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South Carolina Department of Agriculture MARKET BULLETIN Vol. 93 • Num. 19 October 3, 2019 Est. 1913 A HELPING HAND COMMISSIONER’S RITA BACHMANN APPLIES HER FARMING BACKGROUND TO CORNER LOWCOUNTRY GARDENS STORY BY EVA MOORE • PHOTOS COURTESY OF RITA BACHMANN HUGH E. WEATHERS A former organic farmer, Rita Bachmann SOUTH CAROLINA COMMISSIONER OF launched the gardening consulting business Rita’s AGRICULTURE Roots Backyard Harvest in 2011. We spoke with Bachmann about farming, her business, and tips for South Carolina gardeners. Here are some highlights of the interview. PUTTING SC ON THE On her first foray into gardening: MAP — AND THE MENU In college I started getting interested in where ast week, the city food journalists, and did food comes from, and I realized I didn’t know any of Greenville put cooking demonstrations farmers. I remember growing my first heads of Lon quite a four-day under a big tent at a lettuce and watching them grow and grow and food fest called Euphoria. daytime event called grow and having no idea when to harvest. This year, people visited Feast by the Field, with the festival from 29 Charleston’s Lee Bros. On her first farm job, in upstate New York: different states, bringing emceeing the event. I learned a lot about harvesting vegetables. And I their mouths and their All of our Chef learned how to work really, really hard, harder than tourism dollars to South Ambassadors are I’d ever worked in my entire life. Carolina for all the fun. members of The Fresh on SCDA was there on our On why she changed careers after five years of the Menu program, which usual mission: to promote Lowcountry farming: provides an opportunity South Carolina food I never ended up owning any land of my own, but I was for restaurants to support and farmers. managing a harvest crew, a sales crew, a delivery crew. them a garden and they can come out and harvest farmers by using at least I got burned out on having so much responsibility as they wish. Connecting chefs and 25 percent Certified and working endless hours that culminated in the consumers to Certified I’ve added in gardening classes. I also recognize there is South Carolina products, farmers market every Saturday, and by the time South Carolina farm a need for good organic vegetable transplants in this area and many other Fresh that was over I had no energy to do anything. products has been a major that was not being filled, so we have a very small nursery. on the Menu restaurants strategy of the South I took a year off from farming; I guess I retired participated in Euphoria Carolina Department from farming. But I still had this burning passion On how she uses technology: this year. In January I launched the Garden Growers Club, of Agriculture’s since for organic produce and getting it into people’s On the final night of the a twice-monthly communication from me to the we began Certified SC mouths and on their dinner plate. I had a couple festival, we all gathered members on what they should be doing in their garden Grown in 2006. When people in my life suggest becoming a garden consultant. for Sunday Supper, at that time of year — what to plant now, what to do chefs know the farmers again featuring the Chef On her business model: soon. Each issue has a video of some relevant garden who grow their food, Ambassadors. I drove up People generally want to grow an organic vegetable tasks. We do one detailed vegetable of the month and they can be some of from Bowman for the garden, and we start with our site assessment and go in-depth on how to grow it. We have some different agriculture’s biggest allies, dinner. This big meal was consultation where we look throughout their yard recipes. We had some drought alerts, some insect explaining to consumers held at the Barn at Sitton with our solar pathfinder to find just the right spot alerts. In the winter we’ll have frost and freeze alerts. that farmers support our Hill Farm, a beautiful sun-wise for their garden. We perform the garden economy and that local On when to plant your fall garden: 99-acre property in installation or they can do it themselves. food often just tastes If you look in the USDA grower’s handbook for the Easley, South Carolina. better. That’s why SCDA We provide a service called Garden Guidance where Southeast, specifically the Lowcountry, it tells you The meal was served participates in events I or one of my helpers goes to their garden once or that you can start planting a lot of your fall crops in family-style, with each like Euphoria: We can twice a month. We bring all the organic gardening the middle of August, which I have found is still too chef contributing dishes spotlight