US (SC): Tyger River Smart Farm expanding business

Ryan Oates, the president and founder of Tyger River Smart Farm, plans to expand his operation by adding a 13,000-square-foot greenhouse and 3,500-square-foot harvesting/office building on 30 acres in nearby Greer.

Oates spends much of his time inside the 1,300-square-foot structure that houses several hundred plants. He produces multi-leaf lettuce, green multi-leaf lettuce, Bibb lettuce, red summer crisp, mini red romaine, mini green romaine, red oakleaf lettuce, green oakleaf lettuce, arugula, red-stemmed Russian kale, Lacinato or dinosaur kale and red-veined sorrel. Oates also grows greens comprising six or seven varieties like mustard greens and Chinese cabbage, along with a small amount of mint and several rows of basil.

Following the farm's first harvest in February 2013, Oates told GoUpstate.com that he didn't have many customers and most of the produce was given away to neighbors. Just a few years later, Oates now has a loyal customer following and his crops sell out before they are finished growing.

Click here for the complete article with Ryan Oates at Goupstate.com.