GFB News Magazine

GFB Farm Passport winners win jackets

by Kelly Henry
Certified Farm Markets Coordinator

Posted on August 20, 2025 4:20 PM

Last year, four people visited every farm in the Georgia Farm Bureau Farm Passport to earn the top prize: “The Traveler Jacket.” This is a challenging feat since each farm has its own schedule depending on the seasonality of its crops. 

Sisters Jackie Barlow and Angie Whiggum, of Eastman, and William and Teresa Touchton, of Hazlehurst, joined the Farm Passport Hall of Fame for their 2024 travels. These Georgia Farm Bureau (GFB) members have traveled with the Farm Passport the past two years. 

Since GFB began its Farm Passport program in 2019, only 14 other Farm Passport travelers, out of thousands of participants, have visited all the farms listed in the passport in a calendar year. 

Barlow and her sister work during the week, so they traveled almost every weekend putting 6,000 miles on her car to visit the 100 farms in the 2024 passport.

 “Whether you go to all the farms or not, this passport gives you a listing of farms you never knew existed,” Barlow added. “It’s easy to coordinate weekend trips with your spouse or friend to get fresh fruits and vegetables, visit wineries and more.” 

This year, more than 100 farms are listed in the Farm Passport spotlighting the diversity of Georgia agriculture. 

 Teresea Touchton shared what she gained from the experience of traveling with the Farm Passport.

“We’re in the process of developing our small homestead. The Farm Passport allowed us to meet many people and learn many things we didn't know,” Teresea said. “We highly recommend touring these farms to support your local farmers.”

In addition to the top prize of a jacket, 2025 travelers can earn a variety of prizes from a t-shirt for 5 stamps to a farm tour and ticketed meal event for 20 stamps. Additional prizes are earned at the 10 and 30 farm stamp levels. 

Farm visits must be made by Dec. 31 and passports returned by Jan. 5, 2026. Farm Passports are available at county Farm Bureau offices or any of the participating farms listed at www.gfb.ag/passport . 

Kelly Henry is GFB’s Certified Farm Markets coordinator. She may be reached at kahenry@gfb.org or 478-474-0679, ext. 5235.