By Andrea Stevens
AFRO Staff Writer
astevens@afro.com
What began as a way to teach their five children about gardening and livestock has grown into a vibrant farm, camping and cultural destination that preserves and celebrates Gullah heritage. Belinda and Anthony Jones moved to St. Helena Island, S.C., after Anthony’s retirement. They settled on 12 acres of family land that has been in Anthony’s family since 1868, during the Reconstruction era.
“We moved here about 20 years ago after Tony retired from the Army,” said Belinda Jones. “We had our five children with us… and we were just sharing things with them that we learned growing up from our parents and grandparents about gardening and animal husbandry.”
The couple started small, teaching their children to raise chickens and grow vegetables and named the farm Morning Glory Homestead. They joined the 4-H program through Clemson Extension at Clemson University and created a club that allowed their kids to participate in agriculture projects, some of which led to awards at local competitions and sales at farmers markets.
“Each of our kids that participated, out of three, won prizes,” Belinda said. “Our oldest sons topped out in first place in almost every category.”
Over time, the Joneses transitioned the property from a homeschool learning ground into a business. They now grow and sell produce, offer homeschool classes on science and agriculture and lead Black history walking tours in nearby Beaufort.
Their newest endeavor, however, adds an immersive outdoor dimension to their mission. The couple began hosting visitors through Hipcamp, an online platform similar to Airbnb but for campsites. The Joneses offer rustic tent camping in a secluded area of the farm, where guests can fish, birdwatch, hike the surrounding trails and engage in traditional farm work if they choose.
“We are campers,” Belinda said. “Our kids grew up tent camping and hiking and fishing… and we saw how farms in Europe were used as vacation spots. We wanted to recreate that here.”
Each stay includes opportunities to learn about Gullah culture and experience home-cooked meals made with ingredients grown on-site. The Joneses host Gullah campfire suppers that feature storytelling, songs and personal history from their family and community.
“We called it a Gullah campfire supper, where we would tell stories and sing songs,” Belinda said. “Our guests began asking about our background and food traditions, and it just grew from there.”
One recent event marked Decoration Day, the precursor to Memorial Day, with historical reenactments honoring Black Union soldiers buried locally. Guests dined on heritage recipes while learning about the island’s Civil War-era past.
“Doing both the camping and the programs that we host is a good means of supplementing our income as small farmers,” Anthony said. “If you’ve just based your livelihood on the produce… you’ll find yourself short at times.”