about from the lake us PUBLISHER Vince Johnson EDITOR Kayla Robins COPY EDITORS Rhonda Barrick Melanie Smith WRITERS Sharron Haley Bruce Mills Ivy Moore Kayla Robins Adrienne Sarvis COLUMNISTS Dan Geddings PHOTOGRAPHY Micah Green
second-generation owner of America’s oldest quail farm. My freezer full of quail products can attest to how much we enjoyed talking with Brittney Miller. You’ll also get to meet Ed Paul, a world champion duck caller who is giving back to the state waterfowl association that introduced him to wildlife education. He is helping to organize Summerton’s annual Duckfest, which I have not had the chance to go to yet but am looking forward to exploring. From the Sumter American Legion Fair to the start of alligator hunting season to the tradition of Lilfred’s to a new indoor gun range coming soon, I hope you’ll enjoy what we have for you. Hey, you can even probably sit outside to read it.
KAYLA ROBINS EDITOR OF LAKESIDE
Cary Howard ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS Karen Cave karen@theitem.com Rose Jarrett rose@theitem.com Paige Macloskie paige@theitem.com Mark Pekuri mark@theitem.com
on the cover
Ed Paul sports some of his duck calls with Taw Caw, a 3-year-old Golden Retriever. Photo by Micah Green
also 34 inside 2 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 | LAKESIDE
Summerton Duckfest schedule of events
Sumter American Legion Fair
Micah Green
98 Family fun returns to the Sumter County Fairgrounds for the 102nd year
PUBLICATION DESIGNERS Ryan Galloway
I know it’s a general conversation escape to retreat to talking about the weather, but, man, am I glad fall is here. This will be my second fall in South Carolina, and I’m excited for an actual season. (Coming from Florida, fall is the one week where it changes from meltthe-earth hot to less-hot-winter, sans leaves changing colors. Everything just dies or stays green.) Fall is a lot of people’s favorite season for a lot of reasons. Some are (in my opinion) annoyingly over pumpkinspice-flavored. I love fall because I can be outside and not lose my body weight in sweat. I’m even planning my (newly decided upon) wedding for next fall (yay!) Now that it’s easier to be outside for longer, we have plenty of stories in this magazine about doing just that – and a lot about animals. As you flip through these pages, you’ll get to meet the
44 42 38 36 28 14
Tasty tradition
Lilfred's fine-dining restaurant remains steadfast with husband-wife duo
Taking aim
Ricochet indoor gun range coming soon to Sumter
Season of the alligator
Hunting, harvesting of reptile allowed again with permits
Scene and seen
A glimpse of your world through reader-submitted photos
A call from nature
World-champion duck caller gives back through wildlife education
The Holy Quails
Manchester Farms continues its standard of quality
what’s inside
FEATURE STORIES
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 3
What to do & Where to go BERKELEY • CLARENDON KERSHAW ORANGEBURG • SUMTER
KERSHAW COUNTY
Camden native Patrick Davis and his Midnight Choir with special guests Joal Rush and Josh McCaa will perform at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 7, on the Town Green, 1015 Market St., Camden. Gates will open at 6 p.m. In the event of rain, the location will be changed to Wood Auditorium, 810 Lyttleton St. Tickets: $20 adult; $10 youth (ages 6 and under free); or $50 VIP, which includes tented seating, two drink tickets, access to a cash bar and a meet and greet with the performers. No outside food or beverages. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. Lawn chairs and/or blankets are recommended. Call the Fine Arts Center at (803) 425-7676 or visit www.fineartscenter.org. The South Carolina Hunter Jumper Association will hold their Foothills Camden Fall Classic Friday-Sunday, Sept. 14-16, at the South Carolina Equine Park, 443 Cleveland School Road, Camden. For details, contact Janet Black at (828) 606-0708 or email threesprings@windstream. net. Visit the website at www.schja.org. The 9th Annual Springdale 5K, benefiting the Health and Homeless initiatives in Kershaw County operated by the United Way, will be held on Saturday, Sept. 15, at Steeplechase, 200
Knights Hill Road, Camden. The run/walk will begin at 8 a.m., followed by a 10 a.m. awards ceremony. Bring the entire family and enjoy free waffles provided by the Camden Huddle House, as well as a bounce house and pony rides. Visit www.springdale5k.com. Contact Nicholas Julian at (803) 432-0951 or email nicholasjulian@uwkc.net. The Four Corners of the World International Festival of Kershaw County will be held 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15, at the Camden City Arena, 420 Broad St. Bring the entire family out to enjoy music, international cuisine, ice cream, arts and crafts, drummers, dancers and more. Admission is free. Call (803) 432 6902, extension 323, or email charris@alphacentersc.com. Visit www.thealphacentersc.org.
Jam for the Soul, a musical fundraising event for Food for the Soul soup kitchen and homeless shelter, will be held 3-9 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22, at the Town Green, 1015 Market St., Camden. Rocking the stage will be Reggie Sullivan Band, Jim Hayes & Friends, Ambush and Elevate. Entertaining will also include Dancin’ on Broad, Dance Extraordinaire, KFA Dance and more. Tickets: $20 adults; $15 for military or seniors age 65 and older; free for under age 12. Featured food will include Dave’s BBQ, Ashley’s, Gadgets, Pizza for Pyros and more. Chairs and blankets are encouraged as well as food donations for the shelter. No coolers or pets. Call (803) 432-4771
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or visit www.foodforthesoulkc.org. The Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County will hold a Lip Sync Battle at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22, at the Wood Auditorium. Tickets will be $20 each. Call the Fine Arts Center at (803) 4257676 or visit www.fineartscenter.org. The 22nd Annual Carolina Downhome Blues Festival will be held Thursday-Saturday, Oct. 4-6, at various venues in downtown Camden. Known for its variety of blues styles from all over the world, this year’s festival will feature Travis Moonchild Haddix, Beverly Guitar Watkins, Drink Small, Keeshea Pratt Band, Shrimp City Slim and many, many more. Cost: Thursday, $15; Friday and Saturday, $20; or weekend pass, $40. Call the Fine Arts Center at (803) 425-7676 or visit www.fineartscenter.org. Hurricane Hike and Tribute to Military Concert featuring South Carolina’s own Edwin McCain will be held on Saturday, Oct. 13, at the Camden City Arena, 420 Broad St. The Tribute to Military Concert will follow the South Carolina State Guard’s annual 10K endurance hike through Camden. Local businesses and food vendors will set up booths outside the arena. Local band Sea Bolt will open for Edwin McCain and will play from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., when Edwin McCain takes the stage. Tickets to this family friendly event are $35 and available through Eventbrite. Contact Lt. Georgia Keith at (864) 415-9010 or email georgia.keith@sg.sc.gov. Visit www.eventbrite.com/e/tribute-to-military-concert-featuring-edwin-mccain-tickets-48039520499. “A Song for Coretta,” an NiA Theatre Company production, will be performed Thursday-Sunday, Oct. 18-21, at the Fine Arts Center of Kershaw County, 810 Lyttleton St., Camden. On Feb. 6, 2006, at the end of a long line of mourners for the late Coretta Scott King, widow of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., five people express their thoughts on her passing as they share memories of her extraordinary life. Show times will be 7 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday. Call the Fine Arts Center at (803) 425-7676 or visit www.fineartscenter.org.
day, Oct. 20, at Blue Sky Arabians Farm, 1262 Brewers Springs Road, Camden. More than 800 dogs were rescued in 2018, and this could be the biggest year yet. There will be a full bar, wonderful food, live music by Landslide, silent auction and more. Sponsorship packages are available. Email fosteringfoster@ yahoo.com or call (803) 900-0369. Visit www.fosteringfoster. com/barndance/.
