SAVE THE DATE!

Date:  Saturday, September 12, 2026

Location:  Southern 8ths Farm, Chesterfield, SC

• Meeting Time:  9:30 am – to 4:00 pm
• Meeting Spot: Meet at the Learning Center (GPS coordinates 34.79584, -80.15313), located behind the horse barns at 305 Lucious Davis Road, Chesterfield, SC 29709, for welcome, introductions, to use restrooms and fill up on water. On the map, this is the reddish area between Points 5 and 2. The driveway entrance to the property is located at GPS Coordinates 34.79965, -80.15423 on the south side of Lucious Davis Road.

Description:  Southern 8ths Farm is a private conservation property and the home of the Carolina Wildlands Foundation. Southern 8ths Farm is located on the SC/NC border primarily in Chesterfield County, SC with a portion of the property extending into Anson County, NC. The property sits on Thompson Creek in an ecoregional and geological boundary straddling the fall line just above the Sandhills. This unique geology has birthed a rich diversity of native plant communities and Coastal Wildlands Foundation has done extensive work to restore prairie habitat across the property. Southern 8ths is located in an area of convergence, where the Piedmont & Coastal Plain meet along the state line of North and South Carolina. This land is rich in American and natural history and has a history of horses being present since the late 18th century. The geophysical nature of these 1,400 acres of preserved land has encouraged the growth of rolling pastures and fields, diverse upland and bottom land hardwood forests and planted pine stands. The waters of Thompson Creek and its tributaries drop over shale bases to join the Great Pee Dee River and flow to the Atlantic. This land is home to reclaimed grass prairies full of insects and dappled sunlit woodland trails, offering respite to birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and humans. This “corridor of green” is a work-in-progress, and it is teaching us about its future role in the survival of humankind and animal-kind.

Target Species:  All butterflies

Notes:  There are restrooms on site. On-site camping is permitted. Participants will need to sign a waiver with Carolina Wildlands Foundation in order to participate.

Trip Leader:  Marty Kastner

Lodging & Dining Recommendations: On-site camping is permitted. There are 10 RV pads available on site with power hook-ups (no wastewater) and the ability for on-site camping. There are two guest rooms available at Southern 8ths Farm, which can be rented for $149/night. (Contact Southern 8ths Farm directly to reserve.) The nearest hotels are 20-30 miles away in Cheraw SC, Rockingham NC, and Monroe NC.

Sign-up:  Please contact Marty Kastner at kastners@aol.com if you are planning to attend. You can also register by using the “Register” link above.

Directions:  TBD