Theme: Planting Seeds

Greenville is quickly becoming one of the major foodie destinations in the Southeast, and locally produced food is becoming an important part of who we are as a community. It seems like every day there is an announcement of a new restaurant in the community. However, for a restaurant to be truly local, the food must be local as well.

Additionally, with an emphasis on locally produced food, what is the role of local farms in producing this food? How can local farms produce product that is competitive with the big boys in price and quality? What is the real value of locally produced food? Even more broadly, what impact can local farms have on other issues like workforce development, training, and job training?

Come learn from a couple local farmers, and become part of the discussion.

ZEN
924 S. Main Street
Greenville, South Carolina, 29601
United States

Chad Bishop

Farm Owner

Chad Bishop is co-owner and operator of Greenbrier Farms in Easley, SC, along with his wife Amy and business partner Roddy Pick. Greenbrier is the largest sustainable farm in the Upstate of South Carolina, producing USDA certified organic produce, pastured pork, grass fed/grass finished beef and special events. He manages the farms’ ten acre garden and three greenhouses that provide products to the Upstate through local farmers’ markets, a 26 week CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program, local retailers and restaurants. In addition, Chad oversees the farm’s marketing and branding.

Dan Weidenbenner

Non Profit Executive Director

Dan Weidenbenner is the executive director of Mill Community Ministries, the umbrella organization for Mill Village Farms. Through this work he leads a network of urban farms while delivering and marketing produce in low-income, “food-desert” communities where there is often little-to-no access to fresh and affordable food. His focus has been on employing and empowering at-risk teens to lead this endeavor while also teaching job-skills, sustainable-agriculture, and entrepreneurship. He and his wife live in the Greater Sullivan community where the organization first began at Long Branch Baptist Church in partnership with Grace Church. He serves on a variety of boards that impact his community, including Habitat Greenville, New Horizons, and CommunityWorks.