Spotlight on Coosaw Farms

Bradley O’Neal and his family have made farming a true family tradition. Their farm, Coosaw Farms in Hampton and Allendale Counties, is a sprawling 2,000 acre farm of fruits and vegetables. They are big supporters of the Certified SC Grown program.

 

O’Neal said he grew up farming on his parents’ farm and studied agriculture at Clemson where he played football under Coach Frank Howard.

 

“I think sports are important in the business world,” O’Neal said. “It teaches teamwork and discipline.”

 

After college he took a 10-year break from farming to work for the federal government in the Federal Land Bank. O’Neal said during his years with the Federal Land Bank he learned a lot about how some farms were successful while others were not.

 

“It really helped me manage,” O’Neal said.

 

Today Coosaw Farms is a team and a family. Bradley, and his wife Louise, and their children continue that tradition.  Each went to Clemson before coming to work on the farm. Son, Brad, studied Agriculture Economics and daughter, Angela, studied Graphic Design before she moved to California for work. Both now work back on the family farm making their father proud. Brad handles farming operations and Angela oversees the H2A visa program and food safety.

 

“They’ve pushed the farm to new heights,” O’Neal said of his two children.

 

Coosaw Farms’ main crops are watermelons, blueberries and oriental vegetables. Although some of the watermelons grown here in South Carolina are sold locally, the biggest demand for them is throughout the Eastern United States and Canada. The O’Neals began growing oriental vegetables after a couple in New York City, who was buying their seedless watermelons, approached them about growing oriental vegetables. Now they produce a spring and autumn oriental vegetable crop.

 

Coosaw Farms was quick to join the Certified SC Grown program when it was first unveiled in May 2007.

 

“It’s been really great for our blueberries,” Angela O’Neal Chappell said. The Certified SC Grown logo was first used on their blueberry packages and has been warmly received by retailers she said.

 

“I cannot say enough good stuff about the logo and what it means,” Chappell said. “The logo unifies us as growers.”

 

Since joining Certified SC Grown, Coosaw Farms has incorporated the logo on their website, letterhead and watermelon bins to ensure customers they are buying fresh produce grown right here in South Carolina.

 

The Certified SC Grown logo tells the story about where food comes from, Chappell said. Coosaw Farms also goes above and beyond when it comes to food making food safety a priority.

 

“Food safety is our priority,” Chappell said. “We are passionate about it because we are a family too.”  

 

Coosaw Farms and the O’Neal family are like many farmers in South Carolina. They are dedicated to growing and producing the freshest, safest food for you the consumer. Supporting these farms is important to their success. That’s why the South Carolina Department of Agriculture is asking all South Carolinians to become a Palmettovore and strive to eat only foods grown and produced here in the Palmetto State.

 

June is Palmettovore Challenge Month, take the challenge to eat local for a meal a day, for the whole month, or for a lifetime to support South Carolina’s farmers. To become a Palmettovore, click on the link on the Certified SC Grown homepage and sign up to take the challenge.