Project
GrowFood Carolina
The Conservation League started its Food and Agriculture program in 2007 with the goal of protecting South Carolina’s small, family farms. Between 1992 and 1997, more than 400 acres of rural land were converted every day to urban uses, placing South Carolina in the top ten states in the nation for rural land loss. We quickly realized that small farmers lacked access to the infrastructure available to industrial farms, and were therefore unable to say “no” when a developer offered to buy their land. The Conservation League saw a food hub as critical to our work protecting rural landscapes and improving quality of life across the coastal plain.
The objective of GrowFood is to tap into the existing assets of small-scale agriculture to help create a stronger rural economy, spurring job creation, and building capacity in rural communities by connecting farm businesses to the thriving local food movement. The resurgence of small-scale agriculture presents a tremendous opportunity to positively impact the rural economy. Increased agricultural production leads to increased economic activity, and allows farmers to stay on their land for generations to come.
GrowFood officially opened its doors in 2011 at a warehouse in downtown Charleston. The hub has grown from marketing for 5 producers to more than 85, all in the state of South Carolina. GrowFood provides local farmers the sales, marketing, logistics, warehousing and distribution functions they need and that previously have been available only to large-scale industrial farms. Wholesale customers range from restaurants all over metropolitan Charleston, to Harris Teeter, Whole Foods, Earth Fare, and the College of Charleston. Since its opening, GrowFood has returned almost $5.5 million to farmers.
How GrowFood Works
Who is Growing It
AJ’s Fresh Produce
A. Johnson Farm
Anson Mills
Apple Wedge
Barbee Farms
Barefoot Farm
Barnwell Orchards
Bluefield Blueberry Farm
Blue Swing Garden
Boy and Girl Farm
Brian Ambrose
Brewton Farm
Brickyard Point Farms
Brown Creek Creamery
Brown Farm
Bulls Bay Saltworks
Burbage Farms
Bush-N-Vine
Busy Boys Farm
Carolina Plantation
Chaplin Fresh Farm
City Roots
Clem’s Organic Gardens
Coosaw Farms
Crescent Farm
Crosby Gardens
Cypress Hill Farm
Daise Farm
Dogwood Citrus Farm
DMF Farms
Eastover Nut Farm
Edisto Gold Honey Farms 2-U
Freeman Farm
Freeman’s Vineyard
Food for the Southern Soul
Forx Farm
Fox Trot Plantation
Freshlist Food Hub
Gallop Farm
Growing Joy Farms
The Grumpy Pumpkin
Gullah Farmers Cooperative Association
Harmony Ridge Farms
Heron Farms
Hickory Bluff Farm
Hickory Meadows Farm
Honeybee Hills Farm
Hokuwa Oyate Farm
Horsecreek Apiaries & Honey Farms
JBo Ranch
J Mac Produce
Joseph Fields Farm
Kurios Farms
Ladson Farms
Lively Orchards
Lowcountry Creamery
Lowcountry Fungi
Lowland Farms
Manchester Farms
Monetta Asparagus Farm
Old Number 6 Farm
Old Tyme Bean Company
Orange Grove
Ostergaard Farm
Pixie Farm
Pope Farm
Purple Passion Farm
Rebecca Farms
Ridgeville Okra Company
Rooting Down Farms
Rosebank Farms
Round Top Farm
Sakhar Jams
Saxmore Farms
Sea Island Citrus & Nut Farm
Shan Burkhalte
Shuler Farm
Siano Mozzarella
Simply Green Raised Garden Box
Split Creek Creamery
Summers Estates
Swamp Rabbit
Vernon Smith Farm
Wabi Sabi Farm
Watson Farms
Watsonia Farms
Westwood Hart
White House Farms
Wiggins Farms
Wild Hope Farm
Wishbone Heritage Farms
W. W. Rush Farms
Yaupon Farms
Yellow Dog Farm
Find the Fork!
Downtown
167 Raw Oyster Bar
167 Raw Sushi Bar
Anson Restaurant
Babas on Cannon
Babas on Meeting
Bar 167
Basic Kitchen
Beautiful South
Bintu Atelier
Brasserie La Banque
Cannon Green/Wild Common
Carolina Yacht Club
Charleston Mills House
The Charleston Grill
Chez Nous
Chubby Fish
Church and Union
Circa 1886
College of Charleston: Catering
Costa and Market
Cru Catering
Da Toscana Porchetta Shop
The Daily
Delaney Oyster House
The Dewberry
Edmund’s Oast
Edmund’s Oast Exchange
The Establishment
Estadio
FIG
Francis Marion Hotel
goat.sheep.cow – North
The Green Heart Project
The Grocery
Hank’s Seafood
The Harbinger Café
Harken Cafe + Baker
Herd Provisions
High Wire Distilling Co.
