Marshview Community Organic Farm (Marshview) is a five-acre farm located on Saint
Helena Island, South Carolina. The farm’s origins grew out of a youth-run community
beautification project started in May 2004, becoming the first certified organic farm on Saint
Helena in 2007. Marshview’s goal is to improve the health and well-being of the residents of
Beaufort County through several initiatives focused on preserving traditional Gullah cultural
practices and producing future farmers and chefs of the Lowcountry, equipping them with the
knowledge and experiences to be stewards of the land and leaders in the community. Through
these efforts, we have increased the amount of organic farmland on Saint Helena Island and
enlightened numerous young leaders on the importance of team building, entrepreneurship,
problem-solving, and the relationship between nutrition and health.
At the helm of Marshview is Mrs. Sara’ Reynolds Green, CEO/Co-Founder of Marshview, and her husband, Bill Green. With their guidance, the farm is managed from seed to harvest by Marshview students, ages 8 to 18, and two part-time farm workers. Scholars work after school and on weekends to cultivate the land, plant seeds, nurture seedlings, plant the garden, weed, maintain, and harvest the crops.
Marshview scholars participate in a variety of ongoing community service projects which reinforce Gullah cultural preservation and serve as a unique conduit to improve the economic, social, health, and cultural opportunities for local youth and families on St. Helena Island.
Marshview Community Organic Farm provides local youth, ages 8–18, the educational tools and opportunity to improve the health and well-being of the community by learning about organic farming, sustainable agriculture, healthy eating, and the local Gullah culture while building practical career experience, developing entrepreneurial skills, and promoting a pervasive spirit of lovingkindness, volunteerism, and philanthropy; to empower our community through education, and celebration of the land and the protection of its resources; to produce healthy, and sustainable food, support local economies, create economic growth and development, generational wealth, and preserve and protect our cultural heritage.
The farm is used as a conduit to improve the economic, social, health, spiritual, and cultural opportunities for local youth and adults through the “Young Farmers & Chefs of the Lowcountry” training programs. This is implemented through the following programs:
• Organic Farming Practice
• Gullah Cooking School
• Family Back Yard Garden boxes
• St. Helena Island Home Repair Program
• Home Cooked Meals Program
• Mini Marketplace
• De Gullah Way Tutorial
• Gullah Cultural Production Project
• The Home Cooked Meals Program
• Basic vocational skills, Bicycle Repair, bird houses, etc.