South Carolina supplies they’ll need, work side-by-side with them to hot, still too early. Maybe if you’re in an agricultural to the menu. Everyone food and farmers in front teach them and coach them situation where you have your drip lines and you’re enjoyed the meal and of people who pay a lot through the growing process. trying to make it to market early, you can kind the company, and I got of attention to what’s on In between visits, we provide of nurse things along, but in a garden situation I the chance to speak with their plates. email and text message or was finding too many plants were dying and the some of the many guests phone call support if they have seeds weren’t germinating. My personal planting Euphoria was also a about South Carolina troubleshooting questions. calendar is shifting more toward planting at the great opportunity for agriculture. us to highlight the end of September. Euphoria served as one Sometimes we don’t even South Carolina Chef more way to remind see our clients; we just grow Visit ritasroots.com for more information. Ambassadors. We consumers about their selected five chefs from ‘bond’ with our farmers. around the state for Mix in local farm 2019, the fifth year of products, talented chefs the program — and at and eager consumers this year’s Euphoria, we and you have a recipe ran them pretty ragged. for success. They cooked brunch for over 40 travel and UPCOMING EVENTS Pee Dee Plant & Flower Festival Curtin Farms Fest Market Bulletin Office October 4 – 6 October 12 • 10 am – 4 pm 8 am – 6 pm (Fri & Sat) • 10 am – 5 pm (Sun) Come and enjoy our 100-year-old working Monday – Friday • 8 AM – 4:30 PM Load up on all things gardening at this popular farm while browsing a variety of hand-made, 803-734-2536 • [email protected] Florence tradition. Plants, lawn furniture, lawn hand-restored and re-purposed goods from over agriculture.sc.gov/market-bulletin ornaments of all types will be for sale. 50 vendors. Enjoy live music and delicious food Pee Dee State Farmers Market offerings between hayrides, saw mill, blacksmith EDITOR 2513 W. Lucas Street, Florence and weaving demonstrations and visiting with the EVA MOORE 843-665-5154 animals. Admission: 2 & under free; 9 & under $3; ADS & CIRCULATION COORDINATOR [email protected] 10 & above, $7. Free parking, rain or shine! JANET GOINS agriculture.sc.gov/divisions/agency-operations/ 407 No. Paraham Road, Clover state-farmers-markets/plant-and-flower-festivals/ Contact: Cathy Curtin GRAPHIC DESIGNER 704-619-5002 STEPHANIE FINNEGAN Fall Family Farm Day [email protected] October 5 • 10 am – 5 pm curtinfarms.com "A day in the life" happens every year as the air begins to crisp and the leaves turn here on Beef Cattle Outlook & Volatility Workshop South Carolina the farm! Come pick a pumpkin, take a hay or October 29 • 12 – 4 pm Department of Agriculture horseback ride, play a game, see the animals and Topics include Input Costs & Increasing Calf Value, several demonstrations of the past, and much Economics of Back-grounding, Economic Importance Contacts more! Or bring a chair to sit & enjoy the music and of Castration, Economics of Breeding Methods & concessions! Cost is $5 per person, under 2 free. a Defined Calving Season, Beef Cattle Outlook & Commissioner’s Office Old McCaskills Farm Marketing, Implant Study. Speakers: Brian Beer, Dr. 803-734-2190 377 Cantey Lane, Rembert Matt Burns, Lee Van Vlake, & Bernt Nelson Certified SC Program Grain Grading 803-432-9537 Spartanburg Community College, Community 803-734-2207 843-375-3158 [email protected] Room, Health Science Building oldmccaskillfarm.com 107 Community College Way, Spartanburg Consumer Protection Livestock & Grain Contact: Christopher LeMaster 803-737-9700 Market News 864-489-3141 803-737-4621 Fruit & Vegetable [email protected] Inspection Market News Recording 803-737-4597 803-737-5900 Fruit & Vegetable Metrology Laboratory Market News 803-253-4052 SALES / AUCTIONS 803-737-4497 Claxton's Auction Annual Fall Farm Equipment Auction October 5 & 12 • 11 am – 5 pm October 19 • 8:30 am – 5 pm Cows, hogs, equine, goats, sheep, camelots, ratites, Tractors, construction equipment, trucks, trailers, The South Carolina poultry, small animals. farm implements, tools, and more. We are accepting Market Bulletin 18627 Low Country Hwy, Ruffin consignments from now until October 17. For Contact: William Claxton pictures and more information, visit our website. (ISSN 0744-3986) 843-909-4285 • [email protected] 5526 Savannah Hwy, North The Market Bulletin is published on the first and third Thursday Contact: Donald Dukes of each month by the SC Department of Agriculture, Wade 803-247-2776 • [email protected] Hampton Building, Columbia, SC 29201.