Farmers, craftsmen, artists and entrepreneurs create authentic products and experiences
BLUE RIDGE, GEORGIA–OCTOBER 2024–Blue Ridge, Georgia, is known for apple orchards, trout fishing and more. It is one of those places that prompts glowing descriptions from visitors. Those descriptions, though true, are sometimes inadequate. This lovely mountain town, just a 90-minute drive north of Atlanta off Interstate-575, does seem a world away. Its vibrant downtown is nestled in a valley, surrounded by stunning mountain views. The people here are friendly and welcoming.
All true. But there is more here. While Blue Ridge has grown to be a popular vacation destination, it has retained its small-town character. That character is what draws people here and the fact that it is still prevalent is the result of the many locals who have chosen to stay here. These locals, and newcomers who have made this their home, are committed to preserving authentic culture and practices. Luckily, they are also committed to sharing them with visitors.
“We are fortunate to be the apple orchard that is in the little bucolic town of Blue Ridge, Georgia,” says Operations Manager Joe Foster of Mercier Orchards. “We feel very fortunate.” In its 81 years in business, Mercier’s has become a staple of the community and a very popular attraction for visitors. It began in 1943 when Bill and Adele Mercier purchased 25 acres of land. Bill was an agronomist and “the epitome of a grower,” according to Joe. He held a job replanting trees on the previously mined land of nearby Copper Hill, while also building his fledgling apple orchard.
Years later, his son Tim earned a horticulture degree and took over operations of the farm. Today, Mercier’s business remains a family affair, as Tim’s sons-in-law now run the business, with a bit of guidance and daily visits from him.
“He’s always around,” says Joe, who refers to himself as son-in-law #2. “His heart’s always in it. He’s just like his dad. He’s a farmer to the end. He’s never gonna not be planting or growing or doing something on the farm.”
Joe grew up nearby and has watched the changes and the growth of Blue Ridge. The popularity of the mountain town with visitors has translated into more business for him. “We’ve gotten to be successful along with the rest of Blue Ridge and we feel very fortunate for that. We always put ourselves in the context of Blue Ridge because it’s a metric for Mercier’s success.” That success is founded on a premise that is two-fold.
“We want to stay true to who we are. We are an apple orchard,” Joe notes, while also remarking that they have been proactive in adding ways to engage visitors, offering them new experiences. To that end, they hold spring Apple Blossom Tours, and seasonal U-Pick opportunities for berries, peaches and more. “We just keep creating all these different parts of the business. The orchard is beautiful, a great setting to spend time with your family and pick some fruit, lay out in the grass – or not,” he adds with a smile. Beyond the orchard, there are other popular, and growing, areas of the business, as well. Most notable is the bakery, filled with staples, popular with locals and visitors all year long, and seasonal specialty items. Mercier fried pies have become one of the most popular products they offer. The classic apple pie is most popular, and features the cherished Adele Mercier family recipe. The three varieties of apple cider donuts made daily are favorites, too. Hard cider is the newest product offering.
In every part of the business, it is clear everyone at Mercier is dedicated to honoring the family legacy. Linda in the retail store, who has worked here for 45 years, gives customers samples of varieties of apples, so they can learn to choose based on taste, not appearance. Ashley, a young horticulturalist new to the business, is bringing in creative methods of “harvesting light” in the orchard. Theresa, who gets to work with her son, who is also a Mercier employee, manages the production of 1.5 million fried pies a year.
While there are thousands of types of apples, Mercier Orchards has about 50 varieties of trees on their 300-acre farm, focusing on the ones that grow best in their Appalachian soil and conditions. At The Folk Collaborative (2984 Mobile Road, McCaysville, Georgia 30555; 706-492-7753) in nearby McCaysville, Luke Dilbeck and his family are turning their focus to heritage apples in their 15-acre orchard on the 30 acres of land he grew up on. The orchard was started by his uncle six decades ago. In true collaborative fashion, Luke and Joe work together to support each other’s businesses, and their hometown, whenever opportunities arise.
“My first job was picking apples,” Luke says. “I grew up in the trees. We’re focusing on heritage apples that used to be found throughout Appalachia, getting rid of the super common ones, bringing in those old ones that may not be pretty but man they taste good.” They, too, are diversifying opportunities for visitor engagement as well as product offerings. Luke and his wife also operate an apothecary and bakery on the property, using home-grown and local products whenever they can.
“Our long-term goal is to have something in bloom year-round. Still have apples but also blueberries and blackberries and rows of medicinal herbs and rows of elderberries; rows of culinary herbs and flowers. Getting away from a monoculture.” Many of those plants will make their way into baked goods, lunch menus in the bakery and supplements and tinctures in the apothecary.
