A Homestead Festival will be held on Saturday, October 5 in Williamston’s Mineral Spring Park.
The SC Organization for Organic Living (SCOOL) will be sponsoring the festival in conjunction with the town of Williamston. The purpose of the new festival is to get people interested in becoming more self-sufficient and to provide classes for both experienced and new homesteaders, said SCOOL Director and festival organizer Rebecca McKinney.
“It also is a way for our local farmers and homesteading experts to showcase what they do.”
SCOOL hosts a statewide Organic Growing Conference each March. “We decided to initiate a new fall event this year and make it free for attendees and vendors. Classes also are free, with the exception of materials in some cases (although we are trying to find a way to cover those expenses, too,” McKinney said.
The one day festival will run from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and will begin with a farmers market at 8 a.m., Yoga in the Park class at 9 a.m., and other activities and classes throughout the day.
Classes are expected to include wiregrass broom making; black soldier fly larvae bin construction (used to feed chickens, ducks and fish); blending an all-natural insect repellant from essential oils; raising backyard chickens; and building a mason bee nesting site from bamboo. Attendees will have takeaways from many of these classes.
There will also be a seed swap table to encourage people to garden and save seeds.
The Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership group (Greenville County) will have an Ag Simulator for the kids. They will also have treats.Other Children’s activities are also planned.
There will be exhibitions on Native American hoe making (with deer antlers); fermented foods (kimchi, kombucha, etc.); beekeeping (with an observation hive); jewelry making from recycled/repurposed materials; solar oven use (built by a professor at Clemson); and basket making with honeysuckle vines.
Vendors include Mushroom Mountain, the Booksmith (Seneca), Heavenly Seed, Swamp Rabbit Café and Grocery, Appalachian Organics, and many others.
