Many of us know the basics of sustainability and/or caring for the environment– less carbon dioxide emissions, more renewable energy sources, eat less meat, eat locally, etc. This being said, the question must be asked: how many of us actually have a practical solution to address any of these issues or goals? If you don’t have a degree in Sustainability Sciences, you might not have a solution. After all, it is difficult to account for the advancement of every single person in an environmental, economic, and social sense. However, one doesn’t need an advanced degree to understand the basics of farming. Working at Oak Hill Cafe and Farm this past summer taught me everything I needed to know.
Oak Hill Cafe and Farm is a farm-to-table restaurant on Poinsett Highway in between Furman University and downtown Greenville. Taking a quick glance at Oak Hill from the outside, it looks rather unassuming. After all, it is situated right next to a gas station on the right, Hakim Persian Rugs on the left, and an old apartment complex behind it. However, once I actually visited for the first time, I found that it was more of a quaint, urban-style restaurant with a small farm in the backyard.
I originally chose to work at Oak Hill Cafe to find something to do over the summer, as summers in Myrtle Beach can get quite a bit dull. However, I was unprepared for everything I would experience during my time there. I spent long hours and longer days tilling soil, weeding, planting new seedlings, harvesting old ones, washing vegetables, and fending off ant bites, often alongside my fellow Greenbelter Kerry Black. I might sound as if I’m making out my experience at Greenbelt to be negative, but I have learned very valuable lessons from my internship! This has led me to believe that farming done sustainably is arguably the most effective strategy to make a positive environmental impact on the world.
Why, you might ask?
It’s easy! This type of farming without use of harmful elements like pesticides and insecticides, also called subsistence farming, has been around since circa 8,000 B.C. (NatGeo), so it’s not like this is a relatively new concept. However, its popularity is starting to be revived after a decades long period of near insignificance due to the domination of big agribusiness. It is inspiring to know that there are an increasing amount of “pockets” of sustainability that exist where it previously seemed impossible, as my mentor Haley Disinger recalled. One would not expect a space wedged in between a gas station and a rug store to house a well-operated and sustainable cafe and farm, but Oak Hill Cafe and Farm is making it happen. It is my hope that other creative thinkers– not just those with a college degree– become inspired to act in a sustainable fashion just as I have!
