Today we’d like to introduce you to Caroline Lewallen and Drew Echols.
Caroline and Drew, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
The Echols family at Jaemor Farms has been harvesting crops from their land for 105 years. The family began farming cotton and a few peach trees in 1912. After a few years of growing this “king” row crop, they switched their focus to those few peach trees and began selling peaches on the side of Old Cornelia Highway, a road that runs parallel with what is I-985/Highway 365 today… The rest is history.
Jimmy Echols has grown peaches his entire life and is thankful for the farming tradition that was started by his grandfather. The original peach shed still sits outside his house on Old Cornelia Highway. He purchased the farm from his parents in the early 1960s.
In 1965, despite warnings from fellow farmers, Jimmy added a few acres onto his family’s land. Although many were fearful this might lead to failure, the fears turned out to be unfounded. It just so happened that in 1981 a four-lane highway was built next to this ‘newer’ piece of land so the Echols opened their familiar produce stand on what is now Highway 365. Additionally, once the third generation of Echols family members had inherited their portions of the original 1912 farm, there were two peach stands in Lula – ‘Echols Orchards’ and ‘Echols Peaches’. Therefore, when the market on the hill opened, the Echols renamed their portion of the family farm as ‘JAEMOR FARMS’. J.A.E.M.O.R combines Jimmy and Valvoreth’s names. J.immy A.llen E.chols + Valvoreth Mor.rison Echols.
During the past 36 years, Jaemor Farms has experienced numerous transitions and has grown to meet the demand of our customer base. In 2002, the family began to diversify the crops grown on the farm to beyond just peaches and apples. Now, our customers can enjoy homegrown strawberries, blackberries, muscadines, scuppernongs, concord grapes, watermelon, squash, okra, zucchini, pumpkins and more during our harvest seasons. In 2006, Jaemor opened the family’s first corn maze and began to participate in the state’s agritourism industry. Today, on average, Jaemor sees more than 1,000,000 customers annually.
Jaemor is comprised of 500 acres of land that sits in the tri county area of Hall, Habersham and Banks Counties in north Georgia. Jarl (son) and Drew (grandson) work daily in the fields, growing peaches, strawberries, blackberries, apples, pumpkins and other fruits and vegetables. Other family members run our markets and bakery – Jim (Pop), Valvoreth (Nanny), Judah (son), Daphne (granddaughter, Commerce market), Jeremy (grandson), Beth (daughter-in-law), Rick (grandson-in-law), Steve (cousin), Stephanie (cousin) … just to name a few. Many of our other family members work with us seasonally, too.
Jaemor Farms is a local family business, providing locally grown food, in a local growing and learning environment. Taste the difference family makes. The Echols family loves serving yours!
Has it been a smooth road?
The first 15 years that Jaemor Farm market was opened (founded in 1981) had many ups and downs. The family lost two back-to-back peach crops in the mid-80s. Throughout the years, the family certainly has had to persevere to make ends meet at times, and of course, take risks to expand the family business via buying more land and planting new crops.
Jarl Echols says that ‘God is more interested in making men, than he is peaches’ – in other words, through trials that life presents [like bad, tough weather] it’s more important to have strong character than it is to have a crop.
Faith is certainly what has gotten our family to where we are today.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Jaemor Farms – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Our family’s farm is known for our peaches – as that is what we have grown for five generations. In the past ten years we have become known for our strawberries, and agritourism events, as the local grown movement has sparked interest in other crops that we grow and on farm activities. We are always honored to host many families out on the farm during our strawberry festival and peach festival each year as it provides folks the opportunities to experience farm life on a working farm.
Our most proud fact as a company is that we still are a family working together. On any given day there are 10-12 full time family members at our markets or on the farm working together. If it weren’t for the team our family creates, we wouldn’t be in business. It’s that team and the atmosphere we create that sets us apart from others. ‘We like to think we were local before local was cool’ – Drew Echols
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
We are located about 65 miles north of Atlanta. When leaving the city, if you head north on I-85, then I-985, you can be to the ‘#sweetspot of North Georgia’ within an hour. We love being this close to our state’s capital city. We are close enough to provide a close, outside experience for many in the beautiful foothills of Northeast Georgia’s mountains, but far away enough to feel that one is ‘out of the city’!
We also have a satellite farm market on I-85, exit 149 next to the Tanger Outlets in Commerce.
Contact Info:
- Address: 5340 Cornelia Hwy. Alto, Ga 30510
- Website: jaemorfarms.com
- Phone: 770-869-3999
- Email: caroline@jaemorfarms.com
- Instagram: @jaemorfarms.com
- Facebook: /jaemorfarms
- Twitter: @jaemorfarms
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jaemor-farms-alto
Image Credit:
Jaemor Farms
Getting in touch: VoyageATL is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
