BUSINESS
Bay Branch Farm
Vip recently had the pleasure of roaming Richie and Janet Porter’s family farm, Bay Branch Farm,
right outside of Florence. As we combed through the strawberry plants discovering the deep red and mouthwatering fruit, Richie shared how they became strawberry farmers and what all it entails.
Q&A How did Bay Branch come about?
Where do you sell your produce?
“My wife and I moved our family to Florence in 1999 when I was hired by Carolina Power and Light Company, now known as Duke Energy. We purchased the farm in 2008. In 2010, our home in Florence sold so we bought a used mobile home and moved to the farm. A few years later, we started building a house on the farm and moved into it in 2017.
“Customers can come to the farm and purchase pre-picked berries. Because we are a relatively small strawberry grower, we are not in a position to open our patch for folks to pick their own. We have an Instagram and Facebook page where we post the availability of strawberries during the season. Customers can preorder berries and get them at the farm or arrange to meet us at a central location in Florence. We also sell at the City Center Farmers Market in Florence.
“My wife enjoys growing things as much as I do – flowers and vegetables. She and I visited a strawberry farm and while picking, we thought about how fun it would be to add this to our farm. After much guidance and encouragement from fellow strawberry farmers, we worked on our soil and began planting. Today, our primary products are strawberries in the spring and pumpkins in the fall. We also make and sell some other items such as baked goods, turkey pokes, carpenter bee traps, and miscellaneous Bay Branch Farm logo merchandise.”
959 E. St. Paul Road, Timmonsville | 843.621.8654 Facebook: BayBranchFarmSC | Instagram: @baybranchfarms 20
VIPMagSC.com
June 2022
“Our fall pumpkin patch is primarily pick-your-own and is a wonderful family experience. Last year was our first year growing pumpkins. It was so much more fun than we expected. Hearing children laughing and talking with their parents, watching families choose the perfect pumpkin, and just being a part of their excitement was a real joy for us. Visitors can stroll through the patch, choose their pumpkins, and haul them to their vehicles using wagons we provide. We also have a fall photo station where visitors can take pictures with their families. This fall, we hope to add a few activities for children to enjoy. Additionally, we will have picnic tables for those who want to have a picnic and have also purchased a commercial popcorn maker!”
