B U S I N E S S + C U LT U R E 17 The children are not just picking strawberries or walking through a corn maze. We are educating them about where their food comes from and what farming is all about. - SHEILA CALHOUN RICE In addition to farming and operating a packing facility, Calhoun Produce has become a popular agritourism site for school field trips and family outings. “Harvesting and processing the crops takes place from June to October,” Rice said. “In the spring we are busy with u-pick strawberries. During the fall we have a corn maze. We also have ‘fun on the farm’ with wagon rides, pig races, farm animals, honey bee house, and a large playground during the spring and fall.” Rice said the field trips provide a way of educating local children about the importance of farming. Since the field trips started in 1995, Calhoun Produce has hosted thousands of children, teachers, and parents. “The children are not just picking strawberries or walking through a corn maze,” Rice said. “We are educating them about where their food comes from and what farming is all about.” On certain Saturdays, Calhoun Produce host “Fun on the Farm” days, where the entire family can pick strawberries in the spring and early summer. During the fall, visitors can wander through the farm’s eight- acre corn maze and enjoy wagon rides. As the agribusiness activities continue to expand, Rice said the next area of growth will be with the Georgia Grown school nutrition program. “We have been working with local schools to show them how they can serve fresh peas and butter beans all year,” said Rice, who recently attended a Georgia Grown event for school nutritionists. “We cooked some peas and butter beans and gave them a sample. We were showing how they can serve fresh Georgia produce throughout the school year.” www.calhounproduce.com