Lane Southern Orchards, located about an hour and a half from Columbus in Fort Valley, GA, offers families an opportunity to have fun outdoors and enjoy delicious fresh produce. The farm includes 11,000 acres of peach orchards and pecan groves along with a six-acre strawberry patch and is the largest grower of peaches and pecans in the United States.
There are over 35 different types of peaches grown on the farm and ten types of pecans. Peaches are harvested mid-May through August and pecans are harvested from October through January. Kids can learn about farming and harvest a sweet treat in the six-acre “you-pick” strawberry patch that is available from early April into May. In October, visitors can enjoy an outdoor adventure through their six-acre corn maze to find the ‘corny’ signs hidden in the patch to win prizes.
Freshly harvested produce is available for purchase in the farm’s Roadside Market. The fresh peaches and pecans, along with apples grown on the farm’s acreage in Reynolds, GA, are available when in season, and shelled pecans are offered in the market and online year-round. A variety of other fresh produce from neighboring farms along with jellies, salsas and other Southern gourmet treats are also available in the market.
The famous Lane Southern Orchards peach ice cream and peach cobbler, along with smoked BBQ and other Southern cooking favorites, are served in the farm’s Peachtree Café. The café is open for breakfast and lunch and offers daily and weekend specials. After enjoying a meal, parents can relax in the rocking chairs on the front porch while the kids play on the farm-themed playground that includes real tractors.
Information for planning your visit or school field trip, as well as further details on annual events such as the 4th of July BBQ and the Fall Festival, can be found at lanesouthernorchards.com.
