BUSINESS
Growing and Gathing at
SOPHRONIA'S FARM story and pictures by Erin Daniel Most of us grocery shop on a whim; we run into the store, grab the items on our list, and head home. We shop the items that are on sale or buy what’s familiar to us, but most of us never stop to think about any of the thoughts, labor, or processes behind the produce. Wade Reynolds and Marion Pearson, the farmers behind Sophronia’s Farm in Lynchburg, South Carolina break down what it's like to grow and share crops. They reveal what goes behind growing their produce and the benefits of shopping at your local farmer’s market! Wade grew up in Sumter, South Carolina, and received his Associate’s Degree in Agriculture back in 1972. Ever since graduating, he’s been farming and it’s clear that he truly has a passion for it. He’s even resided in Virginia where he tended 92 acres of land, half of which he used to grow 150 varieties of heirloom apples. Wade named his farm after his mother, Sophronia. Being that her name is Greek, he knew nobody else would have a farm with the same name and it would surely stand out! Marion is from Pennsylvania, where she was exposed to various sides of the industry working as a driver in food distribution. She’s taken what she’s learned and applied it to raising their livestock, which includes goats, chickens, and pigs. When walking around their property, it’s clear there’s not a single inch of land that has been left untouched by their green thumbs. They grow everything from a variety of tomatoes, five types of blackberries, stone fruits, a variety of squash, melons, onions – really just about every type of produce you can think of along with SEVERAL types you wouldn’t find in grocery
SOME OF THE MANY LIVESTOCK RAISED AT SEOPHRONIA'S FARM, WHERE THEY ARE ALLOWED TO ROAM FREELY.
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VIPMagSC.com
July 2021
WADE REYNOLDS, FARM OWNER
