This story tells the exciting news of The Cliffs' establishment of its Organic Farm, Broken Oak Organics. This is a very unique amenity for a private club and gives our chefs the ability to provide a true farm-to-table experience.

1. getting back to our roots
In a mission to provide long-term (and delicious) resources
for living healthy, we are proud to say The Cliffs Organic
Farm and longtime farmer and friend, Craig Weiner, are
back under The Cliffs crown of jewels.
the fundamentals of the farm
The five-acre organic farm is complete with greenhouses
and fields for year-round growing and specializes in
growing varieties of fruits and vegetables, utilizing
organic growing practices. Growing produce for superior
flavor and disease resistance, the farm uses no GMOs, only
works with natural pesticides and fertilizers, and utilizes
careful crop rotation and companion planting to minimize
outside inputs, like pesticides. Because of these practices,
the farm has become a local favorite among residents and
popular restaurants in Greenville, SC, like Soby’s, The Lazy
Goat, Stella’s Bistro and The Nose Dive.
the farmer behind it all
in order to reestablish our roots to the farm, I sat down
with Farm Manager Craig Weiner to get the scoop of today
and dig in to what the future holds
How long have you been working on the farm?
I began working on the farm in 2006, while working
on my Horticulture degree from Clemson University.
In 2007, after graduating, I moved into the Farm
Manager position, which I held until taking over the
entire farm in 2011. Since then, the farm has operated
under the name ‘Broken Oak Organics’ until recently
when The Cliffs reestablished ownership of the farm.
What are you most excited about now that
you’re back under The Cliffs umbrella?
We are excited to be joining the Cliffs family again,
and providing our Members with the highest
quality produce in the Upstate, and a natural and
healthy lifestyle. We are also looking forward to
inspiring the Cliffs Chefs by introducing them to
vegetables and fruits they would not be able to
find from their distributors, and pushing them
to the next echelon of culinary excellence.
What additional benefits will the
Farm provide for Members?
The Cliffs Organic Farm will provide high quality,
healthy, and delicious produce to all Cliffs Members.
We hope to host a monthly farm stand at each of
the clubs on a rotating basis. We are planning many
events for the Cliffs Members, such as “People to
Farm” Dinners Al Fresco, Pick your own Blueberries,
Wine tastings, and maybe even live music. We
will also be offering many educational classes at
the Farm, from container growing, to growing
your own micro greens, to Organic growing 101.
We also want the members to feel like the Farm is
a place where they can gather to enjoy the beauty
of their surroundings, in a casual atmosphere.
What do you typically grow at the farm?
Well, it’s all about the season really. During the spring
and fall you are likely to find Tuscan Kale, Japanese
Salad Turnips, Baby Rainbow Carrots, Romanesco
Purple Cauliflower, Chioggia and Golden Beets,
Ruby Streaks Mustard Greens, Gourmet Lettuce
Mix, Purple Kohlrabi, Sunflower Sprouts and Pea
Tendrils, Shiitake Mushrooms, Chinese Cabbage,
Buttercrunch Head Lettuce, and Rainbow Chard.
During the summer we have Zepher Squash, French
Cocozelle Zucchini, Moon and Stars Watermelon,
Ichiban Eggplant, Mini Sweet Bell Peppers, Soyu
Long Japanese Cucumbers, Assorted Herbs, Artisan
and Heirloom Tomatoes, and many varieties of beans.
Where can Members get a taste of the Farm?
We host a farm stand every Wednesday from 2-5
pm at the Farm. It is open to the public and Cliffs
Members alike. We have many regulars who come
every week and look forward to seeing the ever
changing palette of produce. They can also get a
taste by eating at the Clubs and local restaurants.
Additionally, my brother and I are running the
entire farm ourselves, with a few regular member
volunteers, and a paid helper one day a week. We
definitely encourage Members to volunteer! We’ll
even trade fresh veggies for Members to come
down and help harvest on Mondays and Tuesdays.
What’s the future look like?
The possibilities on the Farm are endless. With
additional employees, and an internship program
with local schools, we hope to have small livestock.
We would like chickens, goats, and maybe even
a hog or two. I also hope to have a small pond to
raise fish and grow our food using the fertilizer
byproducts (Aquaponics). The Cliffs Organic
Farm will be a model farm to help teach young
aspiring farmers how to be profitable while
being a good steward of the land. Additionally,
with the proper infrastructure in place, the farm
could also serve as a wedding destination.
The Farm will also be working with the Cliffs
Sales Executives to help them utilize us as a
tool to sell property, in turn raising property
values for our membership. We will be one of
a select few golf course communities in the
world with their very own Organic Farm.
Stay tuned for more exciting information
on upcoming events and other activities
at The Cliffs Organic Farm.