Antwan Eady fondly remembers growing up buying sugarcane from the fruit man for $1 in Garnett, South Carolina, where he was born. Garnett was a self-sustaining, farming community — everyone had their own special skill. The fruit man sold watermelon and sugarcane; his cousin grew, harvested and sold corn and peanuts. Someone cultivated sweet potatoes, and another person raised chickens so everyone could have fresh eggs.
“We had so many different things throughout our community, because the nearest Walmart was an hour away, and the nearest grocery store was like 10 miles from us,” Eady said. “So, we didn’t have things that were readily available for us. We had to take it upon ourselves to make sure that we can look out for each other.”
This upbringing was part of the inspiration for his upcoming and second children’s book, “The Last Stand,” slated for release by Penguin Random House on Jan. 30. “The Last Stand” is a story about a grandfather and a grandson who have the last stand at the farmers’ market, in a community that needs them. The book features illustrations by Jarett and Jerome Pumphrey, two brothers from Texas who also have ties to farming.