”Mamaw was my inspiration,” Luke says of his grandmother, who taught him to use herbs and other local products. “She taught me about plants and medicinal herbs and what to do with them. We use something called the folkloric method. Because each year, you can make everything exactly the same. But how that plant grew that year determines its potency. It can change from year to year, from harvest to harvest. It’s a ‘feel’,” he says. “Just like the way Mamaw made her biscuits.”
In addition to the retail apothecary, Luke offers a variety of classes, nature walks and other opportunities. The bakery will pack visitors a picnic lunch to enjoy in the orchard, in honor of the tradition he remembers from his childhood, when his family would spend Saturdays in the orchard for fun.
Not all authentic experiences in Blue Ridge have local origins, but most have decidedly local inspiration. Renowned craftsman Bill Oyster found, when he moved to Georgia years ago, that the best trout fishing is in Blue Ridge. When his love of fishing led to an interest in making traditional bamboo fly rods, he found the process was a closely held secret. So, he set out to conquer the process on his own. To say he was successful would be an understatement. Now, at Oyster Fine Bamboo Fly Rods (494 East Main Street, Blue Ridge, Georgia 30513; 706-374-4239), he willingly shares the craft with visitors who come for week-long classes. His traditional method starts with traditional materials.
“The type of bamboo that we’re using here,” Bill explains, “has the greatest tensile strength of all the species of bamboo, and I think there’s 127 different species. So, every bamboo rod since about 1900 started its life in the same old 30-square-mile bamboo patch. The craft began in the 1840s and has been going on ever since. And what I tell people is, this construction was invented in a time back when, if you bought a hammer you expected to pass that hammer on to your son someday, and he passed on to his. Nowadays, you go buy a miter saw and two years later you buy another one. It’s a disposable economy. These rods were literally designed to last for generations.
“You don’t have to know how to fly fish to come and make rods,” he says. “We have people without any interest, they just like the traditional nature of the craft. But most of the people have at least some interest in fly fishing, if they’re not fanatics about it.”
The classes are six full days and people come from all over the world to participate, some coming back again and again. Many, Bill says, find it to be a transformative experience from which they leave knowing more about themselves.
“They come just thinking ‘oh, I want a rod,’ and then they realize what was really cool about it was just sitting at a workbench making a thing with your own two hands. That’s what appeals to people. The old style. The old way of doing things.”
Those who choose to put those rods to use find some of the most pristine waterways in North Georgia, which has nearly 100 miles of trout streams. And there are local businesses that specialize in sharing this region’s beloved outdoor tradition. They include North Georgia Trout Fishing (5 Panter Street, McCaysville, Georgia 30555; 706-851-4001), where owner and guide Joe DiPietro holds the Toccoa River brown trout record. And Noontootla Creek Farms (3668 Newport Road, Blue Ridge, Georgia 30513; 706-838-0585), where the fourth generation of the Owenby family is teaching fly fishing and preserving habitat surrounding their streams. They and other outfitters are inspired by and dedicated to their local natural resources.
That type of inspiration can be found on the downtown streets of Blue Ridge, too. Here, stores feature products and creations of local artists and entrepreneurs. One such shop is Canoe (624 A East Main Street, Blue Ridge, Georgia 30513; 706-258-2999) where the hand-crafted handbags and oil and acrylic paintings of owner Lynn Kemp are on display. Her paintings, she says, are inspired by the seasons, featuring colors of the North Georgia landscape. Mountain Mama’s Coffee (771 East Main Street, A, Blue Ridge, Georgia 30513) takes pride in its community-focused approach, which includes making all their own flavoring with locally sourced ingredients and serving baked goods from The Folk Collaborative’s bakery.
Whether it’s painting, making tinctures or picking apples, the love locals have for their home and its resources is just one more asset that sets Blue Ridge apart from other destinations. And it’s that love that is ensuring the appreciation of those resources continues for generations to come. That is no more evident than at Mercier Orchards, where the lifespan of an apple tree can be up to 45 years.
When Joe Foster talked to participants in Mercier’s first U-Plant event this year, he clearly saw that connection being made, as families came out to participate.
“These kids are planting a tree in the ground that they can bring their kids to pick one day, because these trees will probably be in the ground for 35 or 40 years. That’s big,” he concludes, “if you look at the longevity of this. I’ve got two little girls over here that are having a magical day. One they wouldn’t have otherwise had. They’re probably going to bring their kids here. That’s the fruit of your labor.”