Johns Island farm fresh produce... right in our backyard!

Johns Island has been home to some of the most productive farms in the South Carolina lowcountry, from indigo, rice and cotton to livestock, fruit and vegetables. In fact, the marshland separating The Preserve from Penny Creek was once cultivated in Sea Island or "long staple" cotton which was used to weave the finest laces and fabrics and was a very valuable commodity. The number of farms on Johns Island increased from 61 farms in 1860 to 400 farms by 1870! It is no surprise that the island is still one of the best places to find fresh local produce grown by generations of farmers. In addition to quaint roadside fruit and vegetable stands brimming with character, there are a number of local farms open to the public for shopping and picking. Many of the Johns Island farms offer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs, where members purchase a "share" or a membership and receive a box of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season. This is an excellent option for those who regularly buy fresh produce. Imagine getting it straight from the farm and knowing exactly how long it's been out of the ground! Or, for those not interested in a weekly commitment, a trip to a Johns Island farm is a great weekend activity for the whole family. Visit Stono Market's gift shop and Tomato Shed Café for an authentic southern lunch or Ambrose Farms to hand pick your own strawberries, find anything from hormone free beef to sod at Legare Farms, enjoy the farm shop and cannery at Thackeray Farms or pick up heirloom varieties of vegetables, fresh seafood and incredible flowers at Rosebank Farms. These are only a few of Johns Island's farms. It's just refreshing to know that places like this still exist. Take a break, drive outside of the city and enjoy the natural beauty and culture of Johns Island. It's a short drive, but you'll feel miles away.

Horse racing on Maybank Highway!

The land on which The Preserve is located was once part of the historic Fenwick Plantation. Original owner of the plantation, John Fenwick, passed away in 1747 leaving the property and 11,000 acres in the South Carolina lowcountry to his son, Edward Fenwick. An avid horseman, Edward imported fine Arabian and Godolphin horses from England and bred them on his Johns Island property. It is said that Fenwick often exhibited his horses at the Battery in downtown Charleston when they were not resting in the impressive two-story stable he constructed at Fenwick Hall. The stables no longer stand on the property. In 1758, Fenwick founded the South Carolina Jockey Club along with a number of recognizable names: John Drayton, John Mayrant, John Izard, William Moultrie, Samuel Elliott, Daniel Horry and William Williamson. Perhaps most impressive is the three-mile racetrack Fenwick built beginning at what is now the intersection of Maybank and River Roads (only a stone's throw from The Preserve's location) running down present-day Maybank Highway. According to David Wilkinson's Voyage of the Flora: Destination Charleston, "the most important race in this period in South Carolina was the Charleston Subscription Purse, the only pre-Revolutionary race for which there is a complete record of its winners. At the time, "Fenwick Plantation was also referred to as "The Johns Island Stud."