D.S Farms and roadside market left to right Donner Sue Stevenson, Owner Donald Stevenson Sr, Co-Owner Donald Stevenson Jr., and Kim Richmond.

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Kim Richmond and Donald Stevenson Jr. proudly stand next to their certified South Carolina sign.

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D.S. Farms has seen a great turn out from their tomato crop this year.

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The Stevenson's have 10 acres of watermelon planted that they will be selling at their roadside stand and at the state farmers market in Columbia.

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D.S. Farms also grow and sell hay for horse and cattle.

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The garden at D.S. Farms that produces the produce for the roadside stand and to be sold at the farmers market.

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Donner Sue Stevenson pictured here as a human arrow, operates the roadside stand, and stocks it each morning with hand picked vegetables.

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Fairfield County is known to many for its rich history.

A visit to D.S. Farms will show just why that is.

The farm, located on Newberry Road, is owned by 86-year-old Donald Stevenson Sr.

He is a treasure trove of history from the area back in its heyday.

His family has seen the farm transition from cotton to sheep to dairy, and now, to produce.

Stevenson, who now lives just across the farm from the home he was born in, still enjoys overseeing the farm activities, although most of the duties are now given to his son, co-owner Donald Stevenson Jr.

Recently, the Stevensons decided to become Certified South Carolina Growers as well as to kick start their roadside stand.

They want to encourage people to buy local. If you take the time to visit the roadside stand just behind the boiled peanut pots, you will see the garden were the produce is picked each morning.

By shopping locally you are cutting down on the cost to ship the produce to the market which then keeps the costs down for consumers. There is the added benefit of the trip from the field to one’s table even shorter as well.

The farm family-owned farm, though considered by them to be small, will turn out around 3,600 pounds of produce to send to the roadside stand and the state farmer’s market in Columbia this year.

A new addition brought back to the farm this year is watermelon. the younger Stevenson, has planted 10 acres of watermelon which he hopes will yield 15,000 to 20,000 watermelons within the upcoming week.

This will allow the farm to hire local hands to help pick the watermelons and send them to market.

This year the heat has taken a toll on a lot of farmers, and D.S. Farms was no exception. They lost their corn crop as well as most of their bellpeppers.

Yet, in the tomato and okra department they have plenty and the plants are still producing.

D. S. Farms also serves as wholesalers of hay for cattle and horses all across the state.

If you would like more information about D.S. Farms contact them at oldsouthleather.com or ds.farms@yahoo.com.