SUMTER COUNTY The Sumter County Museum will hold a Backcountry Living History Class on weaponry and cooking from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8, at 122 N. Washington St. In addition to instruction, included in the class will be backcountry costumes and free admission to the museum for students and family on class day. Fees for each class are $15 for museum members of $20 for non-members. Must be at least 8 years old and have consent forms signed by parent or guardian. Call (803) 775-0908 or visit www.sumtercountymuseum.org. The Sumter County Library’s Forrest Ray 5K will be held from 8 to 9 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15. Visit www.sumtercountylibrary.org. You do not want to miss Sumter Green’s Fall Feast on Thursday, Sept. 20, at the USC Sumter Nettles Building, 200 Miller Road. From 6 to 8:30 p.m., you will have the opportunity to enjoy all-you-caneat local favorites from more than 25 vendors. Bad Water will provide music. Tickets are $35 in advance or $45 at the event (if available). Tickets are available at the Swan Lake Visitor’s Center via cash or card and at Carnivore Butcher & Bottle via cash and check only. Don’t miss the Heart of Sumter Neighborhood Association’s 12th Annual Art in the Park 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22, at Memorial Park. There will be more than 100 vendors at this year’s event as well as musical artist Will Jenkinson, food, beverages and free children’s arts and crafts activities.Visit hsnasumtersc.com.
The 4th Annual Barn Dance will be held 6-9 p.m. on Satur-
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An annual favorite, the Sumter American Legion Fair will be held Tuesday-Sunday, Sept. 25-30, at the Sumter fairgrounds, corner of Liberty Street and Artillery Drive. Take the family out to enjoy the food, entertainment and exciting rides. Visit https://www.facebook.com/ events/422109401566531/. Paula Cole, a Grammy Award winner, will perform at the Sumter Opera House at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29. Paula first broke into the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 in 1997 with “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” and has grown and expanded through the years to include songs that are reminiscent of such artists as Bob Dylan, John Coltrane and Billie Holliday. Tickets are $35, $32 and $29. Visit http://www.sumtersc.gov/ paula-cole-concert-2018-09-29. One of Downtown Sumter’s most anticipated events, the Porches of Sumter 2018 will be held 6-9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 4. Local cooks and caterers will be located on porches and patios throughout the beautiful downtown historic district. Enjoy a sampling of wonderful food and beverages while visiting some of Sumter’s most beautiful historic homes. Tombfield Road and Tom Ross and friends will provide live music at the Sumter County Cultural Center Complex/Patriot Hall, 135 Haynsworth St. Tickets are $30 in advance and $40 at the door (if available). Tickets are limited and have sold out the past two years. Contact Nicole Bailey at nicole@sumterchamber.com. Ambrosia, a band known and loved by a multitude of fans since the 1970s, will perform at the Sumter Opera House at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 4. Ambrosia has previously toured with such well-known acts as Fleetwood Mac, Heart and the Doobie Brothers. Tickets are $40 and $35. Visit http://www.sumtersc. gov/ambrosia-2018-10-04. Ranky Tanky with the Huntertones will perform in concert on Friday, Oct. 5, at the Sumter Opera House. The Huntertones will open the evening at 7:30 p.m. Ranky Tanky is comprised of South Carolina natives Quentin Baxter, Kevin Hamilton, Charlton Singleton, Clay Ross and celebrated vocalist Quiana Parler. If jazz is your thing, you are in for a real treat. Tickets are $28, $25 and $20. Visit http://www.sumtersc.gov/ranky-tankywith-the-huntertones-2018-10-05. The Head Turnerz Car & Truck Show will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 20, at the Sumter VFW Post 3034, 1925 Gion St. This show is open to all makes, models and years. There is a $20 registration fee. Shade on site and a nice grassy show setting. Good food and drinks will be available on site. Call David Dury at (803) 316-1052 or Lisa Davey at (803) 673-1428.
6 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 | LAKESIDE
CLARENDON COUNTY Main Street Manning’s annual Farm to Table event will be held on Sept. 18 in the courtyard at the offices of Land Parker & Welch, 29 S. Mill St. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce, 19 N. Brooks St., Manning, or at Land Parker & Welch. The Blessing of the Harvest, a community celebration of the many blessings God has given us, will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 27, at 5689 Governor Richardson Road, Summerton. Bring a covered dish, a chair, a friend and a grateful heart. The 12th Annual Charity Golf Classic for 2nd Chance Animal Shelter will be held at the Player’s Course at Wyboo on Saturday, Sept. 29. Call (803) 473-7075. The Taste of Clarendon will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 4, at the National Guard Armory, 2883 Raccoon Road, Manning. Call the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce at (803) 435-4405 for information. The 2018 Duck Fest will be held on Saturday, Oct. 13, in Summerton. This event will feature a duck calling contest, run/walk, cookoff, live music, children’s art contest, scavenger hunt, parade and more. Call (803) 410-1067 or email duckfestfun@gmail.com. The 16th Francis Marion / Swamp Fox Symposium will be held Friday-Saturday, Oct. 26-27, at the FE DuBose Campus, Central Carolina Technical College, 3351 Sumter Highway, Manning. Explore the Revolutionary War Southern Campaign with Francis Marion. Register early. Visit www.francismarionsymposium.com.
ORANGEBURG COUNTY The Bowman Harvest Festival will be held Sept. 7 in the town of Bowman. The festival typically features a beauty pageant, parade, vendors and more. Call (803) 829-2666 for more details. The Town of Elloree will hold its Fall Trash to Treasures event from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22. You won’t want to miss this town-wide yard sale featuring street vendors, quaint shops and more. Call Elloree Town Hall at (803) 897-2821. The first-ever Orangeburg Food Truck and Craft Beer Festival will be held from noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22, in the parking lot at 1039 Broughton St. There will be food trucks and vendors of all kinds set up. Advance tickets are $5 or $8 at
the door. Children 12 and under are admitted for free. Raylrode Daze Festival, celebrating the history of being the oldest railroad junction in the world with a parade, music, arts and crafts and more, will be held Sept. 23-30, in Branchville. Call Tom Jennings at (803) 274-8831 or (803) 274-8876. Visit www.raylrodedazefestival.com to view the events schedule. Everybody loves a fair!The Orangeburg County Fair will be held Oct. 2-7 at the Orangeburg County Fairgrounds. Call (803) 5340358 or visit www.orangeburgcountyfair.org for the schedule.
FLORENCE COUNTY The Greater Pee Dee State Fair & Expo will be held Sept. 6-16, at the Florence Center, 3300 W. Radio Drive, Florence. This new 11-day fair will feature major attractions, mega thrill rides and world-class amusements. The fair will encompass the entire grounds at the Florence Center with kiddie rides, family rides, thrill rides and more. Some of the feature national talent will include Kachunga & the Alligator Show; Pirates of the Colombian Caribbean, an aerial high wire show; comedy shows; magic shows; FARM-ily FEUD Game Show; and Survivor Family Game Show. Fair admission: $7 for adults; $3 for children 12 years or younger. Adults can purchase advance tickets for $5 at www.florencefair.com. The South Carolina Tobacco Festival, a three-day event featuring barbecue cookoff, live entertainment, kid’s zone, yard sale, 5K and golf tournament, will be held Thursday-Saturday, Sept. 13-15, in Lake City. Visit http://www.lakecitysc.org/sc-tobacco-festival/ for events schedule and more. “For the Streets By the Streets Car & Bike Show” will be held beginning at noon on Saturday, Sept. 29, in the parking lot of the Florence Center, 3300 W. Radio Drive, Florence. Event will feature sound competition, food vendors, beer and wine garden, music and more. Performing live will be Derez De’Shon, VooDoo Child, Buddah Ratt and more. Cost is $20. For sponsors and vendors information, call (732) 268-9209 or (843) 2068001. For vehicle registration, call (808) 597-9404 or (803) 287-0133. The Florence 2018 Oktoberfest will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 13, on the 100 block of South Dargan Street. Activities will include an all-breed dog costume contest, Weenie and Almost a Weenie Dog Races, beer stein races, beer barrel races and the ceremonial keg tapping to kick everything off. There will be
an array of authentic German food, beer and wines. Admission is free. Beer and food tickets can be purchased at the ticket booth. The Chamber’s Kickin’ Chicken & Chili Wing Fest will be held from 5 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 19, on the 100 block of South Dargan Street. The streets of downtown Florence shut down for a night of fun, wings, chili, brews and live music.
