Thursday, Apr. 10, 2008

Down on the farm

Food lovers have lots to embrace in South Carolina, too.

Consider a farm-focused agricultural tour of the National Heritage Corridor, which spans 250 miles across 14 counties. (For more about the corridor, go to www.sc-heritagecorridor.org.)

Among the food stops along the way, consider:

• Happy Cow Creamery in Pelzer, where you can take a trolley ride around the 100-acre farm and view the cows grazing in the fields. At this dairy, all the cows are grass-fed, and the milk is free of hormones or antibiotics. You’ll also be able to observe the milking parlor, where the dairy’s milk is bottled and sold. For more, go to happycowcreamery.com.

• Split Creek Farm in Anderson, where you’ll observe the dairy goats raised and cared for on this farm that produces goat cheese, milk and fudge. For more, visit splitcreek.com.

• Bee Well Honey Farm and Market in Pickens. Visitors can observe the honey process in the works and shop for honey products as well as beekeeping supplies. An Amish market also offers other tasty goodies. Visit beewellhoneyfarm.com.

• Valentine Sagefield Vineyards in Jackson, where you’ll find a winery, muscadine vineyard and bed and breakfast. Go to valentinesagefieldvineyards.com.

• Boone Hall Plantation in Mt. Pleasant, which is one of America’s oldest working plantations. The plantation still produces peaches, strawberries, tomatoes and pumpkins. Go to boonehallplantation.com.

— Allison Askins

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