I think we’ve finally recovered from Ag + Art Tour 2023, so here’s a quick blog recapping it.
We had about 200 PEOPLE come by the farm! The cows were very cooperative and made
many appearances right at our setup. It made tours pretty easy when we could just step over
the fence! It was really great seeing people enjoy our farm and shopping Renwick’s amazing
pottery and hearing how much they had already enjoyed Carolina Pride Pastures, Bowers Farm,
Lever Farms, and all of their artists.
We love interacting with customers, explaining differences in breeds, and teaching people about new cuts. We did lots of that and were thrilled with people’s genuine curiosity about where their food comes from, how it’s raised, and how to get the most out of it. The kids really seemed to enjoy getting up close to the cows, climbing on the hay bales, and riding the UTV.
Our setup was right in the middle of the pasture, with only a polywire separating us from the
cows. Though we lack some “luxury” with this set up, it’s important to us for our customers to
see that we’re a working farm. When you visit us, you visit it just how it is every day (except with
some manicured grass). Our tours were the same pasture rides we make daily, and people experienced moving and checking the cows just like we do.
We also served up lots of freshly grilled burgers. We served a plate of two sliders, one with
South Poll Beef and one with our Special Release #1 (40 month Live Aged) Beef. There was a
clear winner in preference, but you had to be there to find out! What pleases us though, is that
the vast majority of people could tell a distinct difference. Showing people that not all beef is the same, and that it has variations just like cheeses and bourbons, is our entire mission. Plates included chips, a drink, and some freshly sliced watermelon. We loved seeing people enjoy our beef in person. So many people asked what we mixed with the beef to give it so much flavor, but the answer was simple…salt and pepper!
Most importantly, a little gratitude. Thanks to Clemson Extension and the Newberry County
Chamber of Commerce, led by Michelle Long, for organizing the Ag + Art Tour. It’s a unique
event and we’re proud to be part of it. We really appreciate Renwick Shealy bringing her
craftsmanship to the farm and we enjoyed hearing her discuss how she makes each piece in
her own farm-based studio to curious visitors. Thanks to the other host sites in Newberry for
such a diverse representation of agriculture: Lever Farms, Bowers Farm, and Carolina Pride
Pastures.
On the home front, we absolutely couldn’t have done it without the help of Decorator
Extraordinaire Tara Setzler, the King of Conversation Patrick Daniel, and the Checkout Queen
Micah Mallory. We appreciate the Newberry Country Club for letting us borrow their parking lot.
And as always, thanks to Emily Revolutionary Marketing Group for helping us spread the word.
Most of all, thanks to all of the Beef Connoisseurs that visited the farm, asked questions, and
took home some beef!
We hope to see you again next year!
Comments