Farmers' Markets and a Home-Grown Harvest
- 18 hours ago
- 4 min read
Springtime promises warmer weather, beautiful blooms, and, of course, lots of rain! It’s no surprise that the spring months are when local farms and farmers’ markets begin to open back up for a new season, promising a bounty of home-grown products that discerning shoppers will love. Read on to learn more about our favorite places to find the freshest items in Anderson, Oconee, and Pickens counties.
Find a Favorite Farmers’ Market
Luckily for us, there is no shortage of farmers’ markets across Lake Hartwell Country. Each are open seasonally, so make sure you check their dates and hours before setting off.
In Anderson, we like to visit Concord Market for a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and other fresh products like honey and preserves. This family-owned market also offers stunning flowers, ferns, and decorative plants to help beautify your house and garden for spring. Just a few streets away lies the Anderson County Farmers’ Market, located in the historic Electric City Depot. This open-air market features not only tantalizingly fresh foods but also homemade baked goods, crafts, and décor.
In Pickens County, you’ll find two unique markets in Clemson. Their close proximity means you can visit both in one afternoon and still walk away with different products! The Clemson Farmers’ Market is a seasonal pop-up in Patrick Square, and it’s more than just a market: it’s an experience. The weekly event includes live music, entertainment, and activities, emphasizing the communal nature of the market. Meanwhile, the Hometown Market is a year-round brick-and-mortar that also offers fresh seafood and meats from regional producers.
Last but not least, Oconee County is home to Mile Creek Farm Market & General Store, a destination for both healthy, fresh produce and sinfully sugary ice cream treats. Local farmers, bakers, and millers contribute small-batch products to the market, and you’ll be able to indulge in the best items from all around North and South Carolina – all in one spot.
Try A Taste of Nature
While area farms’ offerings vary based on the season, you’ll nearly always find something ripe for the picking between April and October. Chattooga Belle Farm, a working farm and distillery, re-opens its on-site farm store for the year in late March, while their “u-pick” dates will likely begin around May. One of the earliest ripening fruits they have is the mayhaw, a tart apple-like fruit that’s delicately delicious when made into jam or jelly.
Strawberries are also nearly in season, and Hunter Farms in Easley was originally opened in 1998 just to cultivate this crop! Though their repertoire has since branched out, their u-pick strawberries are still some of the best in the area and offer an experience the whole family will love. If you prefer to enjoy fresh, local fruit without having to pick it yourself, check out Callaham Orchards’ two fruit stands in Belton as they also kick off strawberry season in mid-April. The orchards and their stands are full of hand-picked fruits and veggies all summer long, so make sure you check back often to see what’s newly available!
For a sweeter treat, try a little locally made honey from Bee Well Honey Farm in Pickens. Not only do they have honey and beeswax products for sale, but they even sell bees and beekeeping supplies for anyone who may want to build their own at-home apiary! While you’re in Pickens, make sure to drive a short way up Main Street to visit the Bee Well Coffee Café, right next to Doodle Trail Park.
Meet Some Adorable Springtime Babies
Calves, chicks, kids, lambs – oh my! There’s almost nothing cuter than a baby animal, and many of our area livestock farms offer hands-on opportunities to meet their charming critters. The award-winning Split Creek Goat Farm almost always has some bleating babies around, especially in the spring. While they are open to visitors on Fridays and Saturdays, their “Spring Means Babies” event is coming up on April 18th – so mark your calendars now for the most aww-worthy weekend all month!
Though you’ll need to call ahead and make an appointment for a tour, Lucky Acres Farm in Townville offers even more sweet animals. Owners Joe and Gloria Williams own a small herd of alpacas and often welcome guests to the farm to meet the animals, learn more about their species, and purchase hand-sheared alpaca fleece products.
From fresh fruits and vegetables to prize-winning goat cheese, you can find all kind of agriculture here in Lake Hartwell Country. This spring, make sure you stop by a farmers’ market or two and try something new. You can taste the locally grown love in every bite!
