Events

Farmstead Field Day Combines Community & Craftsmanship

Something beautiful has popped up at Kiawah River, and it isn’t the mile of blooming yellow wildflowers. For the first time ever, we hosted a public event called Farmstead Field Day, a marketplace featuring local craftsmen goods, produce and plants for all ages to enjoy. Over 400 people came throughout the peaceful afternoon, relishing quality time outdoors as they listened to live music, ate from food trucks and played with baby farm animals.

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Our custom sweetgrass stands, built by students of Clemson School of Architecture [link to blog], were outfitted with canvas paintings and lush plants. Sitting by the entrance to Kiawah River, the stands overlooked our farmland crops and acres of marsh views.

Farm tables circled the lawn, displaying local Charleston-made goods like handmade copper earrings, wooden cutting boards, delicate art pieces and local farm goods. The Johns Island community was welcomed into sharing their produce and artisan craftsmanship with our guests; it was hard for anyone to walk away empty handed.

The petting zoo amused visitors as children reached high to pet the necks of the spotted llamas and squatted low to brush the heads of the floppy-eared rabbits. Scooping up baby goats, guests of all ages gently cradled the critters’ bony legs in their arms and were filled a sense of joy and childlike enthusiasm. Since the Burden Creek Dairy goats had so much fun, they’ll be joining us sometime in the fall as permanent Kiawah River residents!

In the middle of the market, guests gently wove flower crown creations with Fetes de Fleurs. The bright, colorful petals twisted around the headbands, spreading springtime magic and offering a token to take with them.

While some of our visitors enjoyed freshly baked waffles-on-a-stick from the food trucks, others took to the trails at Kiawah River, enjoying the beautiful weather and lazy Sunday afternoon.

Arms full of local vegetables, flowers and gourmet dog treats, everyone walked away happy and relaxed. We were blown away by the amount of guests who came to enjoy our first public event, and we look forward to offering more community experiences at Kiawah River in the future.