Here at Brays Island, we’re no stranger to fresh food, whether owners bring home their game from the hunt fields or a fresh catch from the rivers and streams (we call it From Hook To Table). However, until recently there wasn’t a working farm on site for owners to bring home freshly grown produce. With Brays’ rich history of farming and our commitment for our community to exist in harmony with nature, our Nature Committee took on the project to create a modern farm on the 5,500 acres.

A Dedicated Farmer

We brought in a dedicated farmer, Josh Helser-Howard, who focuses on sustainable agriculture and emphasizes the importance of the impact of food production. Josh’s approach to farming is to grow the highest quality foods from soils nurtured to produce healthy, resilient plants in the most efficient way possible. How perfect for Brays Island and our owners!

Starting to Grow

This spring, Josh has rebuilt our hoop house which is used to help get seedlings started, installed both overhead and drop irrigation systems to keep crops well-watered in the lowcountry summer heat, and even built a walk-in cooler to store produce for owners to purchase. Of course a garden isn’t complete without a new shed to store tools and a fence to keep the deer from snacking on the crops.

Produce at Brays

In just a few short months, our garden has produced radishes, lettuce, arugula, turnips, and broccoli raab. Not only can the harvest be enjoyed by owners at the onsite dining, the Plantation Grill, but owners can purchase produce at the twice annual Farmer’s Markets (April and November) and fresh from the garden’s cooler. Throughout April, we’ll be planting more warm weather crops including cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, eggplant, squash, cucumbers, basil, green beans, melons, and sweet corn.

Follow along on Instagram @braysislandfarm.