Eric McClam joined his father in 2009 to cultivate and grow City Roots, South Carolina’s first urban farm. The plan was to produce clean, healthy, sustainably-grown products while enhancing and educating the community about the benefits of locally-grown food. After historic levels of rainfall left farmers soaked, the father- son team focused more on micro greens to compensate for the loss of their more traditional staple- vegetables.
125 miles away in Edisto Island, another farmer, Greg Johnsman, is also changing the way he farms to compensate for what he and his family lost in the flood. Johnsman is owner of Geechie Boy Farm and Mill. He grows a variety of heirloom vegetables and specialty crops. South Carolina Public Radio’s Thelisha Eaddy talks with both farmers about how they are diversifying their operations to weather the lingering effects of the flood.
According to the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, the state has about 25,000 farms, which encompass 4.9 million acres. The agency released a 13-page report outlining the impact the flood had on South Carolina’s annual $3 billion agriculture industry.
Resources:
South Carolina Department of Agriculture
City Roots Farm
Geechie Boy Farm & Mill
Continuing Coverage: