Oh the places you’ll ‘grow’

You’ve got wheels

You’ve got plastic

You’ve got smarts

To not be drastic

There are highways and byways

Dirt roads and paved

Ice cream and watermelon

And ice that is shaved

Should you go north

For blueberry picking

Or should you go south

For sausage and chicken

Maybe it’s east 

Maybe it’s west

Both ways hold promise

Both ways are best

In the middle you say

Where it’s closer to home

Well, with 10 within reach

There’s no need to roam

You’ll pick strawberries

You’ll buy jams

You’ll find growers and pickers

With lots of “yes ma’ams”

Oh the places you’ll grow

Your heart it will swell

Your mind will explode

And your soul will as well

You’ll find joy in the trips

Make new neighbors and friends

You’ll make memories so precious

And the song never ends

Oh the places you’ll grow

The SWAG you’ll receive

T-shirt and jacket

Short or long-sleeve

Oh the places you’ll grow

You’ll start out today

With passport in hand

You’ll be well on your way

Okay, so that sort of gives you a glimpse into the world my wife and I have discovered as part of the Georgia Farm Bureau’s “Farm Passport” program. It’s a simple premise. Pick up a passport. You can find one by visiting a Georgia Farm Bureau office. Nearby, there’s one at 1830 Macon Road in Perry and one at 470 Taylors Mill Road in Fort Valley. Or you can visit one of the participating farms and pick one up there. Farms that are nearest to Warner Robins are Pearson Farms in Fort Valley and Greenway Farms in Roberta. They’ll have – or should have – a passport on the counter. 

Once you’ve got it, visit the places. There are literally dozens – stretching way above Atlanta to down near Valdosta. They have quirky names “Red-Tip” and “Nu Sunrise” and “Melon Patch” or names that might allude to generation after generation of farming: “Elliott”, “Gregg”, “EM”. Each offers a wealth of products – from homegrown fruits and vegetables to special-made jams and jellies to meats of every kind – chicken, pork, beef. Some even have desserts like ice cream and serve lunch and dinner. 

While there – regardless if you buy or not – get your passport stamped. Stamps = prizes. Five stamps gets you a “limited edition” T-shirt. Ten gets you some “awesome” “Ag Swag” plus the T-shirt. Twenty gets you a farm tour with a “Farm to Table” meal, the T-Shirt and the “swag”. Thirty gets you a “special selection” of certified farm market goods – plus all of the other things mentioned, and the person with the most stamps gets an RTIC cooler and an ice cream farm date with a farmer. Note: The deadline for submitting passports this year is Jan. 5, 2026.

So …

Your stomach is growling

Your tongue is for tasting

We’re already ahead of you

And time is a wasting