On the Farm with Wishbone Heritage Farms

Written by Lauren Vega

Photography by Taylor L Czerwinski

A few weeks ago the team took a trip to one of our favorite farms: Wishbone Heritage Farms. Owner and Operator David Gravelin offered us a behind-the-scenes look at how the farm operates. While volunteering on a regenerative farm outside of Memphis, Tennessee, David began to dream of owning his own farm one day. “The connection I felt to the animals and the earth in a challenging and incredibly productive environment was striking,” he says. Within two months, he was farming in the Lowcountry.

“The wishbone is a potent symbol from my childhood and an important reminder for me as an adult that life is what you wish of it.”

David Gravelin , Owner of Wishbone Heritage Farms

Wishbone Heritage Farms creates enjoyable, healthy, sustainable food and share it with love.

They help people rebuild a relationship with their food: where it comes from, how it is grown and raised, and how best to prepare it.

How? They do this by establishing a direct relationship between the community and the land utilizing organic, sustainable, and regenerative methods, and by being fully transparent.

Q: How long have you been farming for? What are some of the biggest challenges/ lessons you’ve learned?

David: I have been farming for 8 years. The most consistent challenges over that time are unpredictable weather, the need for custom designed and custom-built solutions to fit our unique scale, and keeping the investment of my time and employees’ time in balance with revenue for any given project.

As steward for 2,000 to 4,000 heartbeats on the farm at any given time, I’ve learned very thoroughly how beautiful life is and how it is both resilient and delicate. Consistently, I am called on to make life or death decisions and the process of balancing considerations under the weight of that has refined the system of pasture rotations we currently use at Wishbone Heritage Farms.

That system has brought us closer to optimal health than any supplement, medication, or chemical ever could.

I choose to spend as much of the farm’s budget as possible, as locally as possible, with locally owned small businesses.

Q: In your opinion, why is it important to shop locally?

David: Shopping locally is one of the most powerful ways I invest in my community and support the businesses and people that in turn support my farm. For instance, all of our animal feed is custom milled at Orangeburg Milling Company and all of our meat packing is done at Williamsburg Packing Company in Kingstree, SC both independently employ dozens of South Carolina citizens and play an important role providing local food security. Personally, I choose to buy the majority of groceries that I do not grow myself at either the Sea Island Farmers Market from the person that grew them or through Community Supported Grocery. I believe this practice creates support, opportunity, and encouragement for the small business, farms, and citizens of our community.

Q: What are your offerings to customers? How can customers shop for your produce?

David: Eggs from Pasture Raised Hens, Grass Fed and Grass Finished Beef, Pasture Raised Chicken, Pasture Raised Pork, Fresh Organic Herbs, Beginning Organic Vegetable Production

 Customers can order at wishbonefarms.com for pickup in Charleston, North Charleston, Mt Pleasant, or Summerville every Thursday.  Customers may also order for home delivery twice per month, or they can shop with Farmer David in person at the Sea Island Farmers Market every Saturday from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM year round. Their eggs and a variety of their meats and sausages may be purchased through Lowcountry Street Grocery’s Community Supported Grocery Program as well as at The Veggie Bin. Their eggs are also available to purchase at Off Track Ice Cream and Coastal Coffee Roasters. 

Q: Share an overview of how Wishbone operates: How big is your team? Do you operate year round? What do planting and harvesting seasons consist of for you?

David: Curre

ntly, [we] have 3 full-time employees helping on the farm. We operate year round maintaining cattle, laying hens, and pigs. We intricately manage egg production to be consistent year round between 3 to 4 separate flocks. The new walk-in freezer allows a more consistent supply of beef and pork, which typically is harvested every other month and chicken which is only harvest four times per year. Seasonally, we grow herbs and vegetables and are growing more with each passing season.

 Q: How does it make you feel knowing what you grow with your bare hands touches the lives of other families and neighbors?

David: It makes me feel connected, useful, and happy. I am personally in charge of our stand at The Sea Island Farmers Market because of the personal connection it gives me with our customers who feed their loved ones with our products. This connection keeps me motivated and keeps me growing. It has also been particularly rewarding providing Off Track Ice Cream with eggs which they use to make ice cream and waffle cones. Contributing to all the smiles their ice cream produces and enjoying it myself from time to time is an enormous blessing. 

Q: What is something you’d like to share with consumers about shopping locally? 

David: Every purchase they make with Wishbone Heritage Farms is a resounding vote for us to grow more food, become even more consistent, provide more local food security, and be a delicious, nutritious, and sustainable part of their meals in the future.

Q: What products does Atlyss use from Wishbone Heritage Farms?

 David: Pasture Raised Eggs, Chicken and Pork Sausages, Whole Chickens. Order your Wishbone Heritage Farms items here.