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Farm Passport Tips from Real Travelers

Posted on March 16, 2021 12:00 AM

Eddy and Jeanne Nelson broke the mold on their summertime routine using the Farm Passport as their guide to discover Georgia, support local farms and experience fresh foods.

They were kind enough to share a few travel tips with us ...

Tips on Expanding Your Horizons

Written by Eddy Nelson

1. Be open to trying new things

Normally, when summer gets here, my wife and I have certain farms that we go to for particular crops and products. For instance, during peach season, we would normally visit one or 2 different peach farms. However, with the passport, we found many more farms to satisfy our peachy cravings. And of course, when you look around, you find more fruits, vegetables and products to try. Then there are all of the other farms and crops to choose!

2.  Call or check the farms’ Facebook page to make sure they are open prior to visiting.

We traveled every area of the state, usually planning a day trip with our Passport in hand to maximize the number of farms we could visit in the fewest miles. We did find out that there are places that are only open on weekends so sometimes we were better off making weekend trips rather than weekday trips or else use the handy-dandy telephone to find out when places were open.

3. Don’t be afraid to add additional stops in your travels

My wife prefers avoiding the Interstate Highway System. So as we would travel the backroads, we found places to stop for her to enhance her photography skills, and we found restaurants to enhance my directional skills… when I give directions to someone, I generally give landmarks for people to look for, and what better landmark to give than a place to eat!?!

4. Be open to making new friends

The whole passport experience was a joy! I am a native of Atlanta. I saw parts of Georgia that I had never seen before. My wife is from California. In using the Passport, not only did she get to explore her new home, she also found out just how diverse the fruits and vegetables of Georgia are, she also got to speak with people at the farms. Most times, when you leave a farm, you leave with at least one new acquaintance, but sometimes, you leave with new friends, friends that you wish you had the time to sit down, share a meal, and carry on a conversation. We tend to have more things in common than differences.

For my wife and me, The Farm Bureau Passport was an inspiration and guide to explore and learn about our state, its many resources, and its people. We are looking forward to a new adventure with the 2021 Passport. In my own personal opinion, the only thing that could make it better is to incorporate restaurants, maybe Farm-to-Table establishments to go hand-in-hand with the farm visits.

Learn More about the Farm Passport