More South Carolina farms turning to agritourism to make ends meet

Published: Jul. 17, 2019 at 11:56 PM EDT
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HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WIS) - Greg and Rhonda Hyman say the key to farming is being able to adapt.

“The only constant is change,” Greg said.

The couple began experimenting with different techniques in the 80s. They grew tobacco in greenhouses.

A few years later, they began growing muscadine grapes and making their own wine. Greg said they’ve learned a lot over the years. “Farming is a long term thing. It takes a while for change to take fruit.”

Recently, they’ve made more changes to their business by embracing agritourism. “We were traditional farmers and had good corporate customers. All of that’s changed with the globalization of the market.”

According to the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, smaller farms in the Palmetto State are turning to agritourism to make ends meet. They say more than 400 farms offer some form of agritourism, ranging from corn mazes, goat yoga, educational tours and everything in between.

The Hymans are doing this to diversify their land and make the most of it. “It allows people to come to us. We interact. They know more about farming and agriculture. We know more about them and that helps with marketing,” Greg said.

Many places, like Hyman Vineyards, use their locations as venues for weddings or corporate meetings. The Hymans said nothing beats planting seeds of curiosity. “Nostalgia is really something that sits well with everybody. Remember, not everyone is connected to the farm anymore. But they remember their granddaddy and their parents.”

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