Tag Archives: Georgia fruit harvest

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 Peach Season in Full Swing Thanks to Favorable Weather and Strong Yields

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Musella, GA |

When it comes to fruit production in Georgia, few crops are as iconic—or as delicious—as the peach. Known for consistently high quality, Georgia peaches are once again on track for a strong season, thanks in large part to favorable growing conditions.

“We didn’t really have any cold weather events in March, so we got through that unscathed,” says Jeff Cook, UGA Extension Agent for Peach County. “We had a good amount of chill this winter, everything bloomed well, and then we had a lot of cool weather afterwards—which usually bodes really well for the crop.”

That’s welcome news for growers like Lee Dickey of Dickey Farms, who says the orchards are bouncing back nicely after a brief weather setback.

“Overall, really excited about this season,” says Dickey. “We got enough chill hours and the peaches are looking good. We had a slow start with a hailstorm that hurt a few early varieties, but we’ve picked most of those already. The peaches now are beautiful—great size, color, and flavor.”

Harvest officially kicked off in early May, but the work that goes into producing a quality peach spans the entire year.

“All year long we’re doing something,” says Dickey. “We start in January pruning the trees, then in March and April we’re thinning the peaches so the ones that remain grow nice and large—that’s what consumers want.”

Cook echoes the year-round nature of peach farming, noting that consistency and care are essential.

“It’s a nonstop thing,” says Cook. “That’s why a lot of homeowners have problems growing peaches—you can’t take a break from it. I compare it to being a dairyman or a poultry farmer. You can’t just leave the cows or chickens alone. Same with peaches. You’re taking care of them year-round.”

Fortunately, one common concern—labor—hasn’t been an issue this season, which means plenty of fresh fruit will be making its way to markets across the region.

“Everything has gone very smoothly in terms of visa applications and getting the workers here,” says Dickey. “Luckily, that hasn’t turned into an issue.”

Dickey says customers can expect to find Georgia-grown peaches at both local and national grocery stores, although most are staying on the East Coast. But for the freshest selection, he says there’s no substitute for buying local.

“Anything from our local market or stands—that’s picked the day of or the day before,” he says. “That’s the great thing about picking peaches every day. We can be selective with what goes into our market and offer the nicest, freshest peaches possible.”

By: Damon Jones