Reed Bingham State Park, Adel, Georgia
For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be. ~ Psalm 139:13-16
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BLAINE’S SISTER, SANDY!! Sandy’s the one we just spent two weeks carousing with, so I’m not sure what else needs to be said about her. She’s not only a sister, but a sister in Christ. We (especially me) enjoy getting into trouble with her – – even after all these years!
Before I start on our day, I wanted to share this picture:
More were dropped in by helicopter!
They had over 40,000 eggs total, and around 6,000 guests!
Last night, about 10:15pm, Blaine made a call. I’m certain the other retirees or childless couples or even those with well-behaved children appreciated it. It’s dark here. Very dark. And yet young children were running absolutely wild all over the loop – screaming, running, riding bikes, terrorizing the tortoises . . . and it had been going on since we got home from dinner. Quiet time here is 10:00pm. Blaine made the call at 10:15pm because there was no indication of them letting up. The final scream was heard at 10:28pm.
Until a dog got loose at 3:00am and was running around our coach area barking at the top of his lungs. At least the owner wasn’t yelling at him to shut up . . .
So we’re tired today, but we also left for the day, so they can whoop it up all they want, all day long. 😊 And lest you think we’re turning into old fuddie-duddies, we don’t mind ‘normal kid noises’ and especially at ‘normal times’. These kids were vocalizing well beyond any ‘normal’.
This morning – and all day long – was heavily overcast and a bit drizzly. I love it! My disposition loves it! Makes me energetic and giddy! I know most likely every person who reads this will think I’m out of my mind, but it’s the truth!
Today’s adventure took us north to a town called Tifton. As it turned out, we should’ve left earlier, but I was working on the blog and delayed our departure. We could’ve used the extra time because we had to rush at the end.
When researching things to do around Adel, we uncovered this town and two places in particular we wanted to visit – The Market at Rutland Farms, and the Georgia Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village.
We took a lot of pictures today. 😊
I’ve been in need of pecans for quite a while now. Chef Blaine can hardly make my pecan waffles without them, now, can he? But we’ve been holding off due to the price, and he’s down to crumbs. (I know this seems off topic, but bear with me.) We’ve noticed a lot of billboards advertising pecans in all kinds of forms, and one place in particular today had many billboards up. With a name like “Magnolia Plantation”, we thought we’d stop and check. Our first sighting was from the expressway. Hmm… looks okay. So we pulled off and drove up.
What a tourist trap this place turned out to be! They had nuts all right. And gobs of other cheap touristy stuff.
We decided not to buy anything here. We’d rather give our business to the Rutlands a bit further up the road.
In 1916, Charlie Rutland started a small 36-acre farmstead; nearly a century has passed and, five generations later, Rutland Farms remains family owned and operated. Today Rutland Farms has evolved into a diverse farming operation and a welcoming agri-tourism attraction.
Located in the heart of South Georgia, just a mile and a half from I-75, Rutland Farms began offering a primitive You-Pick strawberry patch in 1998 to provide the local community with fresh fruit they could harvest themselves. In the winter of 2000, the original “Strawberry House” was constructed to house a new product line of jellies, world famous homemade ice cream and a more diverse produce selection. The simple shed served as a welcome station to visitors for several years and as a landmark for travelers seeking a taste of country life. In the spring of 2011, construction for a new 4000 square foot facility, The Market at Rutland Farms, broke ground. Now, locals and visitors alike can enjoy visiting the farm and purchasing a variety of fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, and other locally produced specialties, including our jams and ice cream. In addition to the items grown on our farm, we partner with other like-minded growers and artisans in our area to provide a wonderful variety of seasonal produce and specialty items. And, our new online store offers folks a chance to order non-perishables year-round!
Over the years, Rutland Farms has blossomed from its humble beginnings into over 2100 acres of fertile farmland with more than 22 crop varieties grown – and, we plan to offer additional items in the future. More than 20 ponds are located on Rutland Farms and we serve as hosts to many annual bass tournaments for fishing clubs across the south. Additionally, Rutland Farms offers “hands-on” style field trips to educate students about agriculture.
We continue to evolve to meet the needs of our guests while remaining committed to preserving the land and heritage for future generations. It was true in 1916 and remains true today, with three of the five generations of ownership still working side-by-side, Rutland Farms is “a southern family tradition.” ~ the Rutland Farms website
What a contrast between the two places!
