The NCGrowth-SmartUp Team recently travelled to Green Pond, SC to visit new South Carolina client, Joe Hamilton, Founder and President of SS Hamilton Farms, a Certified Tree Farm.
Prior to retirement from the US Department of Defense, Joe realized the inherited acres left by his father was heirs’ property. The title of ownership to the land, originally acquired by his formerly enslaved great-grandfather had become lost over the years; so, he along with his siblings started along the path to seek clear deed and title. It took almost three years to gather the information needed to obtain clear title to the land! Thankfully, Joe has taken what he has learned during that complex process to advocate for and help other rural landowners identify resources to address their heir’s property issues. As a result of his work and studies, Mr. Hamilton is now a Certified Tree Farmer and was nominated as District Tree Farmer of the Year by the American Tree Farm System. He sits on several State and local Boards and Commissions and was also featured in the nationally televised YouTube show “America’s Forest with Chuck Leavell”, Episode 3 – South Carolina.
Student Analyst Jennifer (Jen) Omoyemeh Ile, a Forestry PhD student at NC State University, has been assigned to the project. She and Project Advisor/Forestry and Natural Resource Consultant Sam Cook are working with Mr. Hamilton to explore ways of engaging sustainable forestry practices and diversifying his forestry portfolio. Kellye Whitaker, a native of nearby Walterboro, is the NCGrowth-SmartUp Program Manager for South Carolina.
SS Hamilton Farms is just one of six projects NCGrowth-SmartUp is currently working on in the rural Lowcountry of South Carolina. With the help of funding from USDA Rural Development and the Truist Foundation, NCGrowth-SmartUp is able to provide high-quality, direct technical assistance to small and medium-sized businesses across rural South and North Carolina.
