October 27th, 2023
All good in the Agrihood
Original article by Matt Bise for PostandCourier.com >
The developers at Carnes Crossroads will soon have several new things to do inside the sprawling development. One of the new features will be farming an Agrihood, which is a community specifically designed to blend sustainable agriculture practices and recreation to enable a connection for residents. The large site inside the Carnes Crossroads neighborhood is at the corner of Ashworth Drive and Carnes Crossing Boulevard in Goose Creek and is the largest future residential community farm in South Carolina.
The developer, Freehold Communities, is also currently developing mixed-used communities in Texas, Tennessee and North Carolina. The company states its goal is to plan areas that embrace healthy living and community engagement.
“This is an exciting step forward for our community,” said Gerrit Albert, division president of South Carolina and Georgia for Freehold Communities. “We are proud to lead the way in sustainable, residential living in South Carolina. The central component of the barn and farm within our Amenity Center encourages our vision for a vibrant, healthy, and connected lifestyle for our residents. The addition of these community spaces will foster a sense of togetherness and engagement that is central to our Agrihood mission.”
It is a model in which Goose Creek Mayor Greg Habib believes.
“What we are trying to create is as many opportunities for folks within the community to meet as many needs as they can within that community,” Habib said at a ceremonial groundbreaking on Wednesday, Oct. 25. “Your ability to meet more of your needs within your own community creates the sense of community we all strive for.”
The area will have a large resort-style swimming pool with a three-story waterslide tower, a lake house for community gatherings, fitness center, a café and restaurant, and tennis courts. But, according to developers, the community is a new effort and one of the first for South Carolina with a focus on creating a farm-to-table experience for residents — one in which everyone can be involved. While many large developments offer golf courses, this one offers the 11-acre agricultural site.
“Instead of having a golf pro, we’re going to have a head farmer,” Albert said. “Instead of having golf clinics, we are going to have farm clinics. Rather than having programs in the summer where the kids go hit range balls, we have kids’ programing around the farm.”
The site will include a barn where residents may go and pick up their farm share. The top-farmer has yet to be hired, but there were those at the event who are in charge of finding the right person.
“An Agrihood community with farming at its core brings people together,” said Tripp Eldridge, from Convivial Food Scapes and the Agrihood expert for Carnes Crossroads. “There are shared experiences for residents ranging from volunteering on the farm to enjoying the bounty of the harvest as a community. We are excited to see our farm officially take root in the Goose Creek community.