I had read lots of favorable reviews of this place, but we didn’t really know what to do here. So after a quick look around (and a couple of pictures), I asked the young girl at the counter to “tell me about this place”. Her answer? “Oh, We have a lot of good stuff here.” I think they need to work on her training a bit more . . . 😊
Fortunately, there was a more experienced woman also working, who stepped up and filled us in. It’s strawberry season, (but nothing else right now) so you could buy already picked, or pick your own for about half the price. They also serve homemade ice cream and strawberry shakes, but it was a bit early for that. It was $8.00 to visit the petting zoo area. That’s actually $8.00 for up to four people, so in other words, we paid $4/person, plus they give you a bag of food to feed the animals!
That’s where we’re headed.
Too bad we won’t be here when they’re ready.
We had a great time here! All the animals were very eager to greet us! Well, of course they were! We had food! And they knew it! The minute we tossed our paper sack into the trash, they all snubbed us! Can you believe it?? Bunch of ingrates! 😊
“They’re mean and scary.” Or so we were told. : )
A little on the thin side, but still cute!
The girl inside told us that most of the animals have been given to them.
We didn’t see it until I was looking at the picture on the laptop!
“Pork Chop” is one enormous piggy!
We’re not supposed to feed this one either, but who can resist the begging!
I think that’s what makes them look kinda evil . . .
These were happy and friendly. : )
At the fair, all you get to see is the tail end. : )
This one-eared goat followed me around for a while.
and the chickens kept beating him to it.
so Blaine climbed up on top of it! The fence. Not the emu.
Well, almost to the top. : )
While I enjoy an overcast, drizzly day,
it doesn’t make for very good landscape pictures.
We bought a pound of chopped pecans for $12. Still a little steep, but we were willing to help out this small farm. I also bought some pecan oil. It was also expensive, but no more so than sesame oil. And these ‘specialty oils’ – meant more for stir frying than deep frying – require much less usage, so they last longer. We’ll see what it tastes like.
And then there were the strawberries! We decided two quarts were all we could handle at a time. The cost? $3.38! No. Not for one. That’s the total for two quarts! More than made up for the pecans and oil! Yes! And the taste? Still not on par with New Brunswick, Canada, but oh, sooo good!
Time to move on, sans shake. ☹
The Georgia Museum (I’m not gonna type all that out again . . .) was packed today! We didn’t realize what all there was to see here, or I would’ve been ready to leave earlier. The problem was, they closed at 4:00pm. We probably would’ve been fine with even one additional hour.
So much activity today! Almost everything was operational, including the steam train. And we learned a few new things, which is always good! And it’s only $10/person! Plus they give you complimentary packages of peanuts!
It also provides the entrance to the Peanut Museum, but we didn’t get to see that.
We’re tentatively planning a trip to Jimmy Carter’s place from our next stop.
Explore the farms. Listen to the barnyard sounds. Experience everyday 19th century-style life in our wiregrass village, and more. All structures have authentic furnishings of the period.
Friendly staff members share the history as they perform daily activities whether in farmhouses, fields, sawmill, turpentine still, schoolhouse, blacksmith’s shop, or the grist mill. Stroll up the main street to the Feed and Seed store, the print shop and the drug store.
Tour the original Victorian home of Tifton’s founder, Captain H. H. Tift. The Tift House was designed with curly pine molding, high ceilings, antique furnishings, and heart pine floors. It’s furnished with a wood burning cook stove, Victorian paintings, ornate wallpaper, and fine china.
Georgia’s Museum of Agriculture and Historic Village opened as the Agrirama on July 4, 1976. The grounds consist of five areas: a traditional farm community of the 1870s, an 1890s progressive farmstead, an industrial sites complex, rural town, national peanut complex, and the Museum of Agriculture Center. Over 35 structures have been relocated to the 95-acre site and faithfully restored or preserved. Costumed interpreters explain and demonstrate the life-style and activities of this time in Georgia’s history. ~ from their website
We missed out on some of this, like the inside of the Tift house and the peanut complex, due to time constraints. ☹
We’ve run across that word, Agrirama, several places. It must be a made-up word because it’s not in any dictionary. I’m going out on a limb and say it’s a melding of the words ‘agriculture’ and ‘drama’? But honestly, I have no idea.
