012, making it the nation’s largest free farm and art tour.
In Richland County, the tour runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 10 and from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 11. For details on local tour sites and the artisans who will be on site, visit the tour website: www.agandarttour.com/richland.
The following sites will host the Ag + Art Tour on Saturday and Sunday, unless noted below:
- The Congaree Milling Co. (Saturday only)
- Crooked Cedar Farm
- Doko Farm
- Fabel Farms
- Farm at Senate’s End (Living Wright Foundation)
- Gardener’s Outpost
- Harbison State Forest (Sunday only)
- Lewis + Clark
- Mill Creek Greenhouses (Saturday only)
- Mr. Bunky’s Market
- One Hubcap Farm LLC
- Rosewood Public Orchard
- Sal’s Ol’ Timey Feed & Seed
- Sustainable Carolina Garden (Saturday only)
- Uhuru Farms
“According to the latest Census of Agriculture, Richland County is home to some 440 farms,” said Chanda Cooper, the County’s conservation education analyst and chair of the Richland County Ag + Art Tour Planning Committee. “The 15 sites featured on this year’s Ag + Art Tour will showcase the diversity of agriculture in our region, including fruit and vegetable production, livestock, cut flowers, nurseries and greenhouses, forestry, and community gardens.”
The S.C. Ag + Art Tour is coordinated by county-level planning teams led by Clemson University Cooperative Extension. The Richland Soil and Water Conservation District administers the Richland County Ag + Art Tour with the support of Richland County, the County’s Conservation Commission and a number of public and private sponsors.
Find a complete list of tour dates and participating counties at www.agandarttour.com.
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Conservation Districts are political subdivisions of state government under the local direction of five-member Boards of Commissioners. The Richland Soil and Water Conservation District promotes the wise use and care of natural resources--with a focus on soil and water--for long-term sustainability in a changing environment.
Contact
Richland Soil and Water Conservation District
2020 Hampton Street, Room 3063A
Columbia, SC 29204
Phone (803) 576-2084
Fax (803) 576-2088
E-mail soilandwater@richlandcountysc.gov
Facebook www.facebook.com/rswcd
Instagram www.instagram.com/richland_swcd/