2 Top-Notch Agritourism Stops in Dearing, Georgia
Get down and (not so) dirty on two fantastic farm tours in McDuffie County.
Tickle your nose, make your eyes pop, and blow your mind all at the same time by visiting a working farm. Two top-notch agritourism stops in Dearing, Georgia make it easy to pack different types of on-the-farm fun into one day. From dairy cows to lavender fields, tractor tours to yoga sessions, lively question-and-answer sessions to hands-on workshops, come experience modern farms. Learn how food is raised, connect with nature, support local agriculture, get outdoors, and create memories in McDuffie County.
Trolley rides pulled by an antique tractor.
Hillcrest Farms is the first robotic dairy farm in Georgia. What began in 1941 as the family farm of G. L. and Lucille Rodgers is now helmed by third- and fourth-generation descendants who work to keep cows happy.
One of the top-producing dairy farms in the Southeast—each cow at Hillcrest Farms produces an average of 30,000 pounds of milk each year—is now offering 90-minute farm tours. You can meet cows, watch the milking process, and learn fascinating facts like how much saliva a dairy cow produces each day. 125 pounds!
Hillcrest Farms installed new state-of-the-art robots for milking cows in December 2019. The robots allow the animals to step up to be milked when they choose. “Traditional milking is very precise and repetitive, but now it’s completely up to the cow to set her own schedule,” says Mark Rodgers, general manager and one of the farm’s third generation of owner-operators. In addition to voluntary milking, cow comforts at the farm include soft sand-bedded stalls, recycled rubber flooring for great traction plus lower impact on hooves and legs, fans and sprinklers to help offset hot weather, and a variety of feed consisting of crops shown on the tour.
The cow-friendly robots also free the farmers from routine. Rather than working tasks at the same time, same way, every day, they can now mix things up. Farmers might one day do a herd health check, the next day focus on equipment maintenance. Staff members are loving the chance to face new challenges. Only cow feeding times remain constant.
Cows enjoy their comfy space at Hillcrest
Farm tours get you close to the action. “We start farm tours outside,” says Mark, who hosts many of them. “We talk about the family history, why we farm, how we farm, cow comfort, and then move into the robotics observation center” where you’ll find interactive displays for visitors of all ages, including a life-size fiberglass cow that can be hand-milked and a big-screen TV displaying a live feed from 14 cameras across the farm for an overview of the operation. Then climb aboard a covered trolley pulled by an antique tractor for a ride around the property. The riding tour stops at the ‘moo-ternity’ barn to see any newborn calves—no guarantees, but cows are born throughout the year at Hillcrest Farms. Tours cover a variety of farm- and food-related topics from how cow feed is kept from spoiling to milk labeling requirements.
Book your farm tour today. Tickets are $10 per adult, $7 for youngsters through 12th grade, and free for children age 3 and younger; minimum $100 for a tour to occur. During the coronavirus pandemic, you’ll share a farm tour only with your own companions and won’t be asked to mingle with others. Please wear a face mask during indoor portions of the tour.
Cutting Lavender.
White Hills Farm is a boutique lavender and herb farm owned by Amy and Patrick Sutter. Visitors are welcome at this certified naturally grown farm.
Visit any time of year for a farm tour, to stock up on local goodies in the Gift Shoppe, or participate in hands-on workshops, classes, or events. Come learn how to bake with lavender, make your own soaps, grow perennial and annual herbs, and more while basking in the aromatic setting.
Over 14 types of lavender are cultivated on 14 acres of the 30-acre property, along with rosemary, thyme, basil, calamint (a native Georgia mint), roselle, plus other edibles and aromatics. After harvest, lavender and herbs are air-dried, then transformed into various products such as bath salts, lotion, body oil, lip balm, soaps, teas, sachets, and various dried herb blends. You’ll find a wide variety of farm-grown and hand-made products in the Gift Shoppe.
Herb Blends Available.
Routines at White Hills Farm vary by season. “For eight months of the year I get up early to get outside working before the sun gets too hot,” says Amy. “In winter I wait until it’s not too cold to get outside.” The lavender and herb beds are most picturesque in warmer months but need tending year-round. In the fall, picking and sorting pecans yields tasty rewards.
Farm tours are customized for each group. “A garden club will want more details about how to grow lavender and issues I have with it,” says Amy. “Kids aren’t as interested in those details, but we can touch and smell a lot of things.” A girlfriends’ getaway group may want to walk around the property then do a hands-on activity such as making a body scrub, tea blend, or herbal simple syrup.
Workshops delve into a range of seasonal topics, from wild-foraged wreath-making to brining meats, insect identification to tea-making. Relaxing yoga retreats are held three to four times a year. Cooking classes hosted by guest chefs cover a range of topics such as cooking with herbs, baking crackers, making desserts, salads, soups, and herb-inspired garden beverages. Soap-making sessions are offered a couple times a year.
Yoga Retreat.
Seasonal events include fall scavenger hunts and Santa at the farm. In 2019, White Hills Farm hosted the first Augusta Boucherie. The farm-to-table extravaganza of cooking demonstrations, expert-led seminars, and mouthwatering flavor is expected to resume autumn 2021. Throughout the year, the farm is available to host showers, parties, study groups, meetings, and other special events including weddings (though you’ll need your own wedding planner).
Plan your visit today. Prices vary by activity. Safety is a priority and White Hills Farm makes the most of its spectacular outdoor setting.
Explore More of McDuffie County
While in Dearing, savor authentic poutine alongside a juicy burger or sausage dog at Deep South Cheese & Grill, a slab of ribs, barbecue chicken, or fried catfish at Pea-Ridge BBQ, or fried chicken, mac-n-cheese, and other homestyle favorites at Steeleys Grill & Tackle. Agritourism is just one among many fun reasons to visit Thomson McDuffie County.