by Shannyn Smith, Coastal Conservation League

The Grow Food team Photo submitted by Sara Clow

The GrowFood Carolina team
Photo submitted by Sara Clow

When the Coastal Conservation League created a business plan and 5-year projections for GrowFood Carolina, South Carolina’s first local food hub, in late 2011, we could not have predicted where the success of this program would take us.

 

Every day hundreds of acres of farm and ranch land are lost to development and sprawl. Recognizing the connection between agriculture and land conservation opportunities, the Conservation League launched an Agriculture & Land Use program with the goal of protecting South Carolina’s small and mid-sized family farms. We quickly realized that small farmers lacked access to the infrastructure available to industrial farms, making their business operations more challenging and less lucrative. Financial instability makes farmers more susceptible to developers’ offers to buy their land. The Conservation League saw a food hub as critical to our work protecting productive landscapes and improving quality of life across our coast. “Bridging the gap between local farmers and local markets has exponential benefits to the health of our communities and environment.” says Sara Clow, General Manager.

 


Ready to change the local food system? Join CFSA’s Perennial Givers Guild and your monthly donation of any amount will help us grow local & organic from seed to plate.

 


 

Grow Food delivers to restaurants all over the LowCountry

GrowFood Carolina delivers to restaurants all over the Lowcountry
Photo submitted by Sara Clow

Food hubs address the challenges that small and mid-sized farmers face as they attempt to grow, market, and sell their products locally. GrowFood Carolina provides local farmers the planning, aggregation, sales, marketing, and distribution functions they need to access the local wholesale markets. Our wholesale customers range from more than 120 restaurants all over metropolitan Charleston, to Harris Teeter, Whole Foods, Earth Fare, and the College of Charleston. Since opening, GrowFood has developed partnerships with 80 farmers with nearly 2,000 acres in production, sold more than $2.6M in local products, and returned more than $2 million to our partner farmers.

 

Here’s How GrowFood’s Food Hub Works

how-growfood-works

 

“By generating a market and awareness for good local food, they buck the agribusiness system. GrowFood will accommodate farmers like me that only produce 10, 20, or 30 bushels.”

GrowFood Carolina’s partnership with Wabi Sabi Farm, in Berkeley County near the Francis Marion National Forest, exemplifies the nature of our work and the benefits to farmers and the community. Jimmy and Jo Livingston sold a successful business of 17 years to start farming. They purchased about 20 acres of land that was part of a 120 year-old working farm. The first several years were very difficult, but they’ve been able to sustain a livelihood from the farm through a U-Pick open to the community, selling at the Summerville Farmer’s Market, and also selling through GrowFood Carolina. Jimmy says that GrowFood has been instrumental to Wabi Sabi’s success. “By generating a market and awareness for good local food, they buck the agribusiness system. GrowFood will accommodate farmers like me that only produce 10, 20, or 30 bushels.” In fact, GrowFood has significantly and rapidly increased Jimmy’s radish production by working with customers to better understand merchandising and potential uses, thus increasing market demand. Jimmy couldn’t keep up with the demand, in fact, and so he opened up new acreage and purchased a dedicated tractor and planter just for his radishes. In fact, Jimmy and Jo are working on buying an additional 22 acres to expand their farm.

 

Saving Summer

GrowFood Carolina continues to diversify our growers’ opportunities and expand revenue streams – our 200 cu/ft freezer was added to the warehouse in May of 2014 (partially made possible through a Farm to School grant). Freezing produce from small and mid-sized farms has several benefits for both farmers and customers. On the farm side, growers can grow more produce in-season and continue to sell frozen product throughout the year. Crops that aren’t suitable for the fresh market (blemished, off size, overripe) are also perfect for the freezer program. By freezing these ‘#2’s’, the farmer benefits from a much higher utilization of each acre. Frozen local produce also satisfies demand for local produce year-round. It is particularly well-suited for institutional customers that rely on large and consistent quantities of produce for food preparation. And…the brewers love it! Blueberry Saison, anyone?? We sell local berries, beans, and peas year round, and the demand already exceeds our storage capability. We are leasing commercial freezer space at a nearby warehouse.

 

When the freezer was installed, GrowFood staff worked with Josh Johnson of Old Tyme Bean Company to double the prior year’s acreage of butterbeans on his farm, plus add a second harvest. The second harvest is typically in September when the demand for fresh butterbeans is not as high. Josh normally plowed it back into the field to compost, but the ability to freeze the second harvest enables Josh and GrowFood to double revenue and provide cash flow in the off-season.

 

David Anderson says he especially loves receiving checks for the frozen produce right in time to help buy Christmas presents.

GrowFood Carolina staff also worked with CFSA Member Farmer, David Anderson of Black Pearl Farms, to increase his utilization of blueberries. Last June, we froze 4,000 pounds of Black Pearl blueberries and sold out just in time for the new fresh crop. Both supply and demand are building rapidly, so this year, we will freeze 6,000 pounds of berries. David says he especially loves receiving checks for the frozen produce right in time to help buy Christmas presents.

 

The Andersons of Black Pearl Farm Photo submitted by Sara Clow

The Andersons of Black Pearl Farms
Photo submitted by Sara Clow

In addition to Josh’s butterbeans and David’s blueberries, you can find 300 products year-round purchased by our more than 250 loyal wholesale customers in the Charleston-area. GrowFood provides fresh, local ingredients for meals in restaurants like Hominy Grill, FIG, Butcher & Bee, Hometeam BBQ, and HUSK, the College of Charleston’s dining halls, food trucks like Short Grain, Outta My Huevos, and Roti Rolls. Libations made with GrowFood produce can be found at local breweries like Holy City Brewing and Frothy Beard Brewing Company, Charleston’s first distillery since prohibition, High Wire Distilling, and Cannonborough Beverage, Co. Local caterers like Salthouse Catering and Cru Catering use GrowFood products to craft special offerings at weddings, parties, and other local events. Please visit our website for places where you can “Find the Fork” the next time you’re in Charleston.

 

Whether it be fresh blueberries in the height of summer for a gorgeous tart or frozen blueberries in the winter for a rich demi glace, GrowFood Carolina’s local products are always in demand because our growers are providing high-quality, delicious, healthful products. We’ve had a great first five years, but we need to continue to support South Carolina’s farmers. We need to increase $2 million in sales to $20 million. We need to expand 2,000 acres to 20,000 acres. We need to create a robust local and regional food system to benefit the farmers, the land, and our communities. And, you can help by making LOCAL part of your everyday!

 

Learn more about the Coastal Conservation League: www.coastalconservationleague.org