Duke Lane remembers his great-grandfather saying the same thing every peach season: “Never seen a crop like this.” For years, he thought his grandfather was simply aging and his memory faltering. But now that Duke himself has aged, he sees what his great-grandfather was saying. Every crop is different. Each year is different from the last. The nuance of agriculture demonstrates why we need farmers who know and learn from the changes in their crops.

Lane Southern Orchards grows peaches and pecans on 11,000 acres stretching across 10 counties near Fort Valley, GA. They grow 35 varieties of peaches to extend their seasonality from May to August. Clingstone varieties start in May, and freestone varieties start in late June/early July.

Georgia peaches are distinctive because of their yellow, “melting” flesh. These peaches have a buttery texture that is unique to peach farms in the Southeast.

Each fall, the farm’s focus turns to harvesting 5,000,000 pounds of pecans.

Alongside their packhouse is the Peachtree Cafe, a restaurant serving foods like pecan-crusted catfish and peach ice cream. Visitors to the farm can eat and purchase Lane Southern Orchards peaches and pecans as well as other Georgia products.

As part of the Genuine Georgia Group, Lane Southern Orchards collaborates with Pearson Farms, Dickey Farms, and Fitzgerald Fruit Farms to sell and market their peaches. Together they have increased planted acres by 35% in the past five seasons. They excel in providing consistent supply and pricing to customers.