When Shakia Lafleur left Berkeley County more than 20 years ago to join the U.S. Air Force, she already had a vision for what would come next.
Friends back home don’t let her forget it.
“People in my hometown remind me all the time, ‘You said you were going to do it, and you did it,’” Lafleur said.
Today, that vision is growing in the fields of Alcolu, where Lafleur and her husband, Jhean, operate Lafleur’s Farm, a veteran-owned family farm producing strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, watermelon, sweet potatoes and a variety of other fruits and vegetables.
The couple purchased the property in 2016, sight unseen, after asking Lafleur’s father to look at it on their behalf. At the time, Shakia was nearing the end of a military career that would span more than two decades.
The family officially moved to the farm in 2021 and began the work of transforming the property into a working agricultural operation.
“It’s been a lot of work,” Lafleur said. “We didn’t realize how much we would have to do to get all of this done.”
Along the way, she said, neighbors and fellow farmers have become an invaluable part of the journey.
“I couldn’t have asked for a better community to be a part of,” she said, recalling recent weeks when neighboring farmers stepped in to help seed fields while she was attending agricultural training programs elsewhere in the state.
That sense of community has become central to the farm’s mission.
Lafleur’s agricultural philosophy is shaped by experiences gathered around the world. During military assignments overseas, she and her family were exposed to farming practices in Okinawa, Japan, Italy and the remote island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.
It was on Diego Garcia where she met her husband, Jhean, a native of Mauritius.
While Shakia brings a lifelong passion for agriculture, Jhean contributes a cultural perspective rooted in food as medicine.
“They viewed food as medicine where he's from,” Lafleur said. “If they were sick, Mom would go outside and pick something and cook a meal, or boil some leaves, and then they drank it as medicine.”
Those influences continue to shape the family’s long-term vision for the farm, which includes introducing visitors to heritage crops, medicinal plants and agricultural traditions from both South Carolina and African island cultures.
For now, much of the day-to-day focus remains on growing food and caring for the land.
The family currently farms about six acres and emphasizes regenerative practices aimed at improving soil health. Cover crops, crop rotation and partnerships with Clemson Extension and conservation organizations help maintain soil health on the farm.
“Our ultimate goal is nutrient-dense soil, nutrient-dense food,” Lafleur said.
The farm’s first U-pick strawberry season wrapped up this spring and exceeded expectations.
“We've been growing strawberries for public sales for about three years since we've been on the farm, and this is the first year we've done a U-pick,” Lafleur said. “The surrounding community has just embraced that.”
The farm plans to continue its strawberry operation while expanding into U-pick peaches, with a two-acre orchard expected to be planted next year. Future plans also include seasonal U-pick opportunities for vegetables and greens.
Those agritourism efforts recently received a boost through the South Carolina Department of Agriculture’s Agribusiness Center for Research and Entrepreneurship, or ACRE.
Lafleur’s Farm was one of 12 businesses selected statewide to receive funding through ACRE’s Advanced Entrepreneurship Program. The farm was recognized for its work producing fruits, vegetables, eggs, honey and value-added products.
According to the Department of Agriculture, the grant will support expansion of the farm’s U-pick operation and construction of a farm stand and cold storage facility.
Lafleur said the opportunity grew from connections and education gained through Project Victory Gardens, a veteran-focused agricultural program that helps veterans build farms and agribusinesses.
Through the program, she participated in agritourism and business development classes, learned about available funding opportunities and connected with agricultural leaders across South Carolina.
This spring, those efforts also led to Lafleur’s Farm being selected as a stop on the Memorial Day weekend Farms of the Brave Ag + Art Tour, a partnership between Clemson Extension, the South Carolina Agritourism Association and Project Victory Gardens highlighting veteran-led farms across the state.
For the Lafleurs, however, the farm has always been about more than crops.
Whether hosting school groups, participating in library programs, accepting senior vouchers and SNAP benefits, or simply helping residents access fresh produce, they see farming as a way to serve.
“Our goal ultimately is community in this area,” Lafleur said. “We'd like to eventually create a space, an environment that people can come and enjoy, and maybe learn about medicinal plants and heritage plants.”
Lafleur's Farm is located at 3344 Alderman Camp Road in Alcolu. Because the farm is not regularly open for walk-in sales, customers are encouraged to call ahead at 803-825-2062 or contact the farm through Facebook Messenger to inquire about available produce, U-pick opportunities and pickup times. The farm accepts cash, credit and debit cards and SNAP benefits for eligible customers. Senior vouchers are also accepted.
