GFB members tour 1st District

Georgia Farm Bureau members from across the state enjoyed touring farms and agribusinesses in the organization’s 1st District during the annual farm tour held June 8-10.

Tour stops included: Sims Sod Farm in Catoosa County; the Anheuser-Busch Brewery in Bartow County, which supplies brewers grain used by many livestock producers; Chambers Mill Trout Farm in Floyd County; Sharp Top Trees in Bartow County; Mercier Orchards in Fannin County; Moore Seed & Grain Farms in Gordon County; the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville and Salacoa Valley Farms in Gordon County.

The GFB Young Farmer Committee coordinated the tour.

“This tour lets our members see the agricultural diversity of the state and get ideas to take back home and apply to their operation,” Georgia Farm Bureau Young Farmer Committee Chairman Chris Paulk said. “It’s neat to travel with people from across the state. You meet people you didn’t know and get to know those you do know better.”

The 1st District has the distinction of being the birthplace of Georgia Farm Bureau. Fifty farmers met in Bartow County in 1937 to begin the United Georgia Farmers, which became Georgia Farm Bureau in 1941. The district is home to 59,673 GFB members.

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PHOTO CAPTIONS:

Top photo: Tim Mercier (center) talks to GFB members about apple production during the tour stop at Mercier Orchards in Fannin County.

Middle photo: GFB members watch sod being harvested at Sims Sod Farm in Catoosa County.

Bottom photo: Members of the 2007 GFB Young Farmer Committee gathered for a picture at the Booth Western Art Museum in Cartersville. Pictured L-R bottom row: Mandy and Russ Moon, Ladon and Kayla Calhoun, Vice Chairs Chris and Marilynn Hopkins, Laura and Jack Leard, Sandi and Keith Mitcham, Chairmen Jorjanne and Chris Paulk. L-R top row: Leighton and Brenda Cooley, Clegg and Aimee Griggs, Becky and Jamie Tate.