There’s no place like North Georgia’s Blue Ridge when it comes to unearthing farm-rooted fun. From the nearly 70-year-old Mercier Orchards, famous for fried pies, family fun and u-pick produce, to nearby Mountain View Orchards in McCaysville – an old-fashioned apple orchard with a Cider House Café, there’s no shortage of fresh fun. Here, consider yourself lucky if owner, Joe Dickey joins you for a meat and three at the Café and shares with you stories about his past work in the area’s copper mine. Spend a relaxing afternoon savoring a glass of vino at Serenberry Vineyard in Morganton, where you can experience the simple and serene pleasures of the North Georgia Mountains. Wines are produced using grapes that were born and raised in Georgia, a process that’s not only good for the environment, but also supports local farmers. For farm-to-table eats, you can’t miss Harvest on Main, where chefs use seasonal products whenever possible, supporting the local economy, farmer and artisan. Producers include the restaurant’s own production from The Cook’s Farm, as well as Logan Turnpike Mill, Mercier Orchards, Brasstown Beef, Local Farm-Raised Trout, Linda Clement and Walt Taylor of PawPaw’s Produce. Plan to stop by the Blue Ridge Farmers Market in Downtown Blue Ridge, open 8 a.m.-noon Saturdays, June-October. TIP: Kids will love the downtown hardware/Feed & Seed where chickens are for sale right out front!
Blue Ridge, Georgia’s, farm-fresh picks: find down-home fun on the farm at orchards, savor a sip at a winery, delight taste buds with farm-to-table eats
483