S.C. GUN AND KNIFE SHOWS Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 8-9, Exchange Park Fairgrounds, 9850 Highway 78, Ladson. Show hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $8 per person and children under 12 years of age admitted free. Visit www.mkshows. com. Contact Mike Kent at (770) 630-7296 or email mike@mkshows.com. Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 15-16, Western Carolina Fairgrounds, 1566 Columbia Highway North, Aiken. Show hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $8 per person and children age 12 and under admitted free. Visit Great American Promotions LLC at www.greatamericanpromotionsllc.com or call (865) 453-0074. Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 22-23, Civic Center, 3300 W. Radio Drive, Florence. Show hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $8 per person and children under 12 years of age admitted free. Visit www.mkshows.com. Contact Mike Kent at (770) 630-7296 or email mike@mkshows. com. Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 13-14, TD Convention Center, 1 Exposition Drive, Greenville. Show hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $8 per person or $6 with military identification, children ages 12 and under admitted free with an adult. Visit the South Carolina Arms Collectors Association at https://www.scgunshows.com. Call (803) 463-9377 or email scacadirector@aol.com.
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8 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 | LAKESIDE
102 years.
Family fun returns to the fairgrounds for the 102nd year By Ivy Moore
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 9
ABOVE PHOTO BY NANCY BYER/ COVER PHOTO BY NANCY BYER
For the last six days of September, the night sky over western Sumter will glow with neon and flashing lights, and the scents of cotton candy, sausage dogs and the famous french fries from the Potato House will permeate the air. 10 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 | LAKESIDE
E
xcited shouts from the midway of the 102nd Sumter American Legion Fair will be heard daily Sept. 25 - 30 at the fairgrounds on the corner of West Liberty Street and Artillery Drive. Perhaps the most anticipated event of the fall, the fair returns with traditional and new features, said Nick Nero, chairman of the American Legion Post 15 fair committee. “We’re bringing back the horse, cattle and sheep shows,” Nero said, “thanks to the efforts of Dr. Lynn Hawkins, who got a group of citizens together to put on the shows. They’re being presented in conjunction with the fair.” Hawkins is a retired large animal veterinarian. For the fourth consecutive year, Reithoffer Shows will provide the midway of rides, foods and carnival attractions for the fair, Nero said. Look for the giant Ferris wheel, also known as a Dutch wheel, to be most
visible at night to provide excellent views of Sumter. “All the feedback we’ve gotten from those attending the fairs has been positive,” he said. “We had an especially good ride turnout last year. This year, we’ll have bigger and even better rides.” In addition to the midway, Nero said, the fair will have exciting exhibits and entertainment. A beauty pageant at the Sumter County Civic Center, which will also host entertainment by bands, dancers, cloggers and others, will be surrounded by exhibits from various local organizations and businesses. There will be an extensive quilt show, and, for the first time, a category for model building. Other exhibits include taxidermy and woodworking. Farm and garden produce, fancy work, baked goods and canned items will be judged and displayed. “All the things that make a fair a
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SUMTER ITEM ARCHIVIST SAMMY WAY
fair,” Nero said. The Council of Garden Clubs of Sumter has selected “South Carolina Gems” as its 2018 design theme. Flower show chairman Terry Newman said the sub-categories include “Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Camden, Swan Lake, timber and peaches.”
The annual fair art show, like the flower show, will be on exhibit in the fair building at the south end of the fair itself, Nero said. Artwork by both adult and youth artists will be judged and displayed. Entertainment will include a “motorcycle thrill show, the Ninja Expe-
BarrySignaturepg2.qxp_Layout 1 5/21/18 1:43 PM Page 1
rience and a monster truck show,” he said. “Fairgoers can ride on the monster truck minibus. It’s free to the public,” with admission to the fair, as is all the entertainment. An expanded petting zoo will fill the former swine barn and will include some exotic animals like
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zebras and llamas, Nero said. He thinks fairgoers will be drawn to the “bacon truck, where all the dishes are garnished with bacon. Bacon always makes something good. Walker will have the best sausage on the midway. He makes his own from a special family recipe. “All the old-time favorites will be back. The American Legion commit-
tee works hard to give everyone a good experience. Fairs are dying all over the state, but Sumter continues to present a good show. We’re expecting a great fair.” Admission to the Sumter County Fair by American Legion Post 15 Inc. is the same as last year. Opening day admission will be $5 for everyone and every day for seniors and mili-
tary and dependents. Those under 6 will be admitted free, and fairgoers from 6 to 64 will pay $8. Advance ride passes are on sale now and cost $20 at Piggly Wiggly and some other outlets; they’re $25 on the fairgrounds.
For more information, visit www.sumterfair.com.
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THE HOLY QUAILS Story by Adrienne Sarvis Photos by Micah Green
14 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 | LAKESIDE
N
earing its 50th year of operation, Manchester Farms, America’s oldest quail farm, continues to provide the same quality of product as it did decades ago. Since the 1970s, the farm has expanded its operations and now ships its products, fresh and frozen, to retailers and restaurants across the country, including Las Vegas, California, Miami and New York. Locally, Manchester Farms quail meat and quail eggs can be found in Kroger, BI-LO, Piggly Wiggly, Harris Teeter and IGA. Brittney Miller, second-generation owner and operator of the farm alongside her husband and brother, is just as passionate about providing consumers with the same quality of product as her father who started the business years ago, proving that passion is the driving force behind the family’s success. “IT’S YOUR ALL-AMERICAN HOMEGROWN BUSINESS” Manchester Farms started in the 1970s with Bill Odom, a former flock supervisor for Campbell Soup Co. in Sumter who was offered a promotion to the corporate office in New Jersey for his great skill. He raised the birds the best they had ever seen naturally and without antibiotics, Miller said. Odom turned down the offer to work up North to stay true to his Southern roots and to make his own way in the poultry business. An avid quail hunter, Odom used his skills in poultry husbandry and degree in poultry science from Clemson University to raise quail to train his bird
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 15
dogs. After a while, his flock grew, and the neighbors said if he dressed the birds, they would eat them, Miller said. “And literally it started in the backyard on the picnic table,” she said. Manchester Farms was founded in 1974 in Dalzell, making it the oldest quail farm in the country.
in Hopkins; and a headquarters office on Garners Ferry Road. In the old world of poultry, businesses usually contracted everything out,
EXPANDING THE FARM The farm moved from Dalzell to Hopkins after Hurricane Hugo touched land in 1989. Miller said her father had already purchased the land in Hopkins where the processing plant and hatchery is currently located, but the hurricane sped up the moving process. Manchester Farms now has three farm locations: one near St. Matthews and two north of Camden; a processing facility and hatchery — built in 2007 —
putting the risk on the land owner and grower, Miller said. But she and her brother, who purchased the farm from their parents in 2008, decided to create the most
sound program by staying involved and surrounding themselves with people of the same passion.
