The North Georgia city grows with innovation
DAWSONVILLE, GEORGIA—MARCH 2025—Sometimes creativity rises from the soil. Such is the case with several Dawsonville residents who have turned Georgia land and produce into opportunities for tourism.
Burt’s Pumpkin Farm
The Burt family begin planning their massive pumpkin patch in February, planting the seeds for their many pumpkin varieties in mid-June, sometimes earlier. The pumpkins require a 90- to 100-day growing season and by fall, the farm is chock full. We’re talking rows and rows of pumpkins in all shape and sizes, from enormous ones too heavy to carry to tiny ones that make for ideal table decorations. Colors range from traditional orange to yellow, pink, multi-colored—even light gray!
In addition to visitors purchasing pumpkins to bring home, the farm offers wagon rides through the pumpkin and zinnia fields decorated for children’s delight. At the end of the ride, there’s a dramatic view of neighboring Amicalola Falls.
The joy begins the first week in September and lasts through the end of October (best time to avoid crowds is September, especially weekdays). Once fall concludes, the farm closes shop.
It all began when Casey’s parents, Johnny and Kathy Burt, wanted to make extra money for Christmas. It blossomed when thousands of people showed up, returning year after year to enjoy the festive environment. The event remains a family affair with grandchildren being the ninth generation to work on the farm.
“We just want customers to feel the love that we feel for each other,” Casey Sanders said.
(5 Burts Pumpkin Farm Road, 11336 Hwy. 136 West, Dawsonville, Georgia 30534; 706-265-3701) https://www.burtspumpkinfarmgeorgia.com/
Fausett Farms Sunflowers
Danny Fausett’s farm sits on acreage his ancestors settled in 1858. Today, he and his wife, Sharon, raise and sell Angus cattle but come fall their fields on Highway 136 turn shades of yellow and gold. They plant sunflowers every year so that when September rolls around, there are acres and acres of gorgeous flowers facing the sun.
“We love the outdoors,” Sharon Fausett said. “We love nature and we want the young generations to experience it too.”
Not only are the fields aglow with sunflowers, but other flowers such as snapdragons and jewel weed which attract butterflies and hummingbirds. It’s no wonder visitors use the colorful fields for their photo shoots.
During the rest of the year, when the sunflower fields are fallow, the Fausetts host special events such as the 15k run on May 31 and a fund-raising concert to benefit the local food bank. In the fall, the Sunflower 5k and Fun Run happens among the winding paths of flowers.
Look for the blooms around the second and third week of September. The flowers usually bloom until the end of October when frost appears.
(11336 Hwy 136 West, Dawsonville, Georgia; 706-265-9661) https://www.fausettfarmssunflowers.com/
Bradley’s Pumpkin Patch
The Bradley farm grows organic crops throughout the year but come Labor Day Weekend, the crowds arrive to purchase their fresh produce along with fried pies, peanuts, apple cider slushies and lots of baked goods created on the farm. There’s also locally made jellies and jams, gardening books, quilts, essential oils and homemade soaps, among much more, for sale in the gift shop located inside an 1800s building that once housed the town’s first dentist.
By the end of September, the Bradleys pull out the pumpkins, ready to be taken home by happy visitors.
The pumpkin patch began with five-year-old Bradley Weaver looking to raise funds.
“My son started this when he was five,” Karen Bradley said. “Now he’s 33.”
Right after the first of November, the event concludes. But not for long. The week before Thanksgiving, Bradley’s reopens, this time selling Christmas trees and wreaths.
“We go eight hours to North Carolina to get our Christmas trees because they are fresh and good,” said Bradley.
And because of its popularity with the community, the fall event just keeps going, way past the bright idea of a five-year-old.
“We do this because our customers love it,” Bradley said.
(25 Lawrence Drive, Dawsonville, Georgia 30534; 770-380-3636) https://www.bradleysfarms.com/
Grandaddy Mimm’s Distillery
Dawsonville owns a rich racing history, hailing back to the Great Depression when folks who grew corn found a new revenue source in moonshine and geared their cars for speed. Today, Dawsonville is considered the Birthplace of Stockcar Racing and home to the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame with some of the biggest names in racing: Bill and Chase Elliott, Raymond Parks, Red Vogt, Roy Hall, Lloyd Seay and Gober Sosebee.
Tommy Townsend’s grandfather, Jack “Mimm” McClure, dabbled in bootleg so Townsend decided to use those old recipes for his own creations. Hobbies sometimes take a life of their own and Townsend, who works as the lead singer in the Waylon Jennings Band, opened Grandaddy Mimm’s Distilling Co. in 2016 in nearby Blairsville. This year, his second location opened in Dawsonville at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame.
“It was a family business during bootlegging days,” Townsend said, “and it’s a family business now but it’s legal.”
In addition to his wide variety of high proof “shine,” that includes flavors such as Wild Cherry Cobbler and Apple Brown Bettey, Grandaddy Mimm’s produces Owltown vodka, whiskey and sorghum rum. Border Hop Beer Company, provides options here, as well, for those who prefer a sudsier sip.
Both Mimm’s locations are family- and pet-friendly and the “Garage” location in Dawsonville is set to begin special events such as live music and trivia nights.
(415 Hwy. 53 East, Suite 130, Dawsonville, Georgia, 30534; 706-781-1829) https://grandaddymimms.com/dawsonville
Uncle Shuck’s Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch
Matthew Hughes found his career by chance, in a field of corn where it’s sometimes hard to find the exit.
“Uncle Shuck’s Corn Maze started in 2002 and I started working there in 2003; I was 17 at the time,” Hughes said.
By 2017, he owned the farm.
The 15-acre corn maze at 125 Bannister Road is Georgia’s longest running corn maze and could possibly be the state’s largest by acreage. It runs mid-September through two weekends in November.
Hughes begins planning his fall attraction when Uncle Shuck’s closes shop at year’s end.
“As soon as the season ends, we start planning for next year,” he explained of creating the maze design and structure. “We plant the corn in July, latter than most crops. That way by fall it’s still green and standing tall.”
Uncle Shuck’s employs 35 actors each year to don costumes for the Haunted Trail, a spooky experience that happens in a portion of the maze on Fridays and Saturdays in October, and this year also on Nov. 1. In addition, visitors may enjoy food vendors serving festival-type fare, live animals, wagon rides, a pumpkin patch and a host of unique fun events such as shooting corn from a cannon and climbing the tire mountain. There’s even a bonfire for roasting marshmallows.
(125 Bannister Road, Dawsonville, Georgia 30534; 1-888-OSHUCKS) https://uncleshucks.com/