Ag and Art Kick off

  • June 21, 2019
  • 6:00 pm
  • Benford Brewing Company

 Lancaster County’s Annual Ag + Art Tour to Kick Off June 21st at Benford Brewing Company

See Lancaster, S.C. will usher in the annual Ag + Art Tour with a celebratory kick-off on June 21, from

6-10pm, at the picturesque farm that is home to Benford Brewing Company.  Live music by Flatland Express Bluegrass will provide the perfect soundtrack for “fun on the farm” from 6-8pm, with Fiftywatt Freight Train rocking the evening to an end from 8:30 – 10pm.  Guests will enjoy free admission, plentiful parking, cooking demos, 5-K, food trucks, craft brews, artisans, vendors, and outdoor family games.  Look for Carolina Cajun Meats, Ronda’s Watercolors, Kona Ice of Chester & Lancaster Counties, Cibi Cibi Food Truck, Kate’s TNT, Cultivate Health, Oh Shoot Photo Booth, Wyrick’s Handmade Creations, Catawba Farm and Food Coalition Farm-K, Deb’s Sweet Shop, and more!

 

The event is the perfect way to kick-off Lancaster County’s seventh year participation in the South Carolina Ag+Art Tour, our nation’s largest free farm tour.  Eleven counties comprise the agritourism event on weekends in June, proclaimed by the Governor’s office as Ag + Art Month in South Carolina.  Lancaster County farms and cultural sites will welcome visitors from 10am – 4pm on Saturday, June 22 and from 1-5pm on Sunday, June 23, offering visitors the opportunity to see first-hand where local products come from.  Eleven agricultural locations – Lancaster County Farmers Market, Native American Studies Center, The Ivy Place, North Corner Haven, Dixie Bee Supply & Country Store, Griff’s Greenhouse & Nursery, Historic Craig Farm, Benford Brewing Company, Simple Faith Ranch, Rich Hill Farms, Fox Trot Farms – with artisans demonstrating and selling original, handcrafted items – are featured on the self-guided tour.  In addition, Dianne Mahaffee’s Fine Art & Clay Studio will open for tours, exhibits, and demonstrations.  Tour guide booklets with maps and listings of all agricultural sites and artisans are available in advance at SC Welcome Centers, The Springs House, 201 West Gay Street, Lancaster,  or at any location visited during the tour weekend.  Details are also available at http://www.agandarttour.com/lancaster and  https://www.facebook.com/agandartlancaster .

The South Carolina Ag + Art Tour is coordinated by Clemson Extension, in partnership with Olde English District Tourism Commission and Catawba Farm & Food Coalition. Information regarding all eleven counties can be found at www.agandarttour.com.  Following is information provided by participating locations and artisans:

  • Benford Brewing Company, 2271 Boxcar Road, Lancaster, SC 29720

Locally owned and operated craft beer producer, where beers are brewed in 30-barrel batches on small farm on land with a pure well water source tapped into the water table of three known springs located on premises. Beers are brewed with only natural based ingredients staying true to brewing traditions.  Visitors will enjoy livestock, bees/beekeeping, beer samples, live music, food trucks including Carolina Cajun Meats and Kona Ice of Chester & Lancaster. Kid-friendly activities are on site and artisans include: Ronda’s Watercolors, Clay Impressions Pottery, and Kate’s TNT.

  • Craig Farm, 1859 Craig Farm Road, Lancaster, SC 29720

Historical Craig Farm, founded 1773, is one of the few Lancaster County farms that have continually operated since pre-Revolutionary War days, with the Craig family the continuous owners. Consisting of almost 400 acres, it is a beef cattle farm. In addition to cattle, primary crop is hay. The farm is about 55% pastureland & 45% woodland. The c. 1800 Craig Farm house is on the National Register of Historic Places, as is Kilburnie, the Inn at Craig Farm (1827), which operates as a bed & breakfast inn, across the road. The farm has beautiful woodland paths for walks and cattle and horses for viewing.  Visitors are welcomed for viewing Craig House formal gardens & landscaped grounds, livestock, equestrian, timber/forest, historical farm, formal gardens, guided tours of historic Craig house, woodland nature walks. Artisans on site include painter Walt Simpson and Pottery by Wendy.

  • Griff’s Greenhouse & Nursery, 234 Bill Sweatt Road, Lancaster, SC 29720

Visit a relaxing country setting with a wide variety of annuals, perennials, hanging baskets and a good selection of Native Plants.  This location also has herbs and vegetable plants for your garden. Talented craftspeople are looking forward to sharing their treasures with you.  Visitors have asked for more workshops and Griff’s plans to make this happen for you. Kid-friendly activities on-site. Artisans include Janet Creations.

  • The Ivy Place, 8603 Van Wyck Road, Lancaster, SC 29720 – Open Saturday Only!

Gardens, historical house (not open to the public), wedding venue, old barns, beautiful gardens, and visitors will be able to pick blackberries and blueberries, weather permitting.  Mini Farm Stand on site and artisans include Basket Weaver Carolyn Kemp and painter Abstract Alexandra.

  • Lancaster Farmers Market, 1920 Pageland Highway, Lancaster, SC 29720 – Open Saturday Only!

Only open on Saturday, June 17.  Locally grown produce and artisans on site.

  • The Native American Studies Center, 119 South Main Street, Lancaster, SC 29720 – Open Saturday Only!

View a Native Inspired Garden by Leaf & Petal Club, Native American Galleries, Historic Archives, World’s largest collection of Catawba Pottery & Artifacts. Special Activities are planned and Native American artisans will be hosting a show and sale in the galleries of the center.

  • Dixie Bee Supply, 1628 Hwy. 521 Bypass South, Lancaster, SC 29720 – Open Saturday Only!

Come see what all the buzz is about!  View an observation hive of live honeybees and learn their importance to our environment, peruse beekeeping supplies and equipment, purchase fresh local honey.  Artisans include Woodham Enterprises, LLC.

  • Fox Trot Farms, 5066 Rowell Road, Lancaster, SC 29720.

Working agritourism sheep farm includes sheep, dairy goats, ducks, and chickens.  Learn about honeybees and visit Pork Chop, the potbelly pig.  Take home lamb, meat, eggs, honey, handcrafted soap, and crafts from the mini-farm market.  Guided and self-guided tours are available.  Artisans on site include Quartz Cottage Woodworks.

  • North Corner Haven , 3454 Activity Road, Lancaster, SC 29720 – Open Saturday Only!

Enjoy a working farm and venue with small herds of angus cattle, Berkshire pork, and a market garden.  Artisans include Daddy’s Workshop of the Carolinas and weaver Marcia Houston.

  • Simple Faith Ranch, 3248 New Hope Road, Lancaster, SC 29720

The ranch is an animal ministry and visitors will meet alpacas, sheep, goats, donkeys, chickens, and more! Come learn how each animal was created uniquely for a purpose and participate in fiber crafts, weaving, spinning, leather tooling, and children’s crafts.  Artisans include painter Hallelujah Ranch.

While you are in Lancaster County, be sure to also visit:

  • Mahaffee’s Pottery and Painting Studio, 2875 New Hope Road, Lancaster, SC 29720

This two story studio features 3-D work such as pottery downstairs, and 2-D work such as paintings, mosaics, etc. upstairs. Some students and artisans will be working independently. Dianne will be rakuing and on the potters wheel during the day and will offer a free mini-workshop with clay, to interested folks.   Kid-friendly activities on site.