Jeff WIlson
South Carolina Farmer of the Year 2025
Cotton Hills Farm in Lowrys has been operating continuously since 1882, when the original 100 acre home place was gifted to Theodosia Abell by her father on the occasion of her wedding to Joseph Wilson. Cotton, small grains, and corn were some of the original staple crops. Four generations later, it has expanded to a 1000-acre farm with diversified crops, grown and sold through a retail and wholesale marketing partnership between Jeff Wilson and his sons, JEB and Pete.
Jeff said, “I grew up on the farm and returned to it after serving in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. I was a little bit late in terms of following in my father’s footsteps. He had taken over the farm from his father when he was only thirteen years old.”
Jeff and his wife Carol have been married for fifty-two years and have three children, daughter Brooke and sons JEB and Peter. Between them there are eight grandchildren—six boys and two girls—all of whom are showing a keen interest in farming.
JEB said, “I returned to the farm after college in 2005. Since then my brother Pete and I have expanded our produce offerings. Basically anything that can be grown in South Carolina, we grow it, including the largest pumpkin crop in the state.” Brooke is president of the Chester County Chamber of Commerce and remains deeply committed to the values and legacy of the family farm. Her oldest son just graduated from the Governor’s School for Agriculture.
Today Cotton Hills Farm crops include cotton, rye, rye straw, green beans, tomatoes, okra, cucurbits, pumpkins, cantaloupes, watermelons, strawberries, sweet corn, peaches, cut flowers, and ornamental cornstalks.
Jeff said, “Our vegetable crops are marketed through three retail stores that we own and operate: The Market (established in 2002), and in more recent years, The Chester Market and The Richburg Stand. We also built a GAP certified wholesale fruit and vegetable packing house in 2010 used for preparing our produce to be sold both wholesale and retail.” Additionally, pumpkins are shipped all over the southern east coast and are marketed through their website. Cotton is marketed through the gin, and straw is delivered to local erosion control companies as well as feed and seed stores.
During the winter season workers make ½ bushel, peck, and gallon-sized baskets at the wholesale building from local poplar wood. During the growing season they’re filled with the farm’s fresh produce. Cotton Hills hosts an annual Farm and Tractor Day, fall hayrides, Educational Field Days, an annual Christmas Market, U-pick strawberries, peaches, collards, and flowers, and the Annual South Carolina Ag + Art Tour.
Cotton Hills Farm also has a long history of implementing smart conservation practices. Jeff noted, “I’ve served on the local Soil and Water Conservation Board for over 40 years and early on adapted the use of terraces, strip till, no-till, and then no-till with a cover crop of rye. I use turkey/chicken litter to fertilize each year according to annual soil samples and have areas of the farm planted for pollinators.” He’s also conserved water by converting from overhead irrigation to more efficient low flow underground irrigation and pivots that save water, reduce costs, and increase yields.
As with any successful agricultural enterprise, Jeff has seen his share of challenges. The 1980s brought a huge farm economic downturn and horrible droughts. Today, challenges remain, but he and his sons meet these problems in part through greater diversification, improved growing methods, and by controlling input costs. He added, “Erosion has long been an issue due to the rolling nature of our fields. Moving fully to no-till with cover crops has dramatically improved this situation and allowed us to open up fields and thereby increased yields and profits.”
On the local level, Jeff has been a past president and 50-year member of Ruritan, has served on the Clemson Extension Advisory Committee, and is a 30-year member of Young Farmer and Agribusiness Association, and a County Conservationist of the Year. On the state level, he was President (2020-2024), Vice President (2016-2020), Secretary (2014-2016), and Area Director (2010-2014) of the Soil and Water Conservation State Board. He was also awarded Advocate of the Year in 2024 by the South Carolina Advocates for Agriculture. On the national level, Jeff was the 2024 Awardee of the National Association of Conservation District Southeast Region Hall of Fame for SC.
In the future, Jeff hopes to continue to expand the farm by adding more irrigation pivots and opening more retail stores to facilitate expansion of vegetable production. He commented, “A major goal is to continue to transfer the ownership and management of the farm to my sons. I set it up as an LLC to make that effort easier. I also wanted to keep the farm intact and placed it in a conservation easement in 2007 so it will never be in the hands of developers.”
Jeff’s five-decade farming career has taught him valuable lessons: “Learning good timing, practicing patience, developing planning skills, giving back to the church and community, and practicing gratitude. Living as close as we do to the land we love, it’s natural to get into the habit of talking to God about all our needs. That way we can continue to be good stewards of what we’ve inherited and pass it along to the next generation.”
Jeff was nominated for South Carolina Farmer of the Year by Dr. Adam Kantrovich, Extension Specialist of Agribusiness, Clemson Cooperative Extension, who said, “Jeff’s bold, open-minded, and forward-looking attitude has benefited the entire family enterprise and his employees. He’s always been eager to try new ideas and techniques to expand and improve crop production while conserving precious resources. The Wilsons collectively hold a mindset of caring for and protecting the farm for future generations and giving back to the local community in so many meaningful ways.”
A distinguished panel of judges will visit Jeff Wilson, along with the farms of the other six state finalists, the week of August 5–8. The judges include John McKissick, retired Ag Economist UGA; and Charles Ed Snipes, retired Weed Scientist Mississippi State University; and Kevin Morgan, retired Executive Assistant to the President Florida Farm Bureau. Judges typically serve for three years before rotating off the team.