Today we’d like to introduce you to Al Pearson, Lawton Pearson.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Al and Lawton. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Al: I grew up in Zenith surrounded by peach and pecan orchards and began working for pay in the packing shed or at a roadside stand when I was 6.
After graduating from UGA with a degree in Horticulture, I attended Law School while helping on the farm. I never felt obligated to come back, but I was more than willing to take over the operation, called Big 6 Farms, in partnership with my two sisters. That enterprise lasted 35 years, and at that time my son and I purchased the farming operation and changed the name to Pearson Farm. He is the 5th generation to farm peaches and pecans in Zenith and Lee Pope.
Lawton: My earliest memories of the Farm are riding in my dad’s pickup truck through miles of peach orchards. When I was old enough, I worked at the Farm driving tractors and working in the peach packing shed. After graduating from Law School, I returned to the Farm to begin my life as a peach and pecan farmer.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Al: As I look back, it seems smooth. There were obvious times of stress, but none were serious enough to halt progress. Devastating hail and drought in 1977; Flood of 1994; Total peach loss in 1996 due to lack of sufficient cold weather.
Lawton: In any business, there are inevitable struggles. Farming is more than a job, it is a way of life. It is incredibly time-consuming and it can be difficult to balance the commitment to family and farm. The weather is the greatest obstacle to a productive growing season. Hurricanes, tornadoes, freezing temperatures, inadequate chill hours, too much rain, too little rain- the list goes on and one – all make farming extremely difficult.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Pearson Farm – what should we know?
Al: Our main enterprise is producing peaches and pecans for wholesale markets. Since 1996, we have been growing our retail business which focuses on things we grow and products we make from them. Our customers compliment our farm and we feel they are welcome visitors who we want to please and have them return.
Our heritage is important, not because of the years, but because it teaches us about the value of people, family, place, home, faith, and dependability.
I think we are very attentive to details and the relationship with our customers, wholesale, and retail.
Lawton: Pearson Farm is a 5th generation peach and pecan farm located in the Fort Valley plateau in middle Georgia. Our name is synonymous with quality. We have a 130-year legacy to live up to and our commitment to producing a premium product reflects that.
What are you most proud of as a company?
Al: Our heritage is important, not because of years, but because it teaches us about the value to people, family, place, home, faith and dependability
Lawton: At Pearson Farm, we are most proud of our history and legacy. We work the ground my great-grandfathers worked and grow particular peach varieties created by these men. It is an honor to come after them and continue the tradition of excellence they started.
Contact Info:
- Address: 5575 Zenith Mill Road
Fort Valley, GA 31030 - Website: www.pearsonfarm.com
- Phone: 478-827-0750
- Email: customerservice@pearsonfarm.com
- Instagram: PearsonFarmGA
- Facebook: @PearsonFarm
- Twitter: PearsonFarmGA
- Yelp: Pearson Farm
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