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Dining in downtown Sumter ........................................................ 10 Art and music organizations ......................................................... 16 Free public art .............................................................................. 20 Local farmers markets
Your Guide To
BY ALAYSHA MAPLE
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In Sumter, we love to support our local businesses, and one of the best places to shop local is at a farmers market.
There are four markets open at various times in Sumter throughout the year, so you can explore them all to find your favorite produce farm, crafter or ready-to-eat food vendor.
200 Miller Road
Founded in 2017, the Sumter Farmers Market offers local farmers, artisans, bakers, food trucks and other vendors without a storefront a venue to sell their products directly to the consumer. Produce farmers grow at least 75-80% of what they sell, and livestock farmers humanely raise their animals on pasture with no antibiotics or added growth hormones. The market is governed by its own board and held weekly on Fridays from noon to 5 p.m. from April 1 through Nov. 18.
Follow them on Facebook for vendor updates at facebook. com/sumterfarmersmarket.
AMERICAN LEGION FARMERS MARKET
2 S. Artillery Drive
Open on Fridays from noon to 5 p.m., this market offers fresh produce, locally raised meat products, crafts and gift items and ready-to-eat food. The best part? It’s inside a building on the American Legion and county fairgrounds, so they can stay open year-round.
Follow them on Facebook for vendor updates at facebook. com/Americanlegionfarmersmarket or learn more at americanlegionfarmersmarket.com.
SOUTH SUMTER FARMERS MARKET
312 Manning Ave.
This market offers fresh produce and other craft and community items seasonally in an area of Sumter that does not have nearby access to fresh produce. There’s usually someone cooking hot meals at the market. SFMNP senior and WIC vouchers are accepted. The market is open June-October on Fridays between 2 and 6 p.m.
DOWNTOWN SUMTER FARMERS MARKET
Corner of Main and Liberty streets
Open May through September on Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., this small market offers locally made produce and food.
Along with Sumter Farmers Market, there are local farms open to the public that sell different produce and products.
About 40 miles outside of downtown Sumter sits a big, bright red barn nestled along a tree-lined, lush green pasture. Richard Harrington Farms, located at 380 Myrtle Beach Hwy., is a small rural farm, home to Willie the rooster, Badonkadonk the donkey, chickens and a herd of Nigerian Dwarf goats. Every animal is cared for on the farm, and fresh eggs, bales of hay and goats are sold. Its hours of operation are Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
On the outskirts of Sumter, Dorr Farms offers produce fit for each season. In the spring, strawberries are ripe and bright, blueberries and blackberries shine in the summer, and pumpkins are perfect for picking in the fall. The farm hosts fun days that include picking what is in season, games, hay-less hayrides, a petting zoo and learning about honeybees. Dorr Farms is located at 5225 Dorr Acres Road, Gable, SC, and is open Monday-Friday.
Make your Christmas memories merrier with Coleman Family Farms. Starting in October, bring a piece of the farm home with one of their Leyland Cypress or Carolina Sapphire Christmas trees for $50 or a precut Fraser Fir Christmas tree for $60. Custom ornaments, fresh eggs, homemade cinnamon rolls and chocolate chip cookie dough can be pre-ordered through the farm’s Facebook page. If you can’t get enough of the baked goods, the rows of Christmas trees serving as a beautiful backdrop are sure to make holiday pictures festive and bright. Coleman Family Farms is open from 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m., located at 2165 Lloyd Drive.
CERTIFIED SC GROWN Choose local, choose fresh.
South Carolina has nearly 25,000 farms that cover about 5 million acres. Thanks to our rich soil, warm weather and more than 360 growing days a year, there’s always something fresh. See what’s in season now, as well as where you can buy local all over the state, by going to certifiedsc.com.
