Lake Wylie’s roadside produce stands opening

Spring has sprung in Lake Wylie as local roadside produce stands ready for business.

South Forty Farms on S.C. 274, unlocked the doors to the new growing season April 2.

“I always come here for fresh veggies,” said Chasity Watson one of the first customers purchasing local honey. “The people treat us kind, like family.”

Tim and Phyllis Reid opened the produce stand in June 2008 in a small shelter. The shelter now stands behind the main building, complete with air conditioning and coolers, dwarfed by a larger greenhouse, storage area, a large patio space with seating areas and fountain mingled in with plants and flowers for sale.

“We have the best customers,” Reid said.

Reid said the family-run business farms about 2 acres of their property to grow vegetables like tomatoes, corn and more.

“I volunteer,” said grandson Nick Auten, a junior at University of South Carolina in Columbia, while helping out opening day.

There is plenty of fare on the shelves and in bins at South Forty, including Tony’s Ice Cream from Gastonia, Amish products from Ohio and jellies from the North Carolina mountains. Out back, there also are three miniature horses and a donkey for petting.

New this year, Reid said, is more seating with tables and chairs and a row of rockers.

“Phyllis keeps doing things to keep it fresh,” he said.

Reid explained one of the highlights at South Forty is grafted plants – using no chemicals – for peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans still growing in the greenhouse and cabbage plants, which are ready now.

He’s worried this year about the peaches and other crops, including blueberries, because of the late frost that has hurt crops and could drive costs up.

“We try to keep prices cheaper than Walmart,” he said.

The Reids farmed corn, soybean and wheat on a large scale in the past.

“All I did is plant it, and there wasn’t much to worry about,” Reid said. “Now it’s smaller but more work. Bugs never sleep. All they do is eat.”

But Reid couldn’t be happier in his retirement after he and his wife left the fireworks business they owned near Carowinds.

“I don’t keep up with time,” he said. “I’m happy.”

Also in Lake Wylie, the Bush-N-Vine stand will appear open April 7 and April 9 at Village Harbor Drive. Seasonal hours Monday to Saturday will begin April 13.

Bush-N-Vine farm and main facility is at 1650 Filbert Highway in York. The stand will have strawberries, blueberries, peaches, blackberries, lettuce, tomatoes, spinach, squash, corn, local honey, jams and jellies when it opens.

“The majority is grown locally,” said Beth Jackson, employee of Bush-N-Vine for six years.

Bush-N-Vine, she said, is promoting its Community Supported Agriculture program. According to bushnvinefarm.com, the seven-week produce program takes orders in advance with pick up at the stand each week with small, medium and large shares. A small box ($150) feeds two to three people, a medium ($220) feeds three to four and large ($290) feeds five to six.

“This is a one-time cost, and the amount depends on the size share you choose to purchase,” the site states.

At 4795 Charlotte Highway, LB’s Produce & More will open April 24 offering fresh strawberries, tomatoes and other local produce, as well as Amish butter and peanut butter, free-range eggs and jarred goods made in the Carolinas, said owner Lawson Brackett.

Brackett said everything is grown locally, with a lot coming from Lowrys.

“We go to the farm pretty much every day when it’s in season,” she said. “We don’t like to store it. We like it picked that day.”

Brackett, who started as an employee at the stand as a junior in high school, worked there through college and took over the business eight years ago.

“I’m still doing it. It’s a lot of fun,” she said. “I enjoy being outside and talking to everyone.”

Brackett said LB’s customers are more than loyal. “It’s like hanging out with friends all day,” she said.

In 2012, Brackett opened a second location in the Belmont General Store at 6 N. Main St. Open year round, LB’s sells more locally-made products and best-seller okra chips, olive oil, pie fillings, homemade soups, produce baskets and “anything you can pickle.”

Even beard oil made in Gastonia has become “a really good selling product,” Brackett said.

LB’s in Belmont also creates gift baskets for corporate and holiday giving, or any occasion including get well boxes with soup, crackers and other local products, she said.

“We have tastings with barbecue sauces,” Brackett said. “We always have something going on.”

This story was originally published April 2, 2015 at 4:53 PM with the headline "Lake Wylie’s roadside produce stands opening."