PICKENS — Hagood Mill will host a special Agriculture and Military Day concert on May 21, featuring musical performances by Pretty Little Goat String Band, a five-piece group from Brevard, N.C.

Members include JT Linville on bass fiddle, Tim Fisher on fiddle, Josh Carter on mandolin, Mallory Carter on percussion and Owen Groom on fretless banjo. Everyone in the group trades off strong old-time vocal leads and harmonies.

JThe Goat Band creates its own music from old mountain ballads and fiddle music, while paying respect to the grand tradition. Pretty Little Goat String Band will perform between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Dakota Waddell will warm up the stage around 11:30 a.m.

Born and raised in Western North Carolina, Waddell is a musician who specializes in acoustic traditional music of the Appalachian Mountains. You can usually catch Waddell playing upright base with his band Nitrograss, formed with two-time national banjo champion Charles Wood.

Waddell’s musical influences stem from all across the spectrum. Some of his greatest inspirations for banjo have been Mark Johnson, Ralph Stanley, Adam Hurt, Bruce Molsky, Cathy Fink, Dan Levenson, Dusty Lee Elmer, Doc Boggs, and Wade Ward.

Along with Nitrograss, Waddell regularly performs with acoustic groups that include Grits and Soul, Asheville-based Sanctum Sully, electric funk jazz rock power trio Max Gross Weight and a number of other artists and groups.

The gristmill and all other demonstrations will be running from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This year’s Agricultural Celebration is co-sponsored by the Bart Garrison Agricultural Museum of South Carolina. Kids and adults are welcome to take part in a variety of activities hosted by the museum including proper milking techniques with “Clarabelle the milking cow,” hand grinding corn, operating an old-fashioned water pump, corn darts, and much more.

Local farms will be on hand selling live plants, vegetables, hand-cut herbs and more. Heavenly Seed will be onsite offering a variety of heirloom, open pollinated, and certified organic fruit and vegetable seeds for visitors to purchase.

The Military History Club of the Carolinas will be onsite with military vehicles, historians and re-enactors. Capt. Jim Bay, Calhoun Light Artillery and the 2nd South Carolina Regimental Rifles Volunteers will have an encampment of “War Between the States” era soldiers, along with firing demonstrations of cannon and rifles.

Gunmaker Don Bruton, who specializes in the creation of Southern long guns circa 1760-1780, will be the featured demonstrator. He will explain how these guns were created and give insight to the items carried within the typical hunting pouch of the mid to late-1700’s.

The fee to park is $5 but admission to Hagood Mill and the Hagood Creek Petroglyph Site are free. Hagood Mill is located at 138 Hagood Mill Road.

Call 864-898-2936 or visit www.visitpickenscounty.com/calendar for more information.

Staff Report