Georgia Grown Trails: Driving the Back Roads 1

In June 2014, Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black is joined by Adel Chamber of Commerce President Jerry Connell, state Rep. Penny Houston, and other agritourism representatives for the Georgia Grown official opening.

When you merge Georgia’s $75 billion agricultural economic impact with $60.8 billion in tourism, you have a recipe for success.

Agritourism in Georgia is providing an opportunity for children and adults to enjoy hands-on experiences and an up-close-and-personal glimpse of rural life.

In recent years, agritourism in Georgia has received more attention with the development and promotion of Georgia Grown Trails, a grassroots effort that began in South Georgia with the idea of creating a wine tour along Georgia Highway 37.

“We have several vineyards in South Georgia, and at the time wine tours were popular,” said Ed Perry, owner of Horse Creek Winery in Berrien County. “We then realized that we had a lot of other farms that we could highlight. Blueberries and olives, there were enough players on Highway 37 that we could develop a trail that would bring a lot of attention to agriculture in South Georgia.”

Jerry Connell, former head of the Adel-Cook County Chamber of Commerce, was part of the group developing an agritourism trail on Georgia Highway 37.

“We saw the trail as a way to promote all parts of agriculture, whether it is wine or blueberries or cheese,” Connell said, “as long as it is somehow related to small-town farming and agriculture.”

Georgia Grown Trail 37 was the state’s first official agritourism highway. The approximately 160-mile trail runs along Georgia Highway 37 from Clinch to Clay counties.

Ed Perry, owner of Horse Creek Winery in Berrien County, helped organize the Georgia Grown Trails.

“From the start we knew there would be other trails,” said Connell, who has served as president of the Georgia Grown Trail 37 association since it was organized in 2012. “When Trail 37 was given the go-ahead, the folks at Georgia Grown saw a bigger picture.”

With the success of Trail 37, Georgia Grown has developed three additional trails: Trail 41 (U.S. Highway 41 from Lowndes to Lamar counties), Trail 301 (U.S. Highway 301 from Charlton to Screven counties), and Trail 1 (U.S. Highway 1 from Charlton to Richmond counties).

Traveling through Georgia’s country roads, the stops along the trails include tours of working farms; sampling fresh honey; tasting wine at a country vineyard; visiting markets that sell homemade jams, jellies, and sauces; and eating at farm-to-table restaurants.

Connell said the concept is all about getting people off the interstate and visiting small towns throughout Georgia.

“When you stop at farms or markets you get to know the people behind the product and their family’s history,” Connell said. “It is a chance to get out of your car and meet people. You are no longer looking at cars lining the interstate. Instead, you are looking at miles and miles of some of the most beautiful countryside.”

Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black agrees that the success of Georgia Grown Trails is about building relationships.

“Georgia is a producer of commodities; we load them on the trucks, trains, and boats and send them all over the world,” said Black, who is serving his second term as commissioner. “This is an important element of agricultural production. With the Georgia Grown Trails we are doing more than selling products; we are building relationships. When visitors stop at one of the sites along the trails, they are learning about the products, how they are made, and who’s making them.”

Lauri Jo Bennett, who created Lauri Jo’s Southern Style Canning in Norman Park, has been a part of Georgia Grown Trail 37 since the beginning.

“I am amazed how many people visit the shop and have a Trail 37 map in their hands,” Bennett said. “They are excited to be here, and we meet a lot of interesting people from all over the country.”

Ben Bruce, with The Honey Shack in Homerville, said being part of Georgia Grown Trail 37 has benefited his business.

“The trail has allowed us to not only reach out to many travelers,” Bruce said, “but also to be able to buy and sell with other Georgia Grown vendors.”

Missy Pike, an information specialist with the Georgia Information Center in Lake Point, points out stops along Georgia Grown Trail 41 to Robert Holden.

Fun and Learning on the Farm

On Georgia Grown Trail 41, The Rock Ranch and Raisin’ Cane are not just providing tourists with a taste of farm life; they are also creating fun and educational activities for schoolchildren.

The Rock Ranch, which was founded by the late S. Truett Cathy of Chick-fil-A, is a working cattle ranch with more than 35 rides and attractions, food, and a farmers’ market.

Located south of Atlanta in Upson County, The Rock Ranch offers field trips for pre-kindergarten through middle school students. A 1,500-acre classroom, The Rock Ranch provides several curriculum options with actives that include honey bee observation, goat feeding, the basics of gardening, introduction to pond life, and forestry.

Further south in Lowndes County, Raisin’ Cane is a combination produce market and outdoor classroom. The market is open year-round; and sells local produce, homemade casseroles and desserts, and features one of the largest retail selections of Georgia Grown products in the region.

Part of Ken Corbett Farms, which has farm operations in three counties, Raisin’ Cane sits on 150 acres that include seasonal crops, satsuma trees, two hydroponic greenhouses, and an assortment of farm animals.

Raisin’ Cane offers farm tours to schoolchildren with the goal of expanding their knowledge and understanding of agriculture.

“The field trips introduce children to a farm,” said Jessica Corbett Bolesta, manager of Raisin’ Cane. “A lot of the children have driven by a farm, but even living in a rural area, some of them have never actually been on a farm.”

Since opening in 2013, Raisin’ Cane has hosted more than 40,000 schoolchildren from Lowndes, Echols, Brooks, and surrounding counties.

Jessica Corbett Bolesta helped create Raisin’ Cane, a combination produce market and outdoor classroom located in Lowndes County.

“It’s amazing to watch the children walk through a row of bell peppers or plant a seed in the ground,” Bolesta said. “They are making a connection about where their food actually comes from.”

During the field trip, the children take a hayride through the farm, meet the farm animals, enjoy playtime in the garden or corn maze, and learn basic farming concepts.

Bolesta said the farming concepts are taught by engaging the students in hands-on activities focused on forestry, veterinary science, food supply chain, and simple machine tools.