Earlier this year during the first week of May, my husband and I were in southern Georgia (USA).  Georgia is known as the Peach State and those fruits were coming into season while we were there.

We knew there were several farm and produce stands in an unincorporated community not that far from my husband’s hometown where we were visiting.

It had been years since we had visited Barney and we were excited to go purchase some fresh peaches to eat and to share with our Alabama neighbors when we arrived back in Florence later in the week.

Although there are several farms with retail stands in that area, we stopped at the first one on our route, which was the Burton Brooks Orchard.

What a feast for our senses! 

There were antique farm implements, cars, trucks and other memorabilia from the past.  An old covered wagon was placed in a grassy area next to the road and the canvas cover of the wagon was painted in bright peach colors advertising the orchard.

The smell of fresh peaches, watermelons and other fruits and vegetables filled our sinuses with the seasonal odors of a summer garden.

However, the old fashioned churned ice cream was absolutely the highlight of our visit. Awesomely scrumptious peach ice cream.  Chunks of real fruit in a mix of natural ingredients reminded us of long, hot summer days whose evenings sometimes included that favorite summer treat of homemade ice cream.

Local farm stands and urban farmers markets are treasure troves of regional culture.  They are filled with not only fresh produce but also local jams, jellies, handmade quilts and other items you won’t necessarily find on Amazon.

Have you been to a local market recently?

Were there items there in addition to the fresh produce?

Do you stop at these local venues when you are traveling?

Be sure and share your experiences in the comment section.

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