THE FLOCK “It’s in your blood,” said Miller, who also has a degree in poultry science from Clemson. She remembered inspecting the barns with her father on Saturday and Sunday mornings as a child. “When you’re a farmer, it never stops,” she said. But the Manchester Farms family and the love for the business extends far past blood relations. “We have 100 families that rely on this farm,” Miller said. It’s magical to see all the passion that everyone has, she said. Miller said one of the most beautiful things is two of the managers are vegetarians who are with the birds every day of the week. That’s how much people love working here, she said.
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“IT’S WHAT WE HANG OUR HAT ON: QUALITY, SAFETY AND PRIDE” Almost 50 years after its humble start, the farm is still committed to maintaining the same ode of respect to raising quail safely and humanely without antibiotics and stress, Miller said. Consumers can be confident that the products they purchase this year are consistent with the products they purchased 40 years ago, she said. Manchester Farms’ processing procedures meet USDA and FDA regulations even though quail is not regulated under the USDA because they are considered game birds. To ensure the quality of its products, the farm has partnered with South Carolina State to participate in a program to inspect its quail. And, Manchester Farms is also the only quail farm in America that falls within the Global Food Safety Initiative, which makes sure food products from around the world meet the same standards, Miller said. To be honest, she said, Manchester Farms is not the least expensive, but other farms don’t undergo the same inspections.
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“It’s a choice that we make, and we know it costs more,” she said, “but we think it’s the right choice.”
BIBLICAL ROOTS Manchester Farms raises Pharaoh quail from Egypt. Miller said Pharaoh quail has a biblical context and referenced the story in the Bible when God sent the Israelites quail while they were traveling through the desert with Moses. There is also a story of a Japanese emperor from hundreds of years ago who was told by a shaman to eat quail for 30 days to be healed from his illness, and it supposedly worked, Miller said. One Pharaoh quail has about 22 grams of protein, and one quail egg has the same amount of protein as five chicken eggs, she said. Maybe, she said, the nutritional value is connected to the biblical story and God’s intention to take care of the people in the desert.
NEARLY 50 YEARS OF SCIENCE Farming is managing risk at the end of the day, Miller said, especially when dealing with animals. To reduce as much risk as possible, decades of hatching chicks has been recorded and input into to an incubation system that simulates mother nature and the mother hen. All those years of trial and error have resulted in Manchester Farms knowing the exact day chicks will hatch. About every two weeks, 100,000 fertilized eggs are placed in an incubator for 14 days. The racks inside the incubator sit at an angle and shift every hour to simulate the hen sitting on the eggs, Miller said. If the eggs sit still for too long, the yolk will stick to the side of the egg 18 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 | LAKESIDE
Brittney Miller, second-generation owner and operator of Manchester Farms at one of their properties outside of Sumter County.
and the chick won’t hatch, she said. The eggs are set on a Monday, transferred two Mondays later and hatch on a Thursday. Of the 100,000 eggs, about 85,000 hatch, Miller said. In the wild, 5,000 to 10,000 eggs out of 100,000 would hatch, and, even then, there are numerous risk factors such as weather and predators including fire ants, she said. “They have it coming from
every angle,” she said. After hatching, the chicks will go to one of the 400-footlong barns for six weeks, or an average of 40 days, while they reach maturity.
FROM FARM TO TABLE After the birds reach maturity, they are taken to the processing facility in Hopkins where they are
cleaned, deboned, seasoned and packaged. Deboned, one bird usually weighs about 4 ounces. A chicken can weigh 8-10 pounds depending on the breed, Miller said. Once the birds have been cleaned, a team of four women debones the quail, each person working on a different part of the bird. The team of four can debone about 100 quails in an hour by hand without ripping the skin or bruising the meat,
Miller said. “It is an artistry,” she said. Manchester also has a bone-in product — the quail is butterflied open to lay flat on a grill. The next step is preparing the birds for easy cooking. If you’ve never had quail before, cooking it may be the most intimidating thing, Miller said. To make things one step easier for the consumer, Manchester Farms seasons its quail through a vacuum tumble process where the birds are marinated in a brine solution that contains a little bit of spice. Miller said the brine solution, which is a kind of a unique identifier for Mancherter Farms’ products, was created by her father and the man behind the Hardee’s biscuit formula. On its own, the flavor of quail is a blend between chicken breast and a little bit of thigh but it’s not gamey like most people would think, Miller said. When it comes to cooking the quail, she said chefs tend to sauté, grill, stuff and roast the meat. Or you can just put it on the grill, four minutes on
each side, and chow down, she said.
EGGS-PERTLY PICKED AND PACKAGED A growing part of the farm’s retail, the sale of nonfertile eggs has seen a rise in the past five years, according to Miller. Each egg is hand-collected every day, and more than 200,000 are hand-packed each a week, which equals about 13
After being hand selected, the eggs are kept in massive climate and humidity controlled incubation units until they hatch. SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 19
million eggs a year, she said. The eggs are also checked by hand for cracks because the speckles make it harder to see damage compared to white eggs, she said. “Quail egg shells are like snowflakes,” Miller said, “There’s no two that are the same.” It’s kind of like a fingerprint, she said. Miller said the farm has also been blessed by a rabbi and sells kosher eggs.
THE WORLD’S PERFECT VITAMIN PACK Miller said quail eggs are a favorite among fitness fanatics because of the high amounts of protein and vitamins in such small portions. She said her parents have also seen improvements in their health from regularly eating quail eggs. The eggs may also have health benefits for animals, Miller said. One customer regularly buys quail eggs for his dogs to alleviate their allergy symptoms, she said. Miller said quail eggs also bring a richer flavor to a recipe. Nine times out of 10, anyone who has eaten a brownie made with quail eggs will notice a difference, she said.
ELLIOTT’S LANDING & CAMPGROUND 2010 Elliott’s Landing Rd. Pinewood, SC 29125
(803) 452-5336
Located On Lake Marion At Rimini
• 30/50 Amp Power Box • 47 Campsites • Full Hookups • Remodeled Showers • 300 ft. Fishing Pier • Camp Store On Site • FREE Wi-Fi 9am-6pm Tues.-Sat. • www.elliottslandingandcampground.com Alice Weathersbee, Owner 20 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 | LAKESIDE
Est. 1983
Guignard Feed Store
Come see us for all your feed and tack needs. High-End Dog Food • Pet Supplies • Nutrena (chicken, horse & cow) Feed Goat and Hog Feeds and Horse Tack Supplies
1208 S. Guignard Dr. • Sumter, SC • 803.775.9497 Est. 1983
A SHIFTING MARKET There are two consumers in the quail market: the people who grew up hunting quail and the new foodie community, Miller said. Quail is a niche market and tends to fluctuate with the economy, she said. “We are definitely a nicety, not a necessity item,” she said. But the rising popularity of TV chefs and the growing popularity of home delivery meal kits like Hello Fresh and Blue Apron is introducing more people to quail, Miller said. She said there is definitely a resurgence of chefs interested in quail, farm-to-table meals and a desire to know where food comes from. More consumers are now recognizing the importance of being thoughtful about their food, Miller said, but this is what Manchester Farms has always been about.
