GWC Quarterly Meeting, “A Place for Us @ Our Farm”, at Our Farm, May 12, 2026
GWC members and guests enjoyed an amazing night at A Place for Us @ Our Farm in Abbeville.
The farm is beautiful. There are greenhouses, a garden already exploding with color, horses running in the pasture, and lots of open spaces to explore or just sit and meditate.
It was a great opportunity for us to see the impact of the 2024 GWC grant which they used to host a Compassion Fatigue Retreat on the farm to nourish those who serve others in crisis situations.
If you made the drive, you know the 60-acre setting is magical. If you couldn’t attend, there will be plenty of chances to check it out in the future. They have a bold vision and lots of new elements coming to fruition daily, all with the goal of healing the trauma in children and adults.
In traditional GWC fashion, there was plenty of great food and drinks to go around while we mingled around the barn and patio. The view gave us many things to talk about.
Then we heard about the vision from Tammie Price and Rick Escoe.
Founder Tammie Price shared some stories of early success: the woman who came home after a short retreat and her husband wanted to know what happened because she seemed like a different woman. The attendee who kept paying for Tammie’s dinner, and when Tammie said it was unnecessary, the woman said, “if it wasn’t for you, I am not sure I would be around to eat this meal”.
Rick shared the 3–5-year vision of the farm build-out. They have ambitious plans all centered around using the farm to help others realize the power of nature, healing, and community. They are working with some local government agencies to create programs to help vets, those in drug recovery, and at-risk youth.
They have plans for a facility that will preserve food and then sell it in a future store. They will have cabins for guests and an art center for kids.
The farm has a self-sustaining philosophy for their future. While everything has been donated so far, their vision is to make this farm a destination.
Equine therapy is something already in motion. They have several horses and Joan Penning even gave the group a demonstration of the healing benefits of working with a horse. It was fascinating to watch two GWC members get a chance to interact with the horse. You’ll have to speak with Kerry Ignatovich and Rowan Pallis to see what they thought about the experience.
The night ended with a tour of the vegetable garden.
The book contributed to Greenwood County Library in Tammie’s honor, In the Night Garden by Carin Berger, was a fitting tribute to their mission.
Staff and volunteers at A Place for Us @ Our Farm are looking for other volunteers to join in their mission. Find out more at Welcome2ourfarm.com. Be sure to check them out if you love farm life but don’t have one.
Thanks to A Place for Us @ Our Farm staff and volunteers who welcomed us and to GWC members who helped pull off the event: Erica Ferry, Programs & Education and Membership committee member; Bobbie Fulton and Karen Smith, Co-Chairs of the Social committee; Rachel Strayer, GWC Advisory Board Chair, Peggy Dewane-Pope, GWC Vice-Chair; Lisa Wyn, Membership committee member; Charissa Gibson, Programs & Education committee member; and others.
