Palmetto Conservation Foundation

Palmetto Conservation Foundation’s Senior Explorers program encourages greater use of our state’s natural resources, promotes healthy and active living, and provides outdoor skills for participants. This program is graciously funded through Palmetto Health Hospital.

We have many exciting outings planned for the coming months. Our goal is to teach a combination of health and fitness mixed with outdoor education and recreation.

Outings are free and most include transportation. Registration is required. Please call (803)771-0870 to register.

Join us as we kick-off a new year of exciting Senior Explorer events. This year we are starting off with a free health screening that includes blood pressure tests and a discreet weigh-in. We'll check these stats again in September at the end of the Senior Explorer season to see if there's been any change. Afterwards, we'll join The Heritage at Lowman's Executive Chef, Rick Schmidt, as he shows us how to prepare a healthy and delicious dinner. Enjoy a glass of wine as you learn how to prepare this easy and nutritious meal. Eating healthy doesn't have to be difficult, and we'll prove it to you.

Transportation will not be provided for this trip. You will need to meet at The Heritage at Lowman at 3:45pm in the Wellness Center located at 2101 Dutch Fork Road, Chapin, SC 29036. Call (803)771-0870 to sign-up for this event.

Menu:

Appetizer- Broccoli Salad

The Battle of Cowpens, January 17, 1781, took place in the latter part of the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution and of the Revolution itself. It became known as the turning point of the war in the South, part of a chain of events leading to Patriot victory at Yorktown. The Cowpens victory was one over a crack British regular army and brought together strong armies and leaders who made their mark on history.

Join us on this journey back in time. We'll visit the park museum, watch a short video, hike the 2 mile nature trail, and end with lunch at the picnic shelter. Limited transportation will be available for this event. You can also choose to meet us at the facility at 10:30am. The address is 4001 Chesnee Hwy, Gaffney, SC 29341. Please call to register and to get additional information on transportation.

Just outside of Oconee Station State Historic Site, Station Creek drops into a beautiful 60-foot stepped waterfall. To get to this waterfall we will take an easy 1/2 mile hike through an Appalachian cove forest that will surely be blooming with countless wildflowers this time of year. You can plan on seeing trillium, orchids, pink lady's slipper, and maybe even the rare yellow lady's slipper.

We'll then drive a short distance to one of the best waterfalls in the county, Twin Falls. A short 0.25 mile hike will bring us to a viewing platform to see the 75 foot falls side by side.

Limited transportation will be available for this trip. Please call for details and to register. You can also choose to meet the group at 11am at the Holly Springs Country Store at the intersection of Hwy 11 and Hwy 178.

Things to bring: lunch, water bottle, camera, sturdy hiking shoes/boots

America's first summit canal, the Santee Canal, began operating in 1800. It was considered one of the crowning engineering achievements and economic development projects of its day. Over 700 laborers worked for seven years with picks and shovels to complete the project. Most of the canal now lies beneath the waters of Lake Moultrie. On private property, some of the upper portions of the waterway are still visible, where boats entered from the Santee and the southernmost sections, which joined the headway of the Cooper River at Biggin Creek. While earlier buildings had certainly occupied this site, the plantation house presently at Stony Landing bluff was built circa 1843 by Charleston merchant John Dawson. It faced the road to the Congaree, but visitors now have sweeping views of the Tailrace Canal which flows from the Lake Moultrie.

On this trip we will tour the museum, watch a short video on the history of the canal, tour the Stony Landing House, explore Biggin Swamp on a 1/2 mile boardwalk hike, and then have lunch at the picnic shelter.

Limited transportation will be available for this trip. Please call for details and to register. You can also choose to meet the group outside the main entrance to the park at 10:30am.

Things to bring: lunch, water bottle, camera, sunscreen, bug spray, spending money for the gift shop

Happy Cow Creamery is a unique on-the-farm milk bottling operation offering high quality fresh milk directly from its own dairy cows. Whole Milk, Chocolate Milk, Cultured Buttermilk, and Strawberry Milk are just a few of the products offered at the on-site-store. Happy Cow milk contains up to 4 times more CLA's (Conjugated Linoleic Acids) than found in the milk of conventional fed cows. CLA, a cancer fighting agent, is an essential fatty acid (found in the butter fat of milk) and is not produced by the human body. It also has more balanced levels of Omega 6 and Omega 3, and contains an increased level of Beta-Carotene and Natural Vitamins A and D.

During the tour, the group will take a trolley ride to see the lush grazing paddocks. You’ll also see the milking parlor where the “girls” work. Through-out the tour your guide will tell you the story behind Happy Cow Creamery. You'll even get a sampling of fresh milk at the end of the tour.

Limited transportation will be available for this trip. Please call for more details and to register. You can also choose to meet the group at the Creamery at 11am.

Things to bring: lunch, water bottle, camera, spending money for the on-site-store

Join us for a relaxing paddle through Sparkleberry Swamp. Your guide will be Steve Collum, who knows all of the hidden treasures of the swamp. He'll guide the group into some of the most remote areas of the swamp, where you're sure to see some wildlife. This trip is great for beginners, and Steve will go over some basic paddling skills before we get started. The paddle will last for approximately 2 hours. Afterwords, we'll stop at Batton's in Wedgefield for a local lunch. You've got to try the gator bites!

Kayaks, paddles, and life jackets will be provided. Limited transportation will be available for this trip. Please call for more details and to register. You can also choose to meet the group at Sparkleberry Landing at 10am.