Tuesday, July 18
7:00 am departure from Hyatt Regency
Lunch at the pavilion at Madren Conference Center, Clemson University
4:00 pm return to Hyatt Regency
Musser Fruit Research Farm- Seneca, SC
The Musser property is a 240-acre fruit research farm owned and operated by Clemson University. The farm is bordered on three sides by Lake Hartwell which regulates the microclimate. Main acreage is planted with peaches (~100 acres) but the research is conducted on other fruit crops such as: apples, nectarines, plums, blueberries, blackberries and Prunus rootstocks. Clemson University’s Musser Fruit Research Center hosts a peach breeding program and one of the three National Clean Plant Network centers.
Simpson Research Farm- Pendleton, SC
This farm is comprised of approximately 2300 acres and provides land resources, equipment and livestock for cattle, sheep and agronomic activities. The 300 head beef herd functions primarily as a cow-calf operation and supplies cows, calves and finishing animals for grazing, reproduction, fetal programming and nutrition research. The Clemson Bull Test facility is also present at this location and evaluates seedstock for producers across the region. The sheep center currently supports multiple nutrition and tall fescue projects and is also utilized in the teaching programs. The agronomic programs are driven by research funding and involve biomass, sorghum, soybean, corn and small grain production. Multiple facilities are present on the farm which facilitate small plot agronomic research, large scale production and precision agriculture research, replicated paddocks for grazing research, and individual and group feeding facilities for nutrition and growth research.
The Bottoms
Known to the Clemson community as “The Bottoms,” the 90 acres of rich floodplain soils located on the University’s main campus between Lake Hartwell and Perimeter Road have been farmed continuously since the Cherokee settled in the region more than 1,000 years ago. Last summer, staff from the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences (CAFLS) started making changes at The Bottoms to explore how agriculture can feed people while also contributing solutions to some of the most difficult challenges of our times. The changes are designed to use the patterns of nature to reimagine farms as places that produce many benefits to the community, along with food, fiber and fuel. This kind of agriculture, known as “multifunctional agriculture,” is proven to enhance the well-being of land, animals and people both on the farm and in the surrounding community through the profitable production of nutritious foods, healthy soil, clean water and air, improved wildlife habitat, protection from heavy rains and drought and climate change mitigation.
South Carolina Botanical Gardens
From a humble beginning as a camellia collection in the 1950s, the South Carolina Botanical Garden (SCBG) has blossomed into a 295-acre sanctuary for diversity by re-engaging people in the living world. We strive to serve as an interdisciplinary resource focusing on teaching, research, and outreach that advances awareness and understanding of plants, animals, minerals, and our culture.
Thursday, July 20
Optional Post Conference Tour
Titan Farms and W.P. Rawl- Additional Registration Required
7:00 am departure from Hyatt Regency
Breakfast and Lunch provided.
5:00 pm return to Hyatt Regency
*Closed Toe Shoes are required*
Limited to 150 participants registration fee $60.
It’s all about peaches as we travel an hour and half south near Columbia, SC and visit Titan Farms in Ridge Spring, SC. Titan Farms is the largest peach grower on the east coast, with over 6,200 acres of peaches in production. Titan Farms also grows 600 acres of bell pepper and 1,000 acres of broccoli in the operation. Titan Farms is committed to assuring customers that their peaches and other produce have been grown and handled according to the highest possible standards in the marketplace.
After a morning learning about the operations at Titan Farms, we will break for lunch and then head west to WP Rawl. Dedicated to providing fresh, wholesome vegetables from their family farm for nearly 100 years. Over the decades, the business evolved into a larger farm selling greens and specialty vegetables and became known as Walter P. Rawl and Sons. Established in 1925 as a local small crop farm in Pelion, SC, the farm is now a national, multi-generational business, selling leafy greens and specialty vegetables. A clear understanding of consumer demands for sustainability has driven innovation and success.
