LANIER COUNTY — Plump, ripe, juicy blackberries fill row after row of vines so heavy with the fruit, they would topple over if not held in place by miles of wire.

In fields across South Georgia, farmers are turning from the well known staple crops of years past and experimenting with berries, mostly varieties of black and blueberries. The reason? A built in demand for the fruits of their labor.

The new Sunnyridge berry distribution center outside Homerville in Clinch County which opened this spring has created a market for the fruit, which is distributed to national grocery store chains throughout the southeast.

Where once only tobacco or cotton were grown can now be seen acres upon acres of fruit laden vines. Most farmers are only planting a small percentage of their fields in the berries, reluctant to over-produce a crop that is virtually untested in South Georgia.

In Lanier County, an enterprising farmer named Ben Strickland and his partner, Michelle Patten, have planted 12 acres in three varieties of blackberries in the midst of 1,800 acres of tobacco, cotton, peanuts and corn. Strickland handles the farm duties while Patten handles the marketing side and also oversees the labor and packing operations.

So far, the crop has exceeded their expectations, although it’s difficult to judge, since they weren’t really sure what to expect. “This is an untested crop. We had no idea what we were getting into,” Strickland said.

Lanier County Extension Agent Elvin Andrews said he is getting his education along with the farmers, and they’re all just figuring it out as they go.

“Berries make a good alternative to tobacco, especially for a small producer, because you don’t need a lot of acres to have a good crop,” Andrews said.

Strickland’s acreage was planted last year, and Andrews said three more farmers in Lanier County planted this spring, with their plants producing in 2005. All so far have been planted for blackberries, but Strickland is also planning to start a blueberry operation as well.

“Blueberries take longer to come into production,” Andrews said. “There are a number of blueberry farms in Clinch County now and new producers are coming on all the time.”

For Strickland, Patten and their crews, the days have been long but productive. The berries started ripening in mid-May, turning from cherry red to a deep black color. “We’ve been picking 7 days a week since then, and we’ve only missed four or five days total. We have two or three more weeks to go,” said Patten.

Crews go up and down each row daily, as the berries aren’t picked until ripe. Patten explains that if they were being used for canning or other purposes, the bushes would be clean picked all at one time, but their berries are going straight to Sunnyridge and then distributed directly to supermarkets, so must be ripe and fresh off the vines.

After they’re picked, the delicate berries are hand inspected and packed into containers with the Sunnyridge label. “What we’re packing today is a special order for Walmart and Sam’s Club,” said Strickland.

The containers are then cooled in a refrigerated truck to prevent spoilage before being driven the few miles into Homerville and unloaded at the distribution center.

Growing a fruit that has traditionally been a West Coast crop has had its challenges, but Strickland and Patten say it’s been worth it so far.

“It’s been worthwhile for us. It’s also been a great experience and a real challenge for someone who is used to growing tobacco and cotton,” said Strickland.



To contact Business Editor Kay Harris, please call 244-3400, ext. 280.