Permies around Columbia, SC?

Hello,

I will be moving to Columbia, SC, this summer from the Pacific Northwest, and am hoping to connect with other permaculture enthusiasts in the region. As far as I can tell based on internet searches, there isn't that much going on permaculture-wise in Columbia itself (though correct me if I'm wrong!), but there's more in Greenville, Charleston and of course Asheville. If anyone has any suggestions about sites, organizations, or individuals that I should look up, by all means let me know. I look forward to connecting and sharing ideas and knowledge, and will definitely be posting here once I find a place of my own.

Thanks a lot,

Mari

Hi. What side of Columbia are you moving to? I am located close to Walterbourgh. We might be able to get together sometime and swap stories.Good luck in your move.

Hi David,

We (my husband and I) will probably live in the city of Columbia itself -- at least initially -- because our jobs are there.
Thanks for getting in touch! We should definitely make sure we cross paths in the summer. We probably won't arrive until early August, though.

Mari

Sounds good, Hopefully by then I will have my market garden going. You have given me a timeline to shoot for.

Off the top of my head I don't know anything going in in Columbia (other than what David Collins is doing) but we just started a Facebook group for the new Upstate SC Permaculture Society and with over 100 members perhaps someone there will know of activity in Columbia. We just worked with the Furman University organic farm to bring Zev Friedman down from Asheville to give a two-hour presentation on how Permaculture can heal land and social conflicts. Here's the link of the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/445484185526915/

Also, you're pretty close to Asheville which has more permaculture stuff going on than anywhere else in the SE USA. I'm sure you'll head up there often for classes, workshops, and networking.

Welcome to South Carolina!

Welcome to Columbia!
This is a great small city to live in, with lots of outdoor activities and many sub communities to get involved with.
However, being new myself to permaculture I can't guide you well in that regard.

Here are some places to start...
http://cityroots.org/
http://www.rosewoodmarket.com/
http://cawcawcreek.com/

Cheers!

Hello all,
I was living in Sumter, work in Eastover ( and just moved there) and will soon be looking for -/+ acre in Hopkins or somewhere just outside of Columbia city limits.

Just started volunteering at City Roots (cool place) and have been told about a guy that teaches some courses nearby.

I would love to network with all of you that are in the Columbia area.

Jeanine Gurley wrote:Hello all,
I was living in Sumter, work in Eastover ( and just moved there) and will soon be looking for -/+ acre in Hopkins or somewhere just outside of Columbia city limits.

Just started volunteering at City Roots (cool place) and have been told about a guy that teaches some courses nearby.

I would love to network with all of you that are in the Columbia area.

Hi Jeanine,

Did you know you are now in zone 9? One of the clues that zone 9 has moved north to the GA/SC fall line is that you can find loquat trees that bear fruit. This 1987 blurb from Purdue University says that loquats don't bear fruit north of Jacksonville, but last April I was able to find bearing trees in Columbia. More evidence from the garden that climate change is happening.

David Galloway wrote:Off the top of my head I don't know anything going in in Columbia (other than what David Collins is doing) but we just started a Facebook group for the new Upstate SC Permaculture Society and with over 100 members perhaps someone there will know of activity in Columbia. We just worked with the Furman University organic farm to bring Zev Friedman down from Asheville to give a two-hour presentation on how Permaculture can heal land and social conflicts. Here's the link of the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/445484185526915/

Also, you're pretty close to Asheville which has more permaculture stuff going on than anywhere else in the SE USA. I'm sure you'll head up there often for classes, workshops, and networking.

Welcome to South Carolina!

Thanks.I just pressed the join button.

I have lived in northern Spartanburg county all my life,except for a brief 6 months I spent in Hudson,NC.I have never seen anyone that really did the whole permies thing.Plenty of people, including my family, used to have family gardens and raise their own animals to help feed the fam.I still own half of the old two acre place that my grandfather settled on after WWII.We're no long permitted to have gardens or live stock.Urban sprawl and the people that settled the old farm lands around us want a clean manicured subdivision.I am currently looking for 10-20 unrestricted wooded acres for my family around the upstate.

John, yes I knew that we had moved a zone warmer but I was thinking more like 8b. The last two winters have been markedly warmer but the almanac is calling for a cold winter this year.

I am perfectly happy to stay with the warmer zone. I am cutting around some olive trees and two citrus that I am going to dig up from my farmlette in Sumter and hold at a friend’s nursery for a while until I find more property (hopefully) next year. I’ll be looking for someplace right outside the city limits of Columbia.

I just found the PDC I want to take and just have to get clearance from my boss for those dates. Hopefully I will get a ‘yes’ vote tomorrow!

I live in Cassatt, Sc about an hour north east of Columbia. I get out there a couple times a week. SC isn't really a place of forward thinking but if you lead by example maybe you can convert some folks.

I'm still hanging out here just outside of Columbia. Just found a group of permie types called Columbia Resilience on Facebook. The assistant manager at Rosewood Deli told me about it. She said there is even a community orchard in Cola. I'm going to dig into that a bit more. I would love to be involved in some urban permie stuff. There is a meeting April 8. Not sure if I can make it due to work sched but I'm going to try.

I have a home in Blythewood, but currently in Afghanistan until Sept. I'm planning on buying a chunk of land (20+ acres) when I get back to farm once I retire in two years, Fairfield County seems to be leading the way. Im into the restorative agriculture, food forests, nuts, fruits and understory ect... Super excited to put the military time behind me and start the next chapter in my life. Columbia area does seem behind for the movement, but all the better to start those connections and get it going and help each other out.

This guy, Matthew Kip, looks like he may be worth connecting with.  http://www.matthewkip.com/

Ive heard of Mr. Kip, I haven't met him yet. I think he divides his time between Columbia and somewhere upstate. He did the last PDC, I think two years ago now. Hes involved in the Rosewood Orchard too.

I made a little FaceBook Group to get some people connected for the Midlands area, we have a couple farmers and some backyarders (Midlands SC Regenerative Agriculture and Permaculture) I try and find local training and things and post, hopefully 2018 we can get some things together as a group.

I'm here in Columbia. Any other locals around?

I know you posted this a long time ago .Are you still in Columbia ? I am in NE Columbia. I spent 23 years in  the Puget Soynd Area and had some exposure to Permaculture on Whifbay Island with Sego Jackson which at the time was the Permaculture Institute of North America  I am also Finnish born here but have a finnish born ,sister ,brother,and Mother .I saw you on another site that led me somewhere for more information under your name but disbt see there .I realize this may never reach you but just in case I would like to connect with you Tarja Inari Williams