Fields Farms: Honoring a Gullah Geechee Legacy

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – Tucked away on Johns Island off River Road, Fields Farms has served Charleston residents and beyond with fresh and now organic produce for generations.

The Fields, of original Gullah Geechee descent, are a staple in the Johns Island community.

Their hearts are as big as their harvest. Locals look to them for the best-tasting produce that grocery stores cannot provide.

“They’re just not as flavorful or potent of a flavor, it’s more muted, whereas when you get this stuff especially when you pick your own strawberries- it’s like biting heaven,” said customer Todd Lauden.

Fields Farms started in the 1940s with the late Robert Sr. and Nancy Fields. Their children helped keep the Fields’ legacy alive. Currently, Joesph is the last sibling to farm the land.

Once Joseph took over he set out to grow chemical-free produce and now his produce is USDA Certified Organic.

The planting and selling of the produce all occur on the same land. Customers can visit the Fields Farm Market to buy fresh produce and see where it was nurtured and grown.

Everyone on the farm has a role to play. While Joseph plants and manages the farm work, Devon manages the farmer’s market.

According to Devonne, when Fields Farm was first established it was a necessity that his family farmed. They did not have many skills apart from being farmhands.

“When we see that there are not as many farms on Johns Island as there were, 30 or 40 years ago, to me being in it is a sign of progress,” says Devonne Hammond. “We don’t have to do it the way we had to do it 30, 40 years ago”

Today, Xavier Dilahunt wants to follow in his family’s legacy and take over Fields Farm one day.

“Even though I just recently started living here again, it’s always been the most consistent part of my life. It feels like a home to me,” said Dilahunt, the great-grandson of Robert Sr. and the farm’s future legacy.

The Fields Farm Market is open on Johns Island Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.