CALLING ALL DUCKS
Duckfest Pageant
Saturday, September 8
ONE BIRD, TWO BIRDS, THREE BIRDS, FOUR
75,000
Birds processed each week by Manchester Farms; about 4 million processed each year
85,000
Chicks hatched at Manchester Farms every two weeks
13 million
Non-fertilized eggs Manchester Farms sells each year
1
Number of eggs laid by each hen at Manchester Farm every 36 hours
Sat. Oct 6th Events
• Duckfest Fall Open Bass Tournament • The Duck Cup Sporting Clays Tournament At Featherhorn Farm
Sat. Oct 13th Events
• 5k Color Run & Fun Duck Run • Meat Calling Contest • Cookoff & Concert • And so much more
Summerton Duckfest Contact Us For Vendor Space or Sponsorships
803-410-1067 • duckfestfun@gmail.com SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 21
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803-433-0060 40 N. Mill St • Manning • 803-433-0060
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 23
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SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 25
& Leisure Life
in Manning Tommy Rowland President
Santee embroidery inc Quality Logos on Quality Apparel companycasuals.com/santee 828 Bass Drive P.O. Box 973 Santee, SC 29142
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6
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TO LIST YOUR BUSINESS ON THIS PAGE CALL 803.435.4716 OR 803.464.8917 26 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 | LAKESIDE
Left to right: Judy Fry, CNM, Thomas Chappell, CNM, Monica Ploetzke, MD and Steven B. Tollison, MD
Growing to Meet the Health Needs of Women in our Community. McLeod Women’s Care Clarendon is growing to meet the ongoing need for advanced women’s care in our community. We are pleased to welcome Monica Ploetzke, MD to our team of dedicated professionals. Dr. Ploetzke joins Dr. Steven Tollison and our Certified Nurse Midwives in providing a full range of services using the latest technology and techniques. Specializing in:
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McLeod Women’s Care Clarendon 50 East Hospital Street, Suite 4A, Manning, SC 29102 (803) 433-0797
McLeodHealth.org SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 27
A call from nature
Story by Kayla Robins Photos by Micah Green
Duckfest organizer and duck call world champion Ed Paul uses his love of hunting, fishing and the outdoors to give back through education and conservation at the place where it all started.
28 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 | LAKESIDE
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 29
C
rickets and the rippling of feet wading through water are the loudest noises out there. For now. As Ed Paul crouches down next to 3-year-old Taw Caw, the younger of his two Labrador retrievers, who would usually be on a table-like stand but is tromping around in the muddy water for the sake of this photo shoot, the gold light from the soon-to-set sun hits his face and bounces off his necklace of colorful instruments that siren for ducks. Some are plastic, some wood, some (his favorite) are handmade. And he knows a thing or two about duck calls, evidenced by his Junior World Championship title from 1999, the first year he competed, and his leadership role in organizing the first official regional contest during this year’s Duckfest in Summerton. He picks one up, holding it as if making a megaphone out of
“ "
You’re in God’s creation. There’s no judgement. - Ed Paul
his hand. Suddenly, it’s as if there are ducks piercing the airwaves around his Summteron home.
Waterfront like you have never experienced before on Lake Marion! Fishing shack with a million dollar view. 1br,1ba with screened porch that sits out over the water. Large deck for cooking out and long pier attached to deck. Sandy bottom waterfront, boat ramp shared with neighbor. Huge live oaks shading the area. Add a second story for more SF. Or, move in a tiny home! Great rental potential. $139,900
Set on the northern Taw Caw Creek tip of Lake Marion, Paul’s lakefront home gives him the
space he has sought out since he was 12. Paul is the director of education programs and
Just around the corner is Lake Marion! If you are looking for an affordable home close to fishing, boating, and casual living on 1 acre of your own land, this is it! This Horton 14' wide w/2br, 2ba, age 2001. Enjoy morning coffee on your screened front porch. Then take a walk around the block and enjoy the lake view and breezes. $67,500
marketing at the South Carolina Waterfowl Association. The 30-year-old organization promotes state wildlife heritage through education and habitat conservation, and he attended its Camp Woodie as a teenager. He has always loved being outdoors, hunting, fishing. “You’re in God’s creation. There’s no judgement,” he said, looking out over his own patch of backyard greenery and marshy water. Paul said he was able to find himself outdoors and in the fresh air, something his father introduced him to. It’s like the best career fair ever. Going outside, figuring out who you are, what your small place is in this massive world by realizing you can make a difference. Once he outgrew the camper status at Woodie, he spent time as a counselor in training, camp counselor, shooting instructor, wood duck technician,
Beautiful Palm Trees & sandy beach are just a couple of the many features in this home. Nice dock w/sliding board. 5 Bedrooms, 3 Bathrooms w/large open kitchen, dining and living area. The sunroom is lined w/windows overlooking the lake; perfect for dining & entertaining guests. 3 Bedrooms and 2 Baths are located upstairs w/a sitting area; perfect for computer gaming. Large utility room w/storage. $439,000
LAKE MARION REALTY (803) 433-7355 • 1830 Greeleyville Hwy • Manning, SC • www.LakeMarionRealty.net
30 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 | LAKESIDE
“
“
Man always kills the thing he loves. And so we the pioneers have killed our wilderness. Some say we had to. Be that as it may, I am glad I shall never be young without wild country to be young in.
"
– Aldo Leopold, The Green Lagoons, A Sand County Almanac
agricultural technician and waterfowl hunting guide. After going to Francis Marion University to play baseball, Paul graduated with a business degree with a management focus and took a job at a chemical plant. “It was good money, but there was more concrete than green,” he said. So, when a full-time position as the Camp Woodie director presented itself to Paul in 2011, he made sure not to let it fly away. He said when he got there, only about 280 kids went to camp each year. This year, they had 1,125 campers and reached more than 7,000 students through school-year environmental education programming, which he helped open as Camp Leopold – named after Aldo Leopold, the philosopher and conservationist
Santee Associates Realty Great team of Real Estate professionals ready to help you buy/sell your Lake Marion (North & South Shore) property.
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known as the father of wildlife ecology who penned the idea of land ethic. “When I think of what I got from Camp Woodie, what it’s done for me,” Paul said as he ended his thought there. I didn’t need him to finish the sentence. •••••••••••• Paul may be spending valuable hours educating the next generation about habitat conservation and guiding groups around South Carolina’s wildlife, but he also finds time to both compete in and organize duck calling contests. A call used in a contest is different than one used for actual hunting, he said. It’s more like a musical instrument. “Contest calls reach a whole other octave, and it’s just a whole other level,” he said. “You’re riding it as hard as it can go.” Winning an official regional is the path to the world championship, which Paul won in 1999. This year, the Duckfest Swamp Fox Regional Duck Calling Contest is the first time it is an official regional. He said he expects 10-15 contestants from a few different states. Seven is small. The 2018 edition of the thirdannual Summerton Duckfest Festival will mostly take place on Saturday, Oct. 13, but an open team bass tournament and a sporting clays tournament will be on Saturday, Oct. 6. By the time those tournaments kick off, the Miss Duckfest Pageant will have taken place on Sept. 8 at the Summerton Cultural Arts Center. “The events our committee has planned will offer activities for everyone and will showcase the great things Summerton has to offer to our county and visitors,” said Mac Bagnal, Summerton Duckfest chairman. Whether he is organizing duck call contests, calling them for real with Taw Caw and Duke, the veteran 11-year-old Labrador retriever, educating students by the thousands or playing in the dirt with his two sons, Edsel and Logan (they’ve grabbed onto the love of nature in imitation of their father), Paul is at home in the nature that surrounds him. You could say it’s his calling. 32 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 | LAKESIDE
BY THE NUMBERS
22,300
Wood duck nest boxes installed by the South Carolina Waterfowl Association across the state
950,000 155,000 390
Ducklings produced from the nest boxes
Songbirds hatched from the nest boxes
Acres of the SCWA Wildlife Education Center
1,080
Youth that can come to Camp Woodie each summer as of a 2015 expansion
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 33
2018 Summerton Duckfest Festival Schedule of Events SATURDAY, OCT. 6 The Duck Cup Sporting Clays Tournament
Duckfest Fall Open Team Bass Tournament
Where: John C. Land III Boating and Sports Fishing Facility, Greenall Road, Summerton When: Blast off at safe light; weigh in at 3 p.m. Entry fee: $150 plus $10 optional big fish ($25 late fee after Sept. 29) Prizes: $5,000 guaranteed first place; Prizes at weigh in
Where: Featherhorn Farms, 7011 Gov. Richardson Road, Pinewood When: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Prizes: Awarded at the end of the tournament
Our people have your interests at heart. The Litchfield Company prides itself on our people’s knowledge and passion for the area. Whether you’re searching for a new home or listing a property, we will take the time to get to know you and ensure your complete satisfaction. It’s one of the many reasons families and friends return to us again and again, generation after generation.
