Upcoming Events
Sat, April 20
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4201 N. Main St; 10 AM - 2 PM
FarmaSis is having a Plant Sale on Saturday, April 20th, 10:00am-2:00pm, at Lenior Rhyne University at 4201 N. Main St., Columbia, SC 29203. There will be a food vendor on site and FREE sweet potatoes and strawberries available!
Sat, Apr 13
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Canoeing for Kids HQ; 9 AM - 5 PM
Come shop for the South Carolina plants best to bring beauty and wildlife to your garden. The plant sale focuses on blooming perennials, grasses, and our favorite smaller blooming shrubs and trees.
Wednesdays, 3/20 - 10/30
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Richland Library Main; 10 AM - 2 PM
At The Market at Richland Library, we believe in the power of community and supporting local businesses. By shopping with us, you're not just purchasing goods – you're investing in the livelihoods of your neighbors and contributing to the growth of our vibrant local economy. Come shop your community!
What we've done
MLFC Public Events
Farm & Food Summits
The Midlands Local Food Collaborative annually hosts dynamic food summits and resource showcases, gathering stakeholders passionate about shaping the region's farm and food landscape. Through collaborative efforts, they foster dialogue, innovation, and actionable strategies to promote sustainable agriculture and strengthen local food systems in the Midlands.
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The goal of these food summits is to provide farmers and local stakeholders an opportunity to communicate their regional vision and needs while the assessment of local food systems in South Carolina is being conducted.
Sustainable Agriculture
MLFC participants promote sustainable and organic farmers and farming practices through technical workshops, on-farm demonstrations, training programs, and financial assistance.
Community Engagement and Education
MLFC launched the "Faces of Local Food" campaign in order to raise consumer awareness about the importance of supporting local farms and local food.
SC Farmer Resource Rodeo
The SC Farmer Resource Rodeo was held at the Phillips Market Center to help farmers and resource providers navigate the complex array of technical, financial, and educational resources provided by various federal, state, local, and non-profit resource providers. The event was attended by 100 people, with participation from 22 statewide resource providers.
Land Access Initiative
The MLFC launched its Land Access Initiative with discussion facilitated by David Harper of the Pee Dee Land Trust. Twenty-four agency and organization representatives attended the first meeting and agreed to meet quarterly to further the goal of coordinating stakeholders to identify and address barriers to farmland access.
MLFC Member Events
2015
MLFC members toured several local food system sites in Charleston, including DirtWorks Incubator Farm, Sweetgrass Gardens CropStop/GAP shed, and GrowFood Carolina.
MLFC members met with Gary Prince at the State Farmers Market to discuss initiatives which could increase production and distribution of local foods.
MLFC members visited Travelers Rest and Greenville to tour several important sites in Greenville’s local food economy: The Café at Williams Hardware, Travelers Rest Farmers Market, Swamp Rabbit Café, and Mill Village Farms. The group also spoke with the Greenville County’s Greenways, Natural & Historic Resources Coordinator; and with the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the new Feed & Seed initiative
Formation and Achievements of the MFA
2014
As an outgrowth of the “Future of Midlands Farms and Food Summit,” the Midlands Food Alliance (MFA) formed as a grassroots group under the nonprofit Sustainable Midlands umbrella to advocate and educate for a sustainable and equitable localized food system in the Midlands of SC.
A Memorandum of Understanding was created to outline the relationship between the MLFC and the MFA
2015
Sustainable Midlands and the Midlands Food Alliance published a Midlands Food Guide and began hosting regional potlucks to strengthen local networks of food producers and consumers.
Local Food System Planning Achievements
2015
A proposal for a Midlands Agricultural Economic Analysis was developed and initial data were compiled.
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MLFC was the subject of a presentation at the 2015 Summer SC American Planning Association Conference.
2016
Several MLFC members partnered to obtain technical assistance through the Stronger Economies Together program.
