Field Trip: My Years on a Johns Island Farm: The story of why one end of Johns Island was so special at one point in time.

by Lee Glover

Change is constant. It's happening all around us all the time.  At this very moment, all across America, cities, towns, and communities are changing. Populations shift, incomes fluctuate, and social norms evolve. Change is a huge concept. 
And just south of Charleston, South Carolina, Johns Island was a tiny community until it wasn't. 
Born-and-raised Johns Island resident Lee Glover tells the story of the evolution of his home from a rural agrarian setting to a rapidly changing sea island of the Low Country. Traditionally, Johns Island produced millions of pounds of fresh produce that was shipped all across America every year. Each summer, migrants and workers of all description, and in numbers sometimes surpassing the island's total population, flocked to participate in the harvest. By August, everything was serenely calm once again. Then, in the late twentieth century, a massive change in industry from agriculture to tourism saw the once-quiet community transform into something vastly different. 
Field Trip is a deeply personal documentation of this change to preserve some of the times, events, and people that are rapidly fading into history. Through remembrances and shared history, the reader will learn the trials and joys of growing the food we eat and the intricacies of working with many different people. Going deeper than just the industrial history of Johns Island, the book is a lesson on how fellowship is one of several essential ingredients to having meaningful and enduring relationships. It is a glue that helps to hold relationships together during challenging times of change.

228 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 18, 2023

Reviews

[Jessie Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a special book for me since I grew up on the island. Lee captured the history and love of Johns so beautifully.

[Ryan Hughes · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a resident of Johns Island for the past decade, I found immense joy in delving into this detailed, micro-level history of the island. The book beautifully illuminates a simpler time, emphasizing the different crops and the dedicated teams who farmed the land. The narrative’s focus on these hardworking communities offers a poignant reminder of the value of togetherness and cooperation. In our fast-paced society, there’s much to learn from this book about the importance of community and the richness of simpler ways of life.