, It s not
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PARTY without THE PIG
Call the sales executives who love the Lakecountry as much as you do.
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34 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 | LAKESIDE
36 Sunset Drive • Manning, SC 29102 Main: (803) 433-2118 Deli: (803) 433-8544 Pharmacy: (803) 433-2412
SATURDAY, OCT. 13 Duckfest 5K Color Run
Where: Main Street, downtown Summerton When: 8 a.m. Awards: Downtown Register: www.simplytiming.com *Certified course by Strictly Running of Columbia and Timed by Simply Timing of Conway * Proceeds go to cancer research
Line-up at 2:30 p.m. at First Citizens Bank in Summerton Parade starts at 3 p.m.
Where: Downtown at 1 p.m.
Duckfest Swamp Fox Regional Duckfest Art Contest Duck Calling Contest Art displays will be located at the
Where: Main Street When: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Prizes: First place guaranteed $1,000; cash and prizes awarded for second and third place Jr. Meat Style Division: Over $750 in cash and prizes Open Meat Division: Over $750 in cash and prizes
The Fun Duck Run:
“The Race for the Rest of Us” Where: Main Street and North Cantey Street Distance: Half-mile When: 10-10:45 a.m. Contact: Bucky Brailsford at publicworksdirector@summerton.com Duckfest parade
Duckfest Cornhole Tournament
Duckfest Cook-off with live music
Where: Main Street When: 5:30 p.m. Tickets: $20 to include admission and voting tickets
Lake Marion Artisans Guild and other businesses in downtown Summerton
Duckfest Instagram Scavenger Hunt
When: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Details will be posted on the Summerton Duckfest Facebook page closer to the event
Other events and activities
Archery demonstration/turkey shoot. Dog retrieving demonstration. Food, craft and information vendors. Kids’ activities.
Lisa Bair Rentals VACATION & LONGTERM
Whether it’s a week, weekend or year that you’re looking for, we’ve got a rental for you.
Sat October 27, 2018
Registration is available online at: www.runsignup.com/Race/SC/Santee/FortheLoveofAPawHowlOWeen5k Proceeds go to For the Love of a Paw, a non-profit 501(c)(3) animal rescue organization in Elloree, with a mission to work toward management of the domestic animal population in Orangeburg and Calhoun Counties through education, rescue, and owner services. Registration increases September 27. Please register by October 10th to be guaranteed your preferred shirt size.
DuBose Home
1222 Forest Lake Dr. • Manning, SC 29148
This 6 bedroom, 3 bath home is on excellent water as it’s located on the ever popular big part of Wyboo! Awesome sandy beach for swimming or boating and great for kids, private pier for fishing, hammock and picnic tables for outdoor leisure. There is a nice screened porch on the water side for those lazy summer afternoons. Large living / kitchen area for family gatherings. Washer & dryer, microwave, coffee maker, blender, mixer, ice maker, Cable TV. There is also a charcoal grill for grilling. Sleeps 12 (5Q,2T) $1,300 weekly
www.lisabairrentals.com.
323 S. Mill Street Manning, SC 29102 (803) 433-7368 (RENT) Phone/Fax lisabairrentals@hotmail.com SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 35
Scene & Seen A glimpse of your world through your photos.
If you'd like to see your photos in a future issue of Lakeside, email kayla@theitem.com, and we'll publish some of the best. This issue, we have photos from Danni Richardson and Micah Green.
Danni Richardson
Micah Green
36 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 | LAKESIDE
Danni Richardson
Danni Richardson
Micah Green
SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 37
Danni Richardson
SEASON OF TH Hunting, harvesting of reptile returns with permits Story by Sharron Haley Photos by Micah Green
W
ith an estimated 100,000 gators living in the Midlands and Lowcountry of South Carolina, selected hunters will be able to harvest the mammoth reptiles from Sept. 8 until noon on Oct. 13 in pre-designated areas. The hunting application process began in May and ended on June 15 for hunters to pay the appropriate fees and file their applications to hunt for 38 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 | LAKESIDE
alligators. A randomized computer drawing determined which hunters got the opportunity to harvest a gator, and hunters were notified in mid-July if they were selected for this year’s hunt. According to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the hunters have to follow a strict set of guidelines governing the hunt. No gators can be transported in a boat or vehicle while alive. They must be at least four feet in length to be harvested and tagged. Gators must be captured alive prior to harvesting. Hunters are not allowed to use rifles. They are only allowed to use
handguns or bangsticks. And that’s just a few of the rules. South Carolina is divided into four hunting regions. The Midlands region includes Clarendon, Sumter, Orangeburg, Calhoun, Lexington, Richland and Kershaw counties. The Middle Coast area includes Berkeley, Dorchester and Charleston counties. The South Coastal region is comprised of Aiken, Barnwell, Bamberg, Allendale, Hampton, Colleton, Jasper and Beaufort counties, and the Pee Dee area includes Lee, Chesterfield, Marlboro, Darlington, Florence, Dillon, Marion, Horry, Williamsburg and Georgetown counties. The number of applicants in 2017 remained almost the same as in 2016; however, the number of gators harvested decreased by 11.4 percent. In 2017, 863 gators were harvested and tagged with the Middle Coastal region leading the way with 94 gators taken,
HE GATOR...
“
followed by the Southern Coastal region with 92, the Pee Dee Region with 86 and the Midlands region with 71. While the Midlands region didn’t top the chart in numbers of total gators harvested, the Midlands region did exceed all other regions in the size of the alligators that were taken with an average size of 8.9 feet. No 13-footers were harvested last season, though three were taken in 2015 and four in 2016. In the tri-county area, Clarendon County hunters brought in the most gators with 29 harvested, while Sumter County hunters brought in 11 gators with no gators harvested in Lee County. Of all the counties allowed to participate in the hunt, Georgetown County hunters led the way with 82 gators harvested with Berkeley and Colleton counties coming in at 63 and 58, respectively. The average length of the gators harvested in Clarendon County reached
He was tremendous... I almost had a heart attack. – Hunter Morris
"
On the alligator his younger brother spotted near them while they were swinmming in the lake.
9 feet while Sumter County gators reached 8.3 feet in length. The longest gators came from Dorchester County with gators there reaching 9.3 feet. For more than 20 years, alligators were not hunted in South Carolina. In the 1960s, the American alligator population reached an all-time low, which placed the reptile on the Endangered Species Act list. In the late 1980s, the gator population had increased to the point where they were removed from the “total protection” status and today are listed as “threatened by similarity of appearance.” Gators can be found in the Midlands and coastal areas of South Carolina with only a few gators making their way into the Upstate, according to statistics from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Marshes, swamps, rivers, farm ponds and lakes are their favorite habitats, though you can’t rule out ditches, SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 39
neighborhoods, drainage canals, retention ponds, roadways, golf course ponds and sometimes even swimming pools. According to SCDNR, “nearly any water body in the Lowcountry has the potential to harbor alligators at one time or another.” While a female gator may lay up to 40 eggs, only 20 percent of her young will live. Gators living in captivity may reach the age of 60 while gators living in the wild may only reach the age of 50. Gators grow rapidly as much as eight to 10 inches per year until they reach about six to seven feet in length. Male alligators can reach a length of 16 feet while the female reptile only reaches a length of 10 feet. Gators aren’t lightweights either with some gators topping out at almost a half-ton. How do they pack on the pounds? They eat “almost anything they can catch.” In their youth, young gators feast on small animals and insects and at maturity, their appetite increases to include fish, waterfowl, snakes, turtles,
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raccoons, beavers, otters and even the occasional deer. Pet owners should also keep a watchful eye on their small domestic animals like cats, dogs, goats and pigs, which often find their way into the gator’s path.
