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The 2025 U-Pick Farms map shows locations of farms that encourage agritourism, where visitors can pick their own fruit right from the source.
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Want the freshest fruit possible? Georgia Grown reveals its 2025 U-Pick Farms Agriculture Map
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Georgia Grown has released its 2025 U-Pick Farms Agritourism Map, a resource for finding fresh produce from farms and local growers throughout the state. This map mixes tourism and agriculture in Georgia.
The program, created under the Georgia Department of Agriculture, allows farmers to sell their produce to businesses and consumers. Using a database also allows the public to easily find farmers' markets, agribusinesses, and more by-products.
The U-Pick Farms Map is an interactive map that displays agritourism locations with spring U-Pick items available for consumers.
"Those are things like strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, some of the seasonal vegetables, and the sort of stuff you can expect to find at a farm between May and July in Georgia," said Matthew Kulinski, the director of the Georgia Grown Program.
According to Kulinski, the map was of "special interest" to Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler Harper because it would help consumers connect closer to the farm.
"A big part of that is to be able to educate consumers about agriculture, let them know where their food's coming from, when it's in season, as well as the important work that our farmers do," Kulinski said. "So under Commissioner Harper's leadership, he was able to create this new effort to promote our agritourism locations and make sure consumers were very aware of agritourism in Georgia so that they can go out and enjoy it with their families."
Agritourism
According to the 2022 Georgia Farm Gate Value Report, Georgia's agriculture industry contributed $83.6 billion and more than 323,300 jobs to the state's economy.
Kulinski discussed the benefits of agritourism in Georgia, including allowing Georgians to spend money to support the economy.
"It's a great way for farmers to supplement their income and diversify some of their revenue streams," Kulinski said. "Consumers going out and visiting agritourist locations is a great way to make sure that their money stays here in Georgia and benefits our local economy."
He also insists that enjoying the "great flavors" available in Georgia from our fruits and vegetables is one of the best benefits of agritourism.
"Georgia fruits and vegetables taste best when they come directly from the field and the farm, especially when you handpick them," he said. "So consumers being able to go to the farm and get a fresh ripe strawberry that they handpicked is — there's nothing better than that, and you're never going to find a better flavor or anything fresher."
Local farm
Farms such as Jaemor Farm in Alto, Ga., are among the many featured on the U-Pick Farms map.
The farm, which started in 1912, has been owned by the Echols family for five generations. It has around 500 acres of peaches, strawberries, pumpkins, and summer vegetables.
Jaemor Farm co-owner Drew Echols says visitors can expect to leave with good produce, fruit, and photo opportunities.
"Just being out on the farm, it's cool with families with small kids being able to pick peaches and then take so many pictures," he said. "Once we get in full swing of peach season, our social media just lights up with people tagging us, either eating peaches at home or tagging us with pictures they've taken in the field. I think that's kind of cool that you leave with the memories and the fruit."
Echols appreciates the Department of Agriculture and Commissioner Harper's proactiveness in getting people to farms through initiatives like the U-Pick Farms Map, which benefits farmers and consumers.
"I don't think a family is going to come here and pick peaches every single weekend during the summer," he said. "I think they may come one weekend and get some good Georgia peaches, and the next weekend they're at the grocery store, and they see Georgia peaches, they can snag them up right there.
"So the more people talk about strawberries or peaches or watermelons or whatever it is that are Georgia-grown products, the more I think that's good for the farmers and the consumers — it's all healthy food, right?"
The farm releases its U-Pick dates around midweek via social media. It is currently in the middle of strawberry season and is looking to start peach season around the last weekend of May.
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