July 18, 2016 (Trenton, SC)
Penny’s Posies & Such
Progress Report
As a young man in the 1970s, Jay Summer worked for his Grandfather on a farm that grew peaches, plums, watermelons, corn and tomatoes. Farming was the standard to which Jay has compared every position he’s since held. His motto? “Everything is easy compared to farming.”
Forty years later, Jay inherited his family’s home place i
n Edgefield County’s Trenton, SC. He and his wife Penny made the decision to move back to South Carolina from Ohio. This required selling a FASTSIGNS franchise, moving and starting a new venture from home. To rewind a bit, Penny tried to purchase pansy and viola flats a few years ago in Trenton and noticed there was limited local availability. She came up with the idea of opening a portable stand for selling seasonal plants, planters and gift items focusing on rural living in South Carolina. Ideas hatched, merged and evolved; and Penny’s Posies & Such was conceived. The couple decided to start a floriculture business. They will grow lavender, farm worms, sell outdoor plants, manufacture, sell and install custom cut vinyl decals, and sell gift items from a 6’ x 12’ dual axle trailer. Making Penny’s Posies & Such a reality –
Prior to selling FASTSIGNS in June, they had to incorporate, buy a tractor, order a vinyl plotter for making decals, open bank accounts and build a 30’ x 40’ barn. Since arriving, they have set up work stations in the barn, ordered vinyl and established themselves with various vendors. They are working to join the Rotary Club of Aiken, the Edgefield County Chamber of Commerce and the Episcopal Church of the Ridge. In addition, Jay has joined Steele Justice Band and enjoys playing music with long-lasting friends. Jay and Penny have ordered their concession trailer from Ohio, which they will soon pick-up on one last trip for possessions they couldn’t fit on the truck and trailer. Also they are developing custom designs for decals and gift items and searching for local gems. By the end of Summer 2016, Penny’s Posies & Such should be on the road selling from their trailer, ordering their first shipment of lavender and selling online from their website. By October or November, they should be planting their first field of lavender. And by Thanksgiving, they should be ready to enjoy a visit from Clevelanders Matt, Sarah and Baby Jace Summer. We’ll know soon if Jay was right about farming. Being back in South Carolina, working from the one place on earth that he holds dearest in his heart will make every job a labor of love.