Tag Archives: Georgia agriculture stories

Georgia’s Watermelon Capital Celebrates Bumper Crop Despite Market Challenges

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Cordele, GA |

It’s not hard to see why Cordele is known as the Watermelon Capital of the World—thousands of melons are now rolling out of the fields as harvest season hits its peak. While it’s one of the busiest times of the year, local growers say it’s also one of the most rewarding, marking the payoff for months of preparation and hard work.

“Yeah, it’s always the gratifying part—to take it to market after the months of growing,” says Greg Leger, President of Leger & Son. “It’s exciting. It’s a busy time of year. This is when we make it—this window is the abundance of our production throughout the summer.”

Ideal spring conditions have helped growers produce a bumper crop for 2025, with strong yields and top-quality fruit.

“The growing season was good—almost perfect,” says Leger. “The yields are great and the quality is second to none.”

Of course, that success relies on having enough workers in the fields, since watermelons remain a labor-intensive crop that must be harvested by hand.

“Labor is a huge part of watermelons,” Leger explains. “We have to pick several times. You can’t pick it with a machine—it’s all done by hand. It’s the same people each season. They start in Florida and move up the East Coast, so by the time they get to Georgia, everybody’s in good shape.”

Once the melons are picked, quality control at the packing facility helps ensure customers get the best possible fruit. But Leger says there are still a few tips for picking the perfect melon at the market.

“If we do our job as grower-shippers, we take a lot of the guesswork out of it for the consumer,” he says. “You want to find one that’s symmetrical in shape with no bruising and heavy for its size. Look for the ground spot—what we call the belly. If you turn the watermelon over, it should have a yellow spot—that means it’s mature.”

Even though recent heavy rains haven’t hurt this year’s production, the same can’t be said about demand across the country.

“Unfortunately, we’ve got oversupply this year,” says Leger. “The movement in the Northeast and Midwest just hasn’t been pulling like it normally does. But the good news is, we’ve got a ways to go, and movement increased starting last week. We’re excited about finishing up the season and getting the rest of this crop off.”

Despite the early marketing challenges, Georgia growers take pride in producing watermelons for families to enjoy during a short—but sweet—window of time.

“It’s really gratifying to take a product all the way through to the markets,” Leger says. “Our window here in Georgia usually starts the first of summer and goes to about the fifteenth of July. The month of June through mid-July is a big time for watermelon production.”

By: Damon Jones

Georgia’s Wine Industry Grows with New Faces, Local Support, and Major Economic Impact

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Griffin, GA |

If you’re looking to experience some of the best wines not just in the U.S. but across the globe, you might not think to look in Georgia—but you should. With more than 120 wineries and vineyards now operating across the state, Georgia’s wine industry has become one of the region’s fastest-growing agricultural sectors.

And with that growth expected to continue, events like the New Wine Grower Symposium have become an invaluable resource for those looking to break into the business.

“You have to be licensed federally, state, and locally,” says Jane Miller, a veteran Georgia wine producer. “You have to have a license to sell your wine and to distribute your wine. So there’s the legal part. You have to file taxes every month—that’s the bookkeeping part. And then there’s the physical fact that growing grapes is not easy.”

While winemaking may not be simple, Georgia’s climate offers many advantages similar to those found in some of the world’s top wine-producing regions.

“The northern latitude is the mainland United States and Europe—Sicily, North Africa,” Miller explains. “The southern latitude is Chile and Argentina, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand. We have the temperature, the climate, the soils—everything you need.”

Unlike two decades ago, today’s new growers have access to a strong support system built by industry veterans eager to share their experience.

“When my husband and I started in 2006, people wanted to keep it to themselves,” says Miller. “But over the years that has totally changed. Everybody’s opened up. All the new people are friendly and would give you the shirt off their back. They really want to help—because what one winery does helps the whole industry. A rising tide raises all boats.”

Demographics in Georgia’s wine industry are changing too. Miller says more young families are choosing to come back to the land and start vineyards of their own.

“When we started twenty years ago, this industry was full of retirees starting a second career,” she says. “But today, I’m seeing young people with babies coming back, buying five or ten acres, and starting small vineyards. And believe me, the consumers in Georgia are really interested to come and see what you have to offer.”

Beyond its reputation for quality wines and agritourism experiences, Georgia’s wine industry is leaving a much bigger footprint on the state’s economy than many people realize.

“It’s over fifty million dollars a year,” Miller says. “We employ not just the people at the wineries but the surrounding restaurants, gas stations, hotels, and more. It’s an expanding economic impact for the state. And our legislature is starting to understand that and beginning to give us some help.”

By: Damon Jones