Another on the long list of amazing things here in the Lowcountry is the amount and the availability of a wide variety of locally grown seasonal produce. In fact, local produce is an easy find in Beaufort SC.
Beaufort and our sea islands were all built on farming and it has been an industry in the area for centuries. Gone are the rice, indigo and cotton farms, which have all been replaced by family farms that possess an agricultural bounty that folks today are looking for.
Beaufort is now known for its amazing sea island tomato crop. Well over 20 million pounds of fresh-grown sea island tomatoes are sent to markets throughout the U.S. and Canada each year from St. Helena Island.
Today, several local farms are open to the public with stands and stores and even as U-Pick fields, and you can always find several farm stands open throughout our part of the Lowcountry. Visiting them is fun because they’re selling fresh local produce grown right here in Beaufort’s own soil, and there’s just nothing better.
In addition to our local tomatoes, when in season, folks are always able to get fresh strawberries, watermelons, canteloupe, peppers, lettuces, collard & turnip greens, sweet corn and dozens more delectable fresh fruits and veggies.
If you’re looking for fresh local produce, you can visit any one of these five local spots and find nothing but the best.
Dempsey Farms is located on Sea Island Parkway on St. Helena Island. Dempsey’s offers a variety of fresh local produce at their farm stand from March through November. Dempsey’s U-pick fields are very popular with Beaufort locals and visitors, with thousands visiting the fields each year to pick their own fresh tomatoes, strawberries, watermelons and more.
Barefoot Farms is another St. Helena Island farm that has become quite well known for it’s sign, in addition to its bevy of fresh produce grown right there on the grounds of its farm stand. Located on Sea Island Parkway, at the farm stand you’ll find lots of goodies including tomatoes, melons, local peaches, fresh boiled peanuts and plenty more. Local piece of interesting info: Barefoot Farms owner/farmer, Jackie, does all of his farming in his bare feet.
Lowcountry Produce is located on Highway 21 in Lobeco, just north of the Beaufort town limits. The store at the farm offers a variety of fresh produce in addition to a lunch menu and its own brand of canned/jarred goods; most of which have ingredients farmed right there on the premises. Lowcountry Produce also operates restaurants with full markets inside, located in downtown Beaufort and also in Bluffton SC.
Pasture Shed Farm operates a year-round farm stand along Sea Island Parkway on St. Helena Island where you’ll find lots of fresh local produce including tomatoes, melons, blueberries, okra and corn along with other goodies including some always-beautiful fresh cut flowers grown right there on the premises.
The Port Royal Farmers Market is a very popular local market that appears every Saturday morning on the grounds of the Naval Heritage Park along Ribaut Road. Each weekend brings dozens and dozens of local farmers and area vendors with fresh produce, plants, prepared foods, meats, cheeses, local seafood and a whole lot more. The Port Royal Farmers Market also offers live music and a very fun and festive atmosphere, and it has become the place to shop and see your neighbors out on a Saturday morning in Beaufort.
In a world full of big grocery stores it’s nice to see people from the community working to produce quality items that you just can’t get at the store. Buying local supports our community, and it makes everyone happier.
The farm-to-table, buy local movement that is all the rage across the country is nothing new to us here in the Lowcountry because we’ve known for generations that the best-tasting fruits and veggies come from local Beaufort farms and farmers.
We’ve got quite a few good ones, and we’re really, really happy they’re here.