Home Team BBQ
Honeysuckle Rose
The Honey Hive
Hotel Emeline
Huriyali Gardens
HUSK
Hotel Bennett
Indaco
Island Provisions
Le Farfalle
Lenoir
Lewis Barbecue Charleston
Malagon
Marbled and Fin
Melfi’s
Mercantile & Mash
Mills House Hotel
Miller’s All Day
Oak Steakhouse
Off Track Ice Cream
The Ordinary
Park and Grove
Palmetto Cafe
Peninsula Grill
Pink Bellies
Poogan’s Porch
Prohibition
Renzo
Ritual Rooftop Restaurant and Lounge
Second State Coffee
The Select
Slightly North of Broad
Sorelle
Sorghum and Salt
Southbound
Stella’s
Sugar Bakeshop
Ted’s Butcherblock
Tempest
Thoroughbred – Charleston Place Hotel
The Vegetable Bin
The Vendue – Revival
Vern’s
Welton’s Tiny Bake Shop
The Wonderer
Xiao Biao Biscuit
Zero Restaurant + Bar
James Island, Johns Island, Wadmalaw, Kiawah, Seabrook & Folly
Bar George
The Beach Club
Cassique Clubhouse – Kiawah Island Club
Charleston Pour House
Huriyali Riverland
Island Provisions
The James
Kwei Fei
La Tela Pizzeria
The Market at Storey Farms
Minero Mexican Grill & Cantina
Wild Olive
West Ashley
Bearcat
Broom Wagon Coffee
Charles Towne Fermentory
Early Bird Diner
The Glass Onion
Home Team BBQ
Rosemary and Rye
Mt. Pleasant, Sullivan’s Island, IOP & Daniel Island
Banquet Kitchen – Wild Dunes Resort
Coastal Provisions – Wild Dunes Resort
Daniel Island Yacht Club
The Drifter
Emoji Poke
Fish Camp
Home Team BBQ – North Mt. Pleasant
The Kingstide
Local Jo’s Natural Foods
Lola Rose
The Longboard
Long Island Cafe
The Obstinate Daughter
Oystercatcher Restaurant & Bar
Post House Restaurant & Inn
The Refuge
Second State Coffee – Oyster Park
Second State Coffee – Shelmore
Sullivan’s Fish Camp
Tavern & Table
Wild Dunes Resort
North Charleston, Goose Creek & Summerville
Commonhouse Aleworks
Evo Pizza
JackRabbit Filly
The Junction Kitchen & Provisions
King BBQ
Kwik Stop – Park Circle
Odd Duck Market
Park Circle Co-Op
Sissy Bar
Wich Cream
State & Regional
4P Foods
Bray’s Island Plantation Colony
Catawba Farm and Food Coalition
Freshlist
Happy Dirt
PAL Spartanburg: Play, Advocate, Live Well
Pawley’s Island General Store
Swamp Rabbit
Columbia
Alimentari Don Luigi
A Peace of Soul Vegan Kitchen
14 Carrot Whole Foods
Bar Gran Sasso
Black Rooster
City Limits Barbeque
Curiosity Coffee Bar
The Dragon Room
Hendrix
Kudzu Bakery
Lula Drake
Market on Main
Motor Supply Company
Prohibition Columbia
Sakhar Jams
SmallSUGAR
Three Sisters Essentials
Tiffany’s Sweet Eats & Meeting Place
Transmission Arcade
Uncle Willie’s Grocery
USC – Fresh Greene’s
The War Mouth
Greenville
Culbertson Kitchen
Fork and Plough
Foxcroft Wine Co.
Swamp Rabbit Cafe
Hilton Head, Bluffton & Beaufort
Berkeley Hall Club
Blacksheep
Breakwater Restaurant & Bar
Callawassie
Charlie’s L’etoile Verte
FARM Bluffton
Farm Commissary
Fraser’s Tavern
Harbourtown Clubhouse
Hudson’s Seafood
Joelle
Local’s Raw Bar
Lowcountry Fresh Market & Cafe
Nectar Farm Kitchen
Nectar Farm Kitchen – Bluffton
Parish Church Community Fellowship Market
The Quarterdeck
Sea Pines Resort
Skull Creek Dockside
Savannah
1540 Room
Ardsley Station
Back in the Day Bakery
Brighter Day Natural Foods Market
Brochu’s Family Tradition
Common Thread
Cotton & Rye
The Drayton Hotel
Flora and Fauna
Hotel Lugash – Sixby
JW Marriott Plant Riverside
Goodfortune Market
The Grey
HUSK – Savannah
The Landings Golf & Athletic Club
Late Air Wine
Local 11ten Food & Wine
Nixtate
Nom Nom Poke Shop
Pizzeria Vittoria
Repeal 33
The Sentient Bean
Sobremesa
Strange Bird
Thompson Hotel
Wildflower Cafe
Mobile
Atlyss
Aquarian Catering
The Castejóns
Drink Fizza
Fiddler’s Fire
Fields to Families
Futnuss
Girl Nextdough
Humanities Foundation
Interactive Home Cooking
Iron Clay Catering
Life Raft Treats
Lowcountry Street Grocery
Salthouse Catering
South Carolina State Head Start Association
The Stone Soup Collective
Ultratruffle.com
Vibrant Alkaline Vegan Meals
Vined – The Vegan Experience
Welton’s Fine Foods