Featured Image: Visit Macon
Though it is very much a thriving part of the “Georgia Peach Belt,” Macon’s agricultural scene has a lot more to offer than peaches. Pecans, strawberries, wild flowers, cherry blossoms, and wine (that’s agricultural… right?) are just a few of the bountiful crops that are grown and harvested in Macon.
If you’re looking for a few new places to add to your spring-time tour of the city “where soul lives,” we have exactly what you’re looking for.
Dickey Farms
For over 125 years, this multi-generational farm has been producing peaches and simultaneously operating the oldest peach packinghouse in the state of Georgia. During the springtime, Dickey Farms sells freshly harvested strawberries and a plethora of strawberry-inspired goodies—shortcake, ice cream, fritters, and hand pies among them. If you’re still hungry, the annual Strawberry Festival will be held on April 18th this year and is a must-attend event with plenty of vendors, food trucks, and live music.
Mystic Grove
To entertain your springtime whimsy and enter your cottage-core era, stroll on down to Mystic Grove, a flower farm that offers a lot more than just bouquets. Farm-fresh eggs, a roadside farmstand with baked goods, Arabian horses named Gibran and Confettie, 11 chickens, and a feral cat colony are just some of the attractions that make this farm a no-brainer. Mystic Grove also specializes in edible flowers if you’re eager to experiment in the kitchen (or just level up your boxed mac and cheese).
Lane Southern Orchards
When I said Macon isn’t known for only its peaches, I never said I wouldn’t brag about its peaches. Growing over 35 varieties of peaches (and several varieties of pecans), Lane Southern Orchards is big on family and even bigger on flavor. Barbecue pork, homemade ice cream, and baked goods galore are just a few of the treats you can expect to nosh on here while you explore the orchards and shop around their stocked roadside market.
Cherry Blossom Festival
If you missed it this year, be sure to plug the Macon Cherry Blossom Festival into your calendar for next spring. Boasting over 350,000 Yoshino cherry trees, every March, the streets of Macon light up with pink everything to celebrate their beautiful blooms.
Field Cut Flowers
As the name suggests, Field Cut Flowers is a blooming (literally) business that supplies fresh florals for any and all occasions. Rooted in cultivating sustainable farming practices and family values, they strive to create bunches of beauty to brighten up any home and even offer u-pick events, a perfect opportunity to see all the blooms they have to offer and bring a little of your own creativity.
Bright Farms
Bright Farms is changing the leafy green game in big ways. Grown in a large, indoor greenhouse environment, not only do all their greens come ready to eat, but they are also pesticide-free and grown as naturally as possible thanks to the power of hydroponics. Sustainability is their number one priority, as their farming practices use less water and land than traditional farming.
Jail Creek Winery
There is nothing better than wine made with locally grown fruits. Jail Creek is a veteran-owned micro-winery serving wine in multiple forms: tastings, flights, slushies. From time to time, they host “sip and shop” events where you can enjoy wine while you walk around participating food trucks, local vendors, and more.
Ocmulgee Mounds National Park
This Macon gem holds thousands of years of history. The mounds, initially constructed around 900 CE, were made for the elite members of American Indian tribes. Over the years, many different Native American tribes have occupied the land on which this park sits. The perfect spot for history buffs and nature lovers alike, Ocmulgee hosts a variety of ecosystems—wetlands, forests, fields—making it an ideal place to scout for wildlife and forage for Georgian flora.
Longleaf Distilling Co.
When it’s time to stock the bar cart again in preparation for the summer cocktails ahead, consider heading over to Longleaf Distilling Co., Macon’s first craft distillery. Not only can you shop their bottled spirits, but you can also book a tasting, take a mixology class, or just pop in for a few craft cocktails and snacks. The best part? They’re making a difference–for every bottle sold, a longleaf pine tree is planted to support the ecosystem and promote sustainability.
Find more Southern travel inspiration here.
| This article is presented in partnership with Visit Macon, a Modern South Founding Partner.
