About — Rita's Roots

Anyone can put plants in the ground…

But it takes genuine care (and expertise!) to grow an amazingly productive Lowcountry garden.

At Rita’s Roots, we answer all your questions before you even think of them, ease your stress about starting your garden and make you feel completely confident growing your own food.

Most of all, we believe anyone can become a successful gardener with the right tools and thoughtful guidance.

No green thumb required.

WHO WE ARE

RITA BACHMANN

Owner + Founder | Rita’s Roots Backyard Harvest

Gardener | Teacher | Mentor

An unlikely farmer, Rita graduated with a degree in Political Science from the College of Charleston in 2004, and accidentally fell in love with growing her own food after apprenticing on a farm in the Catskill Mountains.

Rita became devoted to the ideal of sustainable, locally-grown food and fueled her passion and knowledge with a subsequent internship on Towani Organic Farm in central California.

Rita returned to Charleston in 2006 to apply her newly developed farming skills in the Lowcountry. She began by starting a small, organically certified farm on Johns Island and quickly developed a following amongst area chefs.

Transitioning from the field in 2011, Rita founded Rita’s Roots Backyard Harvest with the goal of helping aspiring gardeners establish productive vegetable gardens and farms of their own in the Lowcountry.

Rita and her crew currently assist in about 75 private gardens per season!

JESSICA JONES

Office Manager

Jessica met Rita in 2009 when her husband, Aron, worked on Rita’s CSA crew. Jessica and her daughters have volunteered on farms in California, Hawaii and South Carolina. In 2011, Rita helped Jessica set up her first home garden here in Charleston, which was impressively productive!

Jessica’s educational background in accounting and prior experience in office management made her a perfect fit to take the majority of Rita’s office work off her hands, so those hands have more time to get dirty!