Category: In Your State

    It’s becoming more than a trend to know what we’re eating, better a necessity. South Carolina is lucky to have all-natural farms across the state able to provide free range meats and organic produce to consumers. Not only in our homes are labels being read, but restaurants have also become conscious shoppers when preparing menus. A Columbia, South Carolina native, Vanessa Driscoll Bialobreski, has introduced a business that is bringing farms and local chefs together to offer unique experiences while dining on some of the state’s finest ingredients, Farm to Table Event Co.

    “The Farm to Table mission is to bring together the community through agri-tourism, local food and local chefs who are experts in bringing the freshest ingredients to the table in creative and unique ways,” says Bialobreski. The event company explores the city of Columbia in search for the perfect locations to set tables. City Roots Farm, the only in-town, local, sustainable organic farm in SC, has become a favorite spot for hosting events such as: the monthly Harvest Dinner series, Butcher Paper Dinners, Annual Pig and Oyster Roast, and Cream of the Crop Beer Festival. Along with hosting events, Farm to Table offers a full service catering and events production where they take care of all of the details so you and your guests can simply “sit back and enjoy the show.”

    Guests at events hosted by Farm to Table are seated at a single long table to encourage conversation amongst strangers. Reservations are limited so that patrons have an opportunity to meet the farmers and chefs behind the creative cuisine.

Upcoming Events:

September 6 – Eddie Russel Bourbon Dinner

September 7 – Pregame Oktoberfest

September 17 – September Harvest Dinner

October 1 – October Harvest Dinner

October 18 – The Great American Whiskey Fair

October 26 – Bubble Q

November 5 – November Harvest Dinner

November 14 – Farm to Trunk

December 13 – December Harvest Dinner

To find your place at the table, visit www.farmtotableeventco.com.

    With a combination of nature and urban living, the Greenville, SC area offers a little something for everyone. As a place for vacation or stay, Greenville pulls in a mix of adventurists, outdoorsmen, and even foodies. Unique to the area is the Greenville Health System Swamp Rabbit Trail, a nearly 20-mile historic rail bed paved trail that is open to the public for biking, walking, or running. The trail links downtown Greenville to Traveler’s Rest, which is a quaint, booming town with a population less than 5,000. The trail originated in 2009 with the help of the Greenville Health System, which generously provided $1 million to help develop and publicize the trail. Multiple bike rental shops are located within the area and there are numerous locations to jump on the trail along the way. In addition, there are many places to stop along the nearly 20-mile trail, including the beautiful Furman University campus, making for a full day of enjoyment. With 500,000 users each year, the trail is busy with locals and visitors making the most of balancing a healthy lifestyle with a fun adventure. While the distance may seem intimidating for someone who isn’t an avid cyclist, the good news is you can go at your own pace for as long as you want. The Swamp Rabbit Trail attracts everyone from those taking a morning stroll, to a biking bachelorette party group looking for a memorable time!

Visit www.greenvillesc.gov for more information and for an interactive map.

Points of Interest Along The Way

The stops along the Swamp Rabbit Trail will offer some of the most unique, scrumptious treats that you can find! From start to finish, there is everything from locally owned restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, and more. If you are looking for a day of biking, plus a food and drink crawl all at once, this is the best way to do it! You’ll be burning calories along the way, so you can definitely indulge in some goodies and feel guilt-free!

    River Neck Acres provides enjoyable, family-friendly camping and thrilling ATV riding near the Great Pee Dee River. The ATV Park is located on the outskirts of Florence County on 1,174.99 acres of swamps, hills, dirt, and mud. They accept ATV’s, 4-wheelers, UTV’s, side-by-sides, and golf carts. The property has several cabins and around forty-three campsites that can be rented. With feature scheduled events at the park open to the public, they offer a little something for everyone to enjoy!

    Connie Hardwick owns the property and her twin daughters, Jamey Hilburn and Jordan Hicks, run the business. Connie is a retired New York Life agent. With a master’s degree in Education, Connie also taught at Marion High School in the late 1980s. Her daughter, Jamey, shares, “She has a giving heart and will give you her last cent if she believes you’d be better off. She’s the heart behind all our charity work, which we hope to continue to do more of in the future.”

    Jamey and Jordan both graduated from Aynor High School. Jamey attends Horry Georgetown Technical college and plans to transfer to Coastal Carolina in the spring of 2019 to pursue a degree in hospitality. She married her high school sweetheart, Bruce. Jordan will be attending the College of Charleston starting in the fall and also married her high school sweetheart, Brandon. In addition to helping with River Neck Acres, Bruce and Brandon co-own a food truck, Burgers-In-Law. It’s hard to believe these couples are barely out of high school but the success of both businesses proves their age is merely a number. Within minutes you can tell they were born to be entrepreneurs.

    For several years, Connie ran the property as an equine park. She found great pleasure in the business but it began to be tough to make ends meet. That’s when Jamey and Jordan approached her with the idea of an ATV park. The girls enjoyed riding and had several friends that supported their idea. “Had it been left up to me, the business would have completely sunk,” says Connie. “These girls turned it around and have made it far more successful than I could have ever imagined!”

    River Neck Acres opened just last summer. “We wanted a safe, fun place for families to be able to enjoy the outdoors on ATVs without the worry and dangers that come from riding on highways,” explains Jamey. River Neck Acres allows any motorized vehicles that do not have to be registered by the DMV to ride. They hold mud races, concerts, and hope to expand to other spaces in the future. They also try their best to accommodate any sort of group outings or celebrations. Plans for the future are bright, as they plan to expand their land, add more cabins and accommodations, and host more concerts featuring larger artists.