U -PICK FARMS
FIELD TRIP Up Interstate 575 to Highway 76 is where you’ll find apples in all directions, specifically at Mercier Orchards. Just 20 minutes north of Ellijay, Mercier has been a family-owned and -operated farm since 1943 and hosts more than 35 varieties of apples for picking in the fall. We were welcomed by humidity-free air and the smell of something sweet and syrupy. Inside Mercier’s store, we made a beeline straight to the bakery line, where fruit-filled hand pies were being pulled from the oven and placed onto bakery racks in the glass-protected shelves. With a warm apple hand pie in one hand and my farmers market tote in the other, I filled my basket with artisanal preserves, honeys and baking mixes ready to be whipped up for breakfast one morning. Depending on the season, you might also find produce ranging from peaches, apples and berries to onions, squashes, okra and tomatoes. For those interested in fermented fruit, Mercier has a tasting room dedicated to their hard ciders (be sure to try the Grumpy Granny) and wines made from peaches and blackberries.
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September 2016 | PointsNorthAtlanta.com | 17