Historic home, property part of Darlington County Ag+Art Tour weekend
By Melissa Rollins, Editor, editor@newsandpress.net
Since 2012, farms all around South Carolina have opened their doors to visitors, showcasing their operations and local artisans as part of the SC Ag + Art Tour. What started with just one county has grown to include 12 of South Carolina’s 46 counties.
Earlier this month, Crazy Blessed Farm in Society Hill took part in the Darlington County tour weekend, welcoming visitors from as far away as Conway.
The property includes several buildings, a home and a cabin in the woods, all dating to around 1803. The main house is known as the Enoch Hanford House or Cedar Lawn and is on the registry of historic homes.
According to the Darlington County Historical Commission:
“Known as Cedar Lawn, it was built about 1803 by Enoch Hanford (1778-1817), who came to the village as a Tutor in St. David’s Academy. He became a Professor in the South Carolina College shortly after it was organized; was later admitted to the bar and practiced in Society Hill. A grandson, Henry Mclver of Cheraw, became Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court. The house has changed hands many times; it was once occupied by Thomas P. Lide, Senator of Darlington District; by Isaac D. Wilson, signer of the Ordinance of Secession; and by Maj. B. D. Townsend, President of the Cheraw and Darlington Railroad Company.”
Joanne and Dwayne ‘Duke’ Duke have owned and run the farm since June of 2016, though they had lived on the property before that.
“My husband is world-class welder,” Joanne said. “I encouraged him to get his teaching certification and he did; we were living in York County at that time. We shot out some resumes just to see and he ended up getting a call from the prison in Bennettsville. We ended up coming over here and he taught for two years. We befriended the people who owned this place, John and Lois Coleman. Once John found out everything that my husband can do, they invited us to stay in their cabin in the woods and renovate the place. We did and we fell in love with the place, of course.”
Joanne said that after renovating the cabin, she and Duke took on other projects leaving the farm behind.
“Duke went on the pipeline and I went to Philadelphia and did a rehab on a house that took about three years,” Joanne said. “During that time, John passed away. Well, Duke was working on the pipeline and I had stashed some money and it was just God’s timing. Lois called us and we came down and put everything together. We all walked around the property together, Lois swung the horse gate open and I swear I heard ‘Welcome Home.’ I didn’t worry about it from then on; I knew everything would work out.”
Joanne said that she had dreamed of owning a farm since she was in her 20’s and the dream finally became a reality.
Shortly after buying the farm Joanne listed it on Airbnb, a website that allows homeowners to rent out rooms or homes to visitors looking for a different traveling experience than a traditional hotel.
“Ultimately I would love to hold holistic retreats and wellness retreats here,” Joanne. “I would still be open to the public and have travelers stay here but I’d love to organize retreats once or twice a month.”
During the Ag + Art Tour, Joanne showed visitors around the property introducing them to all the residents of the farm, including a horse and mule, chickens, ducks and goats. Joanne said that she was so happy to welcome visitors to their property and she hoped to have return visitors.
“I’m from Philadelphia and Duke is a Cajun from Louisiana so we don’t know many people around here,” Joanne said. “We are community oriented and people-loving so the Ag and Art Tour just seemed like a fun thing to be a part of.”