When gators become a nuisance While there is a specific hunting season for alligators, gators that are considered “a nuisance” can be harvested by agents contracted with SCDNR to capture and harvest problem gators that are larger than four feet. Annually, agents harvest between 250 and 300 nuisance gators because of their “aggressive behavior” toward humans and domestic animals. Nuisance gators are harvested in the tri-county area annually. In 2008, a 12-foot gator was harvested on Lake Marion after targeting two youngsters who were frolicking in the lake in front of their home. Hunter Morris was 11 and his younger brother Alex was just 6 on that hot August day when they begged their “Dama” to let them swim in front of their lakefront home. Barbara Morris, who said she usually watches the boys like a hawk, went inside for less than a minute to get some medicine. When she returned to the deck, she said she heard Alex yelling about an alligator and saw the reptile in the water less than five feet from the shoreline. “He was tremendous,” Morris said. “I almost had a heart attack. ... I’m very, very cautious. The whole time they’re out there, I’m constantly watching. The water was still, and I didn’t want them out there, but it was hot, and they wanted to get in the water. I just didn’t feel comfortable with them in the water.” Hunter said he heard Alex yell, “Alligator!” but thought his younger brother was teasing and started to jump in the water again. “Alex started yelling, ‘No! No! Bobo, I don’t want you to die,’” Hunter said. “I turned back, and that’s when I saw him. “I saw his face and his eyes and I started
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yelling for my brother,” Hunter said. Hunter said he ran into the house and called his father, Lt. Gene Morris, an officer at that time with the S.C. Department of Natural Resources. Morris is now chief deputy with the Clarendon County Sheriff’s Office. Gene Morris said he called Dennis Mabry, the department’s control agent for Clarendon County, to meet him at his home. When Mabry arrived, the alligator was swimming just out from the Morrises' pier. With Morris’ help, Mabry harvested the 12-foot alligator. “Usually June is an active month for alligators,” he said. “In July, they begin to quiet down, but we’ve seen a good many complaints in the Lizzie Creek area in August.” Why? “Alligators are most active this time of year,” said a spokesman with the Department of Natural Resources. “During the fall and winter, they’re mostly inactive, but during the hot months, they are more active and they feed more. They are looking for food when the water’s warm.” Alligators aren’t interested in people as food, he said.
“Alligators eat water-borne insects, turtles, snakes, fish, small mammals, including small dogs,” he added. “They don’t go after people. Keep in mind that alligators are generally shy with a strong aversion to human activity.” The SCDNR officer described Lake Marion as a natural habitat for the reptile. “Humans are encroaching on their
habitat,” he said. “Never approach an alligator. Never feed one or harass one. If you know an alligator is in a certain area, go somewhere else to swim.” For more information on gators, visit sc.dnr.gov CDNR provided the statistics and historical information used in the article.
PHOTO PROVIDED
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Indoor gun range coming to Sumter W
hat started out about four years ago as a small group's dream for an indoor firearms range in Sumter is now becoming a reality. Husband-and-wife team Robert and Megan Richards
Your Neighborhood Income Tax Specialist
Story by BRUCE MILLS recently discussed the construction process for opening Ricochet Range next summer on U.S. 15 South. The indoor, 10-lane training bay range will also feature an automated state-of-the-art target retrieval system where shooters can fire their
pistol or rifle up to 25 yards, in air conditioning or heat — depending on the time of year. The new firearms training and shooting sports site will feature the 3,000-square-foot range building and a separate 3,500-square-foot front
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42 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 | LAKESIDE
building for classroom, retail and office space. The Richardses said they got the idea for the indoor range in Sumter from longtime friends Gary and Jenny Chapin. All four grew up together in Bakersfield, California. Robert and Gary are best friends. Gary Chapin is a combat arms training and maintenance instructor in the U.S. Air Force and was stationed at Shaw Air Force Base for eight years. He thought Shaw was going to be his final station in the military and dreamed of opening an indoor range for pistol and rifle training here as his “retirement job” after leaving the service. The Chapins sold the Richardses on the idea, but a small hiccup occurred along the way — Gary and his wife got transfer orders to Aviano Air Base in Italy. About the same time, the Richardses — back in Bakersfield — were able to put together their financial resources. In the summer of 2017, they said they decided "now is the time to make it
happen," moved cross-country to Sumter and bought six acres on U.S. 15 South, where the former Sumter Marine Supply was located and near Bar-B-Que Hut on South Guignard Drive. Since then, the Richardses have been working full time on the new business venture. According to their knowledge, the facility will be the first indoor firearms range in Sumter County. The construction process is in three phases, Robert Richards said. In early July, Kirk Construction Co. of Columbia finished the demolition of sections of Sumter Marine Supply. Phase two will be renovating the remainder of the facility, which will be the front building on site, and adding on a parking lot. The final project phase will be constructing the separate cinder block and concrete range building on the back end of the property. According to Richards, Chapin will be retiring from the Air Force next summer and will then move back to Sumter. The indoor range is
Our Prices are So Good, They’re Explosive!
scheduled to open in August 2019. With his firearms expertise from the military, Chapin will oversee pistol and rifle training classes, which will be available on weeknights and the weekends, Richards said. Concealed Weapons Permit classes will be offered at the private range so people can earn their permit, and various memberships will be available for licensed shooters of all types to continue improving and develop precision. Membership rates for the private range include a $20 single-day "Brass" membership and three annual memberships — "Lead," "Copper" and the premier "Steel" — all with packages for individuals or families. The "Steel" membership for a family will be $600, Richards said. "With the memberships, the higher up the food chain you move, the more discounts that will be available," Richards said. When complete, the indoor facility will be one of less
than a dozen in the state of its size, he said, and one of only three within a 200-mile radius. The other two comparable indoor facilities are Blue Line Shooting Center in Florence and Palmetto State Armory in Columbia, Richards said. Ricochet Range plans to target numerous groups, including the area's airmen and soldiers, for their personal firearms training, which they're not allowed to do on Shaw, according to the Richardses. They think the range will also appeal to area outdoorsmen; the regular, everyday licensed carrier; and possibly law enforcement.
RICOCHET RANGE Future location:
1410 U.S. 15 South, Sumter (opening planned August 2019)
Web site:
www.ricochetrange.com
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A new take on an old tradition
Trent and Wendy Langston are shown outside Lilfred’s recently. They have owned the Rembert restaurant since December 2007.
