Where are Lacy and Jhessye visiting this week?
Lafleur’s Farm is located in Alcolu, SC. It is a family farm run by Jean and Shakia Lafleur. They utilize a variety of soil health and conservation practices to provide quality, fresh produce for their community. Over its first five years of operation, the farm has successfully scaled from a couple of acres of vegetable, fruit, and herb production up to a 14-acre operation. Lafleur’s Farm offers U-pick and farm pick-up and can be found at the St. Stephen and Moncks Corner Farmers Markets in Berkley County.
They grow a variety of fruits and vegetables as well as some specialty crops, goat and poultry products, and honey. Their produce includes strawberries, collards, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, onions, carrots, peppers, okra, watermelon, eggplant, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, blackberries, blueberries, grapes, herbs, and tea products. They also offer handpicked pecans and black walnuts seasonally. Looking ahead, Lafleur’s Farm is actively expanding its agricultural operations, including establishing a fruit orchard and expanding its U-pick offerings.
Lafleur’s Farm is recognized as a National Wildlife Federation (NWF) Conservation Champion for the farm’s commitment to conservation. They also participate in Clemson’s Advancing Markets for Producers in South Carolina project, which incentivizes and provides technical support to implement cover crops, reduced tillage, and mulching in leafy green production. They utilize cover crops in fallow fields and in the alleyways between beds, and have seen benefits in compaction, water infiltration, and nutrient management. They predominantly use synthetic mulch but are also trying natural mulches such as compost, living mulch, and biodegradable mulch. The farm also incorporates livestock, allowing their goats and chickens to graze cover crops and help with field cleanup after harvest is complete.
Community relationships and engagement are at the core of Lafleur’s Farm mission. As a veteran-owned and operated farm, they are part of Farms of the Brave and host Project Victory Gardens Coffee and Chores to provide community and camaraderie for fellow veterans. They host educational events and U-picks to help connect their community with food production. To learn more about Lafleur’s Farm, check out their Facebook.
This month’s spotlight is from Lacy Barnette and Jhessye Moore-Thomas, Extension AMP Associates.
