Farm Phone - 843-709-8295
about us
🌿 Ambrose Family Farm
Family Owned & Operated Since 1976
Welcome to Ambrose Family Farm, where Pete Ambrose and his Family have been cultivating the 135 acres of the beautiful historic Selkirk Plantation on scenic Wadmalaw Island for nearly 50 years. Through diverse and innovative agricultural practices, our fields produce fresh, seasonal crops all year long.
Winter is Roots and Greens - *Beets, *Carrots, and *Radishes-all different sizes, colors and flavors *Turnips *Onions
*Arugula *Cabbage *Broccoli *Kales, *Broccoli Raab *Collards *Broccolini *Lettuces of all color, shapes, sizes & flavors, *Sugar Snap Peas and Tendrils
Spring brings *Strawberries *Peas *Squashes *Cucumbers *Potatoes *Beans *Peppers *Egg Plant *Flowers *Herbs and most of what is listed for Winter
Summer begins with*Blueberries *Blackberries *Sweet Corn *Tomatoes of all sorts *Squashes *Egg Plant *Peppers *Melons *Scuppernong and Muscadine Grapes *Okra *Pears *Figs
Fall - Best of all-a bit of ALL 3 seasons combined in one except for fruits and berries BUT *Pumpkins *Winter Squashes and *Winter Roots and Greens begin again
🛒 Where to Find Our Produce
- Farm Stand – Open year‑round, 9 am – 5 pm Address: 2349 Black Pond Lane, Wadmalaw Island, SC Phone: 843‑709-8295 Spring and Summer there's friendly staff on hand to assist with pick you own fruit and berries Off‑Season operates on an honor system for check‑in/out with Cash, Credit Cards, Debit Cards, Apple or Google Pay, EBT and Venmo.
- Stono Market and Tomato Shed Cafe-Our well known and much loved Market and Cafe since 1989. 842 Main Road, Johns Island, SC 29455 843-559-9999 Tuesday-Saturday for produce, fruits, fresh in-store baked items, to-go meals and goodies, etc-ALL the things a farm market should have PLUS lunch daily 11am -2:30pm and Dinner Thursday-Sat 4-9pm
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Environmentally Sound Farming
At Ambrose Family Farm, we take pride in our environmentally sound and sustainable farming practices. Without the use of synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, we prioritize building soil fertility naturally, even nurturing earthworms as indicators of our soil's health.
Our commitment to quality produce at reasonable prices ensures that you receive the freshest, most flavorful, and nutritious vegetables possible. Keeping it local and fresh is at the core of everything we do.
As leaders and advocates for locally grown, sustainable produce, we prioritize communication and education within our community. We believe in fostering a deep connection between communities and the land they rely on.
While we grow as organically as possible, we are not certified organic growers, and there are several reasons for this decision. First, maintaining certification may restrict our ability to respond to unforeseen challenges or potential disasters that threaten our crops. Second, we prefer to operate without excessive governmental involvement and associated expenses. And last, the stringent requirements of Organic Certification are generally financially prohibitive for small scale farms like ours.
In our many years of organic farming, we've encountered a few unusual disease or pest issues that necessitated the use of "non-organic" treatments for control. In such rare emergencies, we rely on the guidance of Clemson Extension and USDA experts to suggest the gentlest yet most affective products at our disposal. Transparency is key for us, and we make sure to inform our customers upfront if a product is NOT organic. This way, everyone can make an informed decision when it comes to purchasing or including that item in a CSA Share.
Ambrose Farm CSA Membership Information
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) fosters a unique bond between local farmers and the communities they serve. Through this partnership, members invest in a "share" of the farm's anticipated fresh, high-quality produce, cultivated using the safest and most organic methods available. This commitment ensures that members receive the best-quality, freshest, and widest variety of sustainably grown produce while supporting the future viability of local family farms by guaranteeing fair economic returns for the farmers' efforts.
Joining our CSA is a proactive step towards securing access to fresh, wholesome produce. It's essential to sign up in advance to allow our farm the time needed to plan and cultivate crops. From scheduling planting and ordering seeds to nurturing young plants and ultimately harvesting and delivering the produce, every step in the process requires careful attention and time. Unlike ordering items online for immediate delivery, the growing cycle for crops like arugula, radish, and baby lettuce mixes can take just 25 days from seed to harvest, while other crops, like beets, carrots and winter squashed take as much as 90 to 120 days to mature, emphasizing the importance of early enrollment in a CSA program, especially as it relates to future seasons.
But there is a risk for you just as there is risk for farmers- the unexpected: excessive rain, hail, out of the ordinary frost or freeze, severe drought, unknown disease carried by wind or rain, strange bugs or diseases from strange places that even the experts are unsure how to control. A Farmer's partner is Mother Nature who is the MOST UNRELIABLE and UNPREDICTABLE partner.
Tips for Potential CSA Members
Our CSA provide families with fruit and veggie varieties we grow. We do NOT include fruits or veggies we don't grow except ADD ON's(eggs, meats, etc) We cannot grow everything all the time-we cannot grow lettuce varieties in the heat of summer, nor tomatoes in the winter.
You will need to supplement your share with 'out of season' items.
Not used to eating seasonally?
If you are not accustomed to eating seasonally, you may find that it takes a while to make a transition from eating whatever is available in your grocery store (pretty much everything -anytime) to whatever is in your CSA bag (what's in season and local). It may surprise you to find that tomatoes ripen in June in our area and that strawberries are usually available in March. Knowing what's available each season in important - we're HAPPY to share that info
Quantity varies
When filling the weekly CSA bags, we try and provide a variety of items in a quantity that you choose by share size. We don't want to be skimpy, but don't want to overwhelm you either. Too much -even of good things- can create waste, which makes everyone feel bad. Over time, we've developed a feel for how much is the right amount- what's fair, what's reasonable, what will get eaten. Of course, the weather and other mitigating circumstances can get in the way of our ability to provide the ideal amount, as discussed above. Our reputation is filling your CSA bag on the heavy end of the spectrum
Make sure you understand the policies.
CSA farmers differ in their policies regarding what happens with your bag if you don't pick it up (e.g. vacation, something-came-up, I forgot, etc.) Make sure you know how we manage these situations before the season starts.