Since there was a slight threat of rain, we began with the outside stuff.
We intended to return here, but ran out of time.
Through the doorway, was the exam/surgery room,
complete with a multi-use wooden table, of which we neglected to photograph.
We were busy listening to the interpreter, and forgot.
But on the lighter side, we were told that to compensate for the pain a little,
he always wrote a prescription for ice cream!
And it was free to the patient!
Blaine might be tempted to write his own scripts for that! : )
She sounded so confident, we didn’t have the heart to correct her in front of her young son.
Hopefully, someone will. They were part of a good-sized family group.
We both chose sandals today. Not the best choice.
For here, or the Market.
Or maybe it’s something else. . . I loved it!
This is one area that needs vast improvement.
The town dentist, barber and shoe-shiner.
And I’d be willing to bet that he didn’t have three different chairs. : )
the barber, shoe shine stand and dentist chair were all operated by the same person!
The following exhibit on Judge Sweat was researched and created in part by a student internship of the Agricultural College’s Rural Studies program. The student dedicated over 200 hours of labor, which in turn, created a project portfolio, beneficial to her as she begins to apply for a job in the museum industry.
And his name’s not pronounced, like you just thought it, but Sweet. : )
At the time he was admitted to the bar, a college degree was not mandatory.
His son, Lee, planted the first pink dogwood in Ware County, in his yard.
Judge Sweat was the 4th person in Ware County to own a car.
At least in this exhibit. I’ll bet it’s just a space-saving measure. : )
but a lot of them were labeled “For Feline Distemper”. Hmm . . . .
We never used anything even resembling these things!
They must be for horses or cows?
I’m pretty sure the men from this period didn’t wear plastic safety masks. : )
Just not practical. It’s got a huge hole in it! : )
We didn’t ask about it because there were tons of people milling about when we were here.
Essentially, they take the sap they bled from the pine trees and heat it.
It ran through a trough and into this gigantic barrel and they turned on a spigot,
and water-looking turpentine poured out.
They sell what they make here in the gift shop.
and his hands and head were unbelievably close to that running saw blade!
The guys had a bit of a struggle getting this log off the pile and prepped for cutting, but they did it.
Whoo! Whoo! Toot! Toot! Chuga, chuga, chuga . . .
and had samples of the cakes to try, along with homemade syrup.
She said this was her last one.
She’d been making them non-stop since 8am – six hours ago!
He didn’t write this one. It’s an oldie, but a goodie! And now it’s stuck in my head . . . again . . .
It was fun, and we met a guy from the area who gave us some tips for things to see while we’re in the area.
Most of them are too far away from where we’re staying. : (
Then it was the inside agricultural museum, where we learned a bit about cotton, tobacco, turpentine and of all things . . . egg farming.
I realized I had to include it. : )
until I was ready to include it in my post.
The glues and adhesives I understand,
but Skittles? Life Savers? Orange pop? Toothpaste? Oh man!
And then a visit to the quilt show. The quilts here were beautiful, but not what I consider true quilting. They were all machine stitched! According to the woman I asked about this, hand quilting is becoming a thing of the past. She said people don’t have the time anymore. I don’t know, with all these intricate designs, is it really time-saving to use a machine? Anyway, it’s sad to hear that. Not that I will ever take up quilting – hand or machine, so I guess I have no right to complain.
Only in the South would you run across so polite a notice.
Up North, it’s just ‘You Break It. You Buy It.’
I prefer the Southern way, but I’ve been a Northerner
for so long now, I’m not sure I can change. : )
We had nothing to eat at home and we were sort of hungry by the time we left, but not hungry enough for a full meal, so we stopped at an Arby’s. Great food choice again! Two days in a row! Ugh! We’d best do better tomorrow.
We ended our day with a picture of our newest grandson! May I present, Cooper Thomas Peck! Unborn son of our youngest son, Kyle and Shena! He’s almost 5 months old. How blessed we are to live in an age when technology allows us to watch the miracle of God at work! He is without a doubt an Awesome God!
Due date to enter the world, August 8th.
If he comes a week early, he could end up with my birthday!
And all was calm and quiet tonight. 😊