Marissa Dykos at Whippoorwill Farms, Ridgeland. Marissa has started a “take what you need, pay what you can” program at her stand, located under a beautiful live oak tree in Ridgeland.
My first “taste” of South Carolina was the annual trips I took as a child when my family traveled from Charlotte to the Palmetto State to stock up on peaches. We piled into a non-air-conditioned station wagon and traveled toward Aiken to purchase bushels of peaches for a summer-sweet delight. My mom would pick the roadside peach stands based on their appearance. I’ve now lived in Columbia for more than 40 years. I enjoy traveling the state, keeping a great memory alive in the summer months along the peach region highways. I love experiencing the artistry, character, and various styles found in the roadside stands of South Carolina.
Last but not least, we get the opportunity to enjoy the fresh, and delicious, produce found at roadside stands. Depending on the season, you can find just about anything and know the farm-fresh produce will satisfy your needs. South Carolina is blessed with roadside markets in abundance throughout all regions of the state. Most markets showcase the owner’s farm products — grown for the customer to purchase and enjoy the same day of harvesting or picking.
The South Carolina Department of Agriculture has established a membership of roadside stands through its Certified Roadside Market Program. Being a member of this group ensures fair and sanitary business practices, with stands regularly inspected. Certified stands must be permanent structures, and the foremost requirement is the product must be grown in South Carolina. Farmers throughout the state either sell their produce from their own farm, or resell farm produce to other stand owners at different locations around the state.
Farmers have built up a network and know where they can sell their product; this practice ensures stands can be stocked with seasonal produce satisfying customer needs. The Department of Agriculture even gives tips to stand owners on how to conduct business with the customer. Listen to conversations at the next stand you visit — you’ll hear people talking to each other on a first-name basis. It’s the best evidence of why stands are so popular across our state.
Starting in the Upstate, numerous markets dot the landscape along well traveled roads between towns. The Upstate is known for large orchards of peach and apple trees, with roadside peach and apple sheds or “shacks” along the roads. Early June brings peaches, and September brings various colored apples to market. My favorite is Arkansas Black, which has a crunchy, tart taste. This apple is not meant to be eaten fresh off the tree but is stored while the fruit ripens before its appearance at the stand.
From these fruit trees, don’t overlook the delicious jellies, jams, and chow chows made to take your taste buds to another level of enjoyment. If you happen to be at Chattooga Belle Farm to enjoy some jellies, chow chows, and wines, please make time to take in its back porch view; beyond the foreground vineyards are miles of mountain ridges receding in the distance, where North Carolina and Georgia meet the boundaries of South Carolina.
Not all stands are for delighting our taste buds. In Mt. Pleasant, a stretch of Highway 17 has been designated the Sweetgrass Basket Makers Highway. Along this busy road, descendants of West African artisans practice the craft of weaving sweetgrass baskets. More sweetgrass is harvested in the Mt. Pleasant region than any other location in the world. Each weaver most likely learned from a family member before them the intricate art of weaving baskets that will adorn many a buyer’s den or kitchen. Basket makers sit in the sun during cool months and hang up sheets or umbrellas to keep the sun away in the summer months. Sweetgrass baskets were named the official state handcraft in 2006. Recently, stands along the highway were renovated in hopes of bringing more basket makers back and reviving the culture and history of basketry.
After leaving Highway 17, we take Highway 174 toward Edisto Island, which is a delight to our senses — huge live oak trees dripping with Spanish moss form canopies over the road before passing creeks meandering through open marshlands. You feel yourself decompressing as you get a dose of the Edisto Island experience. Any trip to Edisto requires a stop along the way to Kings Market. Large fields roll behind the stand that offers the farm’s freshest products: sweet corn, tomatoes, onions, and squash are plentiful in the bins. The “king” item at Kings Market is pies. Tomato, corn, and various dessert pies await. I asked at the register what item sold best, and I was told the key lime pie. Rest assured, I did the necessary research to verify this claim, and I can tell you their key lime pie is the best I’ve ever tasted. It’s a Goldilocks pie — not too sweet, not too tart, just right. Everyone on Edisto knows to visit Kings early in the day before all the pies are gone.
I spoke with two stand owners, Don Williams at Hillbilly Farms in Chapin and Marissa Dykos at Whippoorwill Farms in Ridgeland. Almost to the word, both stand owners said that they believe their stand can make a difference in people’s lives. Don spoke about his concern that people don’t eat the right foods, and he hopes his stand can provide organic foods that help increase the health of his customers. He will awaken some mornings at 4 a.m. to visit a farmer in his network and stock up products to sell at his stand. He feels it’s an honor for him to serve his community in this way.
Marissa has started the “Take what you need, pay what you can” program at her stand, under a beautiful live oak tree in Ridgeland. She feels it’s important her stand provides a safe, no judgment space for her surrounding community. All of Marissa’s products are organic, and she wants her community to experience how good produce tastes fresh off the vine. The surrounding neighborhood donates money to help meet expenses for this program, and volunteers have come forward to manage the program.
Stands in your community provide convenience without the elevated prices we have seen recently, offering their customers’ favorite foods most likely harvested within 24 hours or less. Farmers take pride in seeing their customers eat healthy, organic fruits and vegetables from their farms and stands. South Carolina is blessed to have ample roadside stands for you to enjoy that empower the community. We’re in the best months of the year to enjoy the quality of product from our local roadside stands. And there are plenty of boiled peanuts to savor, too!
