The Gusmer family has been growing apples and pressing cider for almost 21 years to make the hot apple cider doughnuts they grew up eating in New Jersey.
"Apple orchards and cider mills were really a big part of that culture," said Matthew Gusmer, whose parents, Fritz and Catherine, started Windy Hill Orchard & Cider Mill in York after their move to South Carolina.
They sell most of their apple butter, apple cider and fresh apples at the market on their farm.
This summer, the Gusmers have a new venue to sell their products: Old Town Market in Rock Hill.
The market, behind the Gettys Center at East Main and Caldwell streets, will feature local foods and crafts every second and fourth Thursday through Aug. 26. The grand opening of Old Town Market on Thursday will include activities for children, such as planting flowers and herbs, as well as a screening of the movie, "Fresh: New Thinking About What We're Eating."
Leading up to the grand opening is Local Foods Week, a series of events that will introduce Rock Hill residents to local farmers and the foods they grow.
"The reason we have these events is to support the businesses," said Jami Wilson, Old Town marketing manager. "It's important for the center city to be strong."
Restaurants in Old Town have incorporated local fruits and vegetables into their menus as part of an ongoing campaign started by Rock Hill's Economic and Urban Development Department called "Eat Fresh, Be Fresh."
"A lot of people don't know it, but York County has a lot to offer in the quantity and variety of local produce," Gusmer said.
When the city was in the process of developing this campaign, organizers found that some restaurants already were including local foods on their menus but no one knew about it. Wilson said she hopes that will change with Local Foods Week.
"It's just to get people in that mindset that Old Town is a place where you can get local foods at your local restaurants," Wilson said.
Fresh food
This time of year, Erin's Restaurant is serving South Carolina-grown corn and tomatoes. It's what's in season in mid-June.
Restaurant owner Erin McManus shops at local farmers' markets for meats and produce and gets fish delivered from Florida.
The restaurant has been serving local foods since it opened last year as a dinner-only restaurant in a local bagel shop. Today, Erin's Restaurant is located next to Kinch's on Elk Avenue, across East Street from City Hall.
McManus said fresh food is important to her. And that means local food.
"If I can get it locally, I do," she said. "I know everybody's hand who ever touched the food. I can tell you the history of the food. I like that."
McManus' restaurant serves family-style meals six days a week. Customers can order from the regular dinner menu from 5 to 9 p.m., but if a party makes a reservation, diners can be served at what McManus calls the "chef's table."
"You eat what I put on the table," McManus said. "It's like going to your grandma's house for Sunday dinner."
But whatever food customers order, McManus can guarantee it's fresh.
"We're so paranoid about our food now," she said. "I just think it's a smarter way to eat."
If people eat local foods, such as the Gusmer family's apples, they can see where the food comes from and they know that it's safe, Matthew Gusmer said.
"There's definitely something to be said for locally grown fruit and vegetables," he said. "They're picked at a time when they're riper, which increases vitamins and the healthy aspects of the food."
McManus said the addition of Old Town Market will be a great resource for her. If she runs out of a fruit or vegetable, she can walk over and buy some more.
And, McManus hopes, Local Foods Week will bring more Rock Hill residents downtown for meals.
"It'll be a fun way to get people in the mindset of 'Downtown is a great place to come eat dinner,'" she said.
Gusmer said he hopes the week's events will help people realize fresh, local food is healthier.
"The real goal of it is to create a local, sustainable food movement," he said. "In conjunction with Old Town, we're hoping this can be the start of that local food movement."