Trent and Wendy Langston keep Lilfred's vibrant and venerable Story and photos by Bruce Mills
T
hey call it “a touch of modern on an old tradition.” They are Trent and Wendy Langston, and for more than a decade now the husband-and-wife team has owned and operated Lilfred’s on Camden Highway/U.S. 521 North in tiny Rembert. Originally opening in 1951 as Lilfred’s Grill, the venerable fine-dining restaurant has been open now for 67 years. In its first half-century 44 SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 | LAKESIDE
This older picture shows Lilfred’s when it first began as a restaurant in the early 1950s. Prior to that, the location in Rembert was a gas station. in business, the eatery was fortunate to have a few great and visionary maître d’s and executive chefs as owners who helped it take off and sustain popularity in the region through the mid-2000s, Trent Langston said. Langston grew up about 10 minutes down the road in Dal-
zell near Shaw Air Force Base and said his grandparents and parents frequented Lilfred’s and told stories about those visionaries who helped put the little restaurant in the little town on the map. Lilfred’s became well-known for its steak and seafood offerings with a Lowcountry flair
and signature coleslaw and homemade croutons, he said. As a kid, Langston remembers coming in and buying the signature slaw to take back home. In 1999 he met his wife, Wendy, a Columbia native, and one of their first dates was to the legendary locale. In college, Trent realized he could major in something he loved – cooking – and make a career of it. He eventually graduated from culinary arts school at Trident Technical College in Charleston in the early 2000s with a degree in catering. Wendy grew up working in the food and beverage industry and enjoyed it, as well. In their college years, both worked in restaurants in the Charleston area. Fast forward to 2007, and Trent and Wendy are married, living in Camden, and in their third year leasing a casu-
al-dining bar and grill on a golf course in nearby Lugoff, just outside Columbia. Some of their friends from back home in the Boykin/Rembert area were clientele at their Lugoff restaurant and told them Lilfred’s was for sale at the time and thought it would be a great fit for them. “Initially, we kind of told them, ‘We’re fine where we’re at,’” Trent Langston said. “’We’re almost out of debt.’” But, the friends kept coming to the Langstons, and after conversations with Lilfred’s owners at the time – Juanita and Douglas Britton – Trent and Wendy realized that, with a mortgage, Lilfred’s would be more of an investment for them as opposed to just paying rent in Lugoff. They bought it from the Brittons in December 2007, made some interior upgrades and reopened Lilfred’s in February 2008. Through the years, the Langstons said, some things have been added or tweaked, but many things have stayed the same to maintain the Lilfred’s tradition. As more people have moved away from the small Rembert area since the 2000s, the Langstons said they’ve had to go down from operating four nights per week to three: Thursday through Saturday. Hours each night are 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. “We just couldn’t pull the clientele out here on Wednesdays,” Trent Langston said. Thursday has become popular as a “deal night,” he said, with a four-course meal for $25, and has now become a little busier than Friday and Saturday. Friday and Saturday nights are more popular as quaint “date nights” and include full-course entrees, such as “Lilfred’s special” 12-ounce ribeye, Wendy Langston said. “People who want that ultimate Lilfred’s traditional dining experience, then they choose probably Friday and Saturday,” she said. But, the Langstons' goal has always been to maintain an intimate atmosphere at Lilfred’s, she said, and they always allow at least two hours per table before turning it. Volume has never been a goal, she said. With one less dining night per week, about four years ago the Langstons started a catering business on the side, named Creative Catering. Most of the cooking is done in the Lilfred’s kitchen. “With Trent’s degree in catering, our roots are catering, and we enjoy doing it,” Wendy Langston said. Trent is executive chef at the restaurant, and steak and seafood are still in the forefront of Lilfred’s menu. Coleslaw is still a signature dish and is “as close as
you can get to the original slaw from the 1950s,” Wendy Langston said. She said Trent has added some game to the menu and brought to Lilfred’s a complimentary gift taste from the chef to start the dining experience. A couple of those tastes have become Lilfred’s appetizers and catering items, she said. They have also brought baked pimento cheese to the area for finer dining restaurants, she said. That trend started in Charleston, and now Lilfred’s has it as an appetizer served with homemade croutons. The Langstons also sell their pimento cheese to area grocery stores, Wendy Langston said. When they started in 2008, Wendy was Lilfred’s maître d, but with two children now she has backed off some. She still handles “the front of the house” at times, she said, and runs the business side of the restaurant. Lilfred’s does take walk-ins, but reservations are recommended, she said. The Langstons said they have loved the experience and look forward to continued success. The clientele is what they like most about Lilfred’s, they said. Many couples in their 60s or 70s who regularly dine at the restaurant started dating there, Wendy Langston said. A lot of couples make it a tradition to come to Lilfred’s on their anniversary, she said. “There is a lot of history not only in the building, but in the stories that come along with the clientele that come in,” Wendy Langston said. “It’s just that sweet place. It’s not just because it has pine walls, but it’s truly because of the stories of the clientele.”
Lilfred’s Restaurant 8425 Camden Highway (U.S. 521 North) Rembert, SC 29128
Hours:
Thursday – Saturday, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m
Phone:
803.432.8750
Website:
www.facebook.com/Lilfreds ** Walk-ins are welcome, but reservations are recommended**
Since purchasing Lilfred’s, the Langston family has grown to include Whitleigh, 8, and Tarpley, 2. SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER 2018 45
Hunting season is here By Dan Geddings
T
he piney woods were shrouded in a light fog, and an uneasy quiet loomed over the early morning. By now, my thermocell had chased off the horde of mosquitoes that had been swarming around me and I was fairly comfortable. Then, way off in the distance, I thought I heard something. Yes, there it was again – hounds! I had to strain to hear them at first, but the baying got louder and louder. It was a big pack, and it sounded like they were
coming my way. Just then, three shots rang out on the far end of the road. I thought it might have been my brother Matt, because he had drawn a stand in that area. The hounds went on to where the shots had been fired and hushed. Either they had gotten the buck, or someone had caught the dogs. Either way, the race had ended. Then, another pack struck up a trail, but they went the other way, and the sound of their baying faded away.
This hunt unfolded last year on opening day of the deer season, in the Lowcountry of South Carolina. The regular deer season opens Aug. 15 in the Lowcountry. The Midlands open Aug. 15 for archery and Sept. 1 for guns. The seasons start in September for the Upstate. The state added an early youth day this year on the Saturday before opening day. The early youth day for the Lowcountry was Aug. 11. The regular youth day statewide is Jan. 5. Tags are not
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required. Dove season opens Sept. 1. There is a 15-bird limit. Canada goose season also opens Sept. 1 with a 15 bird limit in September. The remainder of the season has a five bird daily bag limit. The early teal season opens Sept. 15 with a six bird bag limit. Alligator season starts in September, but hunters are selected by a random drawing that is held in May, so you will have to wait until next year unless you already have a tag. Bear season in the upper coastal counties starts Oct. 17. Small game and waterfowl seasons open in November. Opening day brings the excitement that hunters wait for all year. We’re like kids at Christmas — full of anticipation and excitement. I can hardly sleep the night before. It gives us hunters a chance to get out in the woods. It’s been hot, the bugs are bad, and the snakes are out there, too. But, it doesn’t matter; cool weather is just around the corner, and the hunting season is here. Now, back to that hunt. By now, the fog had lifted and the woods were waking up. The birds were singing, and the squirrels were scampering about.
It was turning into a very pleasant morning. Soon, the blast of a horn signaled the end of the hunt. I unloaded my shotgun and stepped out to the little dirt road. A pickup would come by, load the standers and carry us back to the clubhouse. I got a message on my cell phone from Matt. He had fired the three shots and got a nice buck — a velvet racked six point. Good way to start the season. Back at the clubhouse, we got a chance to admire Matt’s buck then cleaned him and hung him in the screened-in skinning shed to cool. Everyone was eager to start another hunt and get back in the woods. We drew numbers for stands and loaded onto the back of pickups that would deliver us to our assigned areas. The morning was warming up but was still cloudy and somewhat cool. It didn’t take long for blue patches to start showing through the clouds. Soon, the sun would be out and it would start getting hot. The dogs ran some does
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out, and a buck tried to slip out the back side of the hunt, but one of the standers spotted him and took a shot. He missed, and soon the hunt was over. It had been a good day. We went on to have a nice dinner at the clubhouse and sat around for a while talking about the day's hunts - the one we got and the one that got away. It didn’t matter that one got away — the hunting season is finally here.
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