BLYTHEWOOD – The annual free Richland County Ag + Art Tour will happen during the weekend of June 6 and 7, when 16 farms and garden-oriented businesses will open to the public. One Hubcap Farm, Paradise Cay Plantation, and Fabel Farms will comprise the “Blythewood Route” of the tour.
The farms provide the “ag(riculture)” portion of the tour, and artisans including painters, fiber artists, bakers, metalworkers, ice cream trucks, jewelry makers, and others provide the “art” portion of the tour.
At each site, the touring audience will learn about farming methods and interact with the farmers.
Here’s a look at what you will find on the Blythewood leg of the tour.
Fabel Farms, located at 1208 Hinnants Store Rd. in Winnsboro, is, according to Josh Fabel, the owner, “A working farm in the Cedar Creek area of Upper Richland County that specializes in organically raised vegetables, honey and eggs. Come tour our event barn and property. You will be able to purchase veggies, honey, eggs and local meats.”
Several other local farms that produce meat and jams will be at Fabel Farms during the tour. Kasey Marion will offer pony rides, and artisans with home decor, alpaca fleece, and baked goods will also be at Fabel Farms.
One Hubcap Farm, located at 1236 Muller Rd. in Blythewood, is a cut flower farm. The farm will offer opportunities for you to pick your own flowers or to select a pre-made bouquet. Goat’s milk soap made by Clara Adams and flower seedlings will be available for sale also. Water and containers are provided to help take care of the flowers throughout the rest of the tour.
Want to know how the owner of One Hubcap Farm grows thousands of flowers without a greenhouse? At 11 a.m. and 2 p.m, Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday, there will be a free workshop on “Growing Flowers from Seed to Bloom.”
Artisans on site will include two painters, two crochet artists, a jeweler, a pressed flower artist, and an ice cream van.
Bill and Cheryl Corcoran of Paradise Cay Plantation, located at 416 Langford Rd. in Blythewood, describe their farm as “a peaceful family farm home to dairy goats, bees, chickens, Arabian horses, vegetable and herb gardens.” When you visit their little slice of paradise … you can purchase homegrown food, visit with friendly animals, and join future community events here on the farm. Fresh eggs and creamy goat milk products are available for purchase.
Artisans on site include a soap maker, painter, sculptor, leatherworker, jeweler, creator of fabric items for people and pets, and a stained-glass artist.
On Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 1:30 p.m., visitors on tour can attend a Leather Branding and Tooling Demonstration.
Other farms on the tour include a blueberry farm, several vegetable farms, another flower farm, a mushroom farm, and several garden-related businesses. If you are interested in farming or supporting local agriculture, please come out to see these farms and to learn about the process of creating local food, flowers, and art. Entry to tour sites on the Ag and Art Tour is free, and many of the farms are closed to the public for the rest of the year. Most sites provide activities for children and adults.
The farms are clustered throughout Richland County, and you may visit the farms in any order you choose. The tour runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 6 and from 12 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, June 7.
Access to every farm is free, and you may visit each site for as long as you would like to, but visiting all the farms in Richland County might be difficult. Consider choosing two routes on Saturday and one route on Sunday for a relaxed tour.
Toilets and hand-washing stations will be available at each tour site. Visit agandarttour.com/richland for a detailed list of farms and artisans.