John Island’s population has doubled in the past decade. | Photo via Lowcountry Land Trust
Lowcountry Land Trust recently acquired Grayson Oaks, a 94-acre property on Johns Island. The investment aims to preserve farmland, maintain the rural character of the area, and provide access to green spaces.
Located off Main and Humbert Roads, the property will serve as an active farm under a lease to local regenerative farmers. Lowcountry Land Trust also plans to create walking trails and host community events on the site.
John Island’s population has doubled in the past decade. | Photo via Lowcountry Land Trust
Photo via Lowcountry Land Trust
Natalie Olson, Sea Islands Program Director at Lowcountry Land Trust, emphasized the project’s role in balancing conservation with public access. “Protecting the Grayson Oaks property reflects our commitment to conserving working land and expanding access to natural spaces,” Olson said in a press release.
The acquisition was supported by funding from multiple sources, including:
$2.9 million from the Charleston County Greenbelt Program
$600,000 from the SC Conservation Bank
$500,000 property sale discount from the former landowner
Events
Events
Friday, Jan. 31 Lowcountry Street Grocery On DI | Through Friday, Feb. 21 | 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | Guggenheim Terrace | Price of purchase | Come get your local goods from Vertical Roots, Tiller Baking Co. Breads, Rio Bertolini Pasta, and more.
Letterpress Printing Valentine Workshop | 6-8 p.m. | 275 Summer Dr., Summerville | $65 | Learn about the art of letterpress printing in a studio filled with antique + vintage printing equipment.
Saturday, Feb. 1 WERQ® Dance Fitness Pop Up Class | 10:15-11:15 a.m. | O2 Fitness Charleston - West Ashley | Free | Open to all, this high-energy workout feels like a party —come dance, sweat, and have fun.
Paint & Sip Event: Camellia’s | 11 a.m.-1 p.m. | The Inn at Middleton Place | $47 | Create your own acrylic painting on canvas; ticket also includes one mimosa and a small charcuterie.
Sunday, Feb. 2 Lowcountry Oyster Festival | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Boone Hall Plantation, Mount Pleasant | $25+ | Don’t miss the world’s largest oyster festival.
The Lottery’s first Scratch-Offs were sold on Jan. 7, 2002. | Photo the SC Education Lottery
Did you know? The South Carolina Education Lottery has been around for 23 years — aka, they’ve been old enough to buy a lottery ticket for five years now. After it was established in June 2001, the first four lottery tickets were bought and scratched on Jan. 7, 2002 at 6 a.m.
Did you know? Johns Island has a new cafe and bar from the team at Island Provisions. The Heyday is located in Hayes Park and offers breakfast and lunch items, and even happy hour deals.
Civic
SC Ports Authority parking lot B, located near Fleet Landing, will soon serve as a parking option for food and beverage workers. Offering ~70 spaces, the lot will operate on a first-come, first-served basis. City officials aim to have it ready for workers in the coming weeks. (WCBD)
Opening
Draper James, Reese Witherspoon’s clothing line, will open its downtown Charleston store on Thursday, Feb. 13, or potentially sooner in the former J. Stark. Draper James was founded in 2015 and had a successful King Street pop-up last summer. (The Post and Courier)
Community
Senior Helps is collaborating with Meals on Wheels and East Cooper Medical Center for a “Dear Senior” Valentine’s Day Card Drive. Decorate a card with a nice message and drop it off at a local Senior Helpers facility by Friday, Feb. 7. (WCBD)
Arts
In honor of Black History Month, the MOJA Arts Festival is hosting three events: a dance performance on Thursday, Feb. 6, a musical and spoken word presentation on Tuesday, Feb. 11, and a concert on Friday, Feb. 12. Get the details. (Charleston City Paper)
Shop
Tiffany & Co., Valentino, and Dolce & Gabbana are among 11 luxury brands featured in the Bal Harbour Shops Access Pop-up Tour, which will have a residency at Ferry Wharf in Mount Pleasant. Running from Feb. 12 to April 4, the pop-up will be open daily and also feature The Whitman Restaurant.
Health
Ready to feel better about your weight-loss goals? Through Hims & Hers, you’ll get the cheapest 12-month GLP-1 plan†, plus expert care and personalized support. From custom medications to snack ideas in the app, it’s all designed just for you. Start your free assessment.*
Fun Fact
Did you know? Interactive play can boost your child’s motor skills, confidence, and cognitive development. At the Children’s Museum of the Lowcountry, little ones can explore hands-on exhibits and learn while having a blast. Here’s what to expect.*
Shop
Save time (and your hands) with these kitchen hacks: this jar opener is great for arthritic joints, while this chicken shredder does the hard shredding work for you.*
†Please note: Comparison based on 12-month plan prices for compounded semaglutide from 12 leading competitors as of December 2024.
Category
Try This
Making our way around town series
City Editor Erika here; I loved taking a workshop inside this neat local shop. | Photo by the CHStoday team
It’s the end of the month, and we’ve hit the ground running exploring Charleston. Here’s a quick recap of what we’ve been up to and how you can experience it yourself.
Workshop at The Paper Canopy
New year, new intentions. City Editor Erika here. I took a class at this downtown stationery shop that combined guided meditation with creative expression. We focused on the emotions we wanted to embody in the new year while crafting a meaningful piece of art. Check out their workshops — the classes are a great way to get your creativity flowing.
New exhibit at IAAM
We met some of the staff at the International African American Museum (IAAM) while exploring its newest exhibition, “Unsettled Things: Art from an African American South.” Featuring 44 works by 28 artists, this exhibit is on display now through Sunday, May 4.
Back Barn
We had the chance to attend the celebration party for Back Barn, the newest event venue at Bedaw Farms in Awendaw. See a snippet of the party.
An organic face scrub and mask with over 10,000 five-star reviews. It’s crafted with manuka honey, orange peel, cehami, and aloe vera to hydrate, brighten, moisturize, and smooth for clearer and more youthful skin.
With the warmer temps, can you believe last week it was a winter wonderland? We asked what you were whipping out during the winter storm and here’s what a few of you said.
Cilantro lime black bean chili — Sallie K.
Stew beef, carrots, onions, and potatoes, with honey rolls — Jennifer H.
Chicken pot pie soup in my Insta-pot and chocolate chip cookies — Donna P.
A wonderful homemade potato soup and some pozole (a traditional Mexican soup) — Candy M.
Vanilla layer cake with cream cheese filling and vanilla bean buttercream frosting — Brandy O.
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