Pearson Farm in Georgia: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Pearson Farm in Fort Valley, Georgia, has grown peaches since 1885 and today is run by fifth- and sixth-generation family members. Fruit Growers News profiled the farm in July 2024 for its six generations, and the operation grows about 40 peach varieties alongside pecans planted from the 1930s onward.
| Location | Fort Valley, Peach County, Georgia |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1885, when Lockie and Emma Pearson planted peaches (per the farm); Fruit Growers News also cites roots to 1835 |
| Sectors | Peaches; pecans; baked goods and gift products |
| Scale | Acreage not published in sources reviewed; about 40 peach varieties grown |
| Why it is elite | Six generations of continuous Georgia peach growing; trade press profile |
| Ownership | Family-owned; fifth-generation owner Lawton Pearson, with sixth generation active |
| Official website | Pearson Farm official site (peaches page) |
History of Pearson Farm
The farm's own history says Pearson Farm began in 1885, when Lockie and Emma Pearson moved from Woodbury to Zenith, Georgia, and planted peaches. Fort Valley had become a peach hub in the late 1800s thanks to a mild climate and rich red clay soil, and the Pearson orchards grew up with that industry.
Pecan trees were added in the 1930s, giving the family a second tree crop that ripens after the peach season ends. Fruit Growers News reports that the farm is now run by fifth- and sixth-generation family members, with Lawton Pearson as the fifth-generation owner.
What Pearson Farm Grows and Raises
Pearson Farm grows about 40 peach varieties, and the lineup changes often as the family replaces older trees with newer selections. Fruit Growers News notes that the Prince-named varieties lead, including Ruby Prince, while older types such as O'Henry are more susceptible to bacterial spot. Planting many varieties staggers ripening so harvest and packing labor is spread across the season.
The farm sells fresh peaches and pecans and offers baked goods through its online shop. The Fruit Growers News article also notes how technology has changed packinghouse work, a reminder that even a farm with deep roots has to keep updating its grading, cooling and packing systems.
How Pearson Farm Makes Money
Fresh peaches
Fresh Georgia peaches are the signature product, sold through the farm's shop and seasonal channels described on its website. Variety planning is the main lever: early, mid and late selections let the farm sell fruit across a long window.
Pecans
Pecans, planted since the 1930s, add a fall and holiday revenue line, including gift products that reach customers well after peach season.
Baked goods and gifts
The farm's website lists baked goods and peach products. Turning fruit into prepared items makes use of fruit that is less suited to fresh shipping and lets the brand reach customers outside the harvest months.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Pearson Farm
Treat variety selection as a business plan. Replacing older, disease-prone selections with newer ones keeps quality and packout up, and a wide lineup spreads harvest risk and labor.
Build a brand around the family story. Six generations of continuity give the farm credibility with chefs, gift buyers and online customers, and prepared products turn that story into year-round sales.
Few farm families can say they have outlasted six generations of peach seasons, which means a lot of people have had to explain to a visiting cousin why the tree is not ripe yet. At farm.FM the farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes salute the patience of growers like the Pearsons, who have probably heard every peach pun in Georgia and still pick at dawn. Forty varieties is a lot of cobbler to taste-test, but somebody has to do it.
For context, farm.FM is the nation's first satirical farm site and the home of Tractor Tunes, country music for farmers. Its contributors each keep an archive, and this one is a good sampler of ranch humor and farm jokes.
How to Contact Pearson Farm
Website: https://pearsonfarm.com/pages/peaches
Contact details as published online, November 2026. Confirm visits, sales and hours directly with the operation before traveling.
Pearson Farm Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Pearson Farm - Official site with the farm's history and products
- Fruit Growers News profile - Trade press feature on Pearson Farm's six generations
- UGA CAES profile of Al Pearson - University of Georgia college profile of a Pearson family member
- USDA NASS Georgia Census of Agriculture - State farm numbers and sales from the 2022 Census
- Explore Georgia listing - State tourism listing for the farm
Pearson Farm FAQ
When was Pearson Farm founded?
The farm's website says it began in 1885, when Lockie and Emma Pearson planted peaches in Zenith, Georgia.
What does Pearson Farm grow?
Peaches (about 40 varieties) and pecans, with baked goods and gift items sold through its shop.
Who runs Pearson Farm today?
Fruit Growers News reports the fifth and sixth generations of the family, with Lawton Pearson as the fifth-generation owner.
How do I contact Pearson Farm?
Use the contact options on pearsonfarm.com, since the pages reviewed did not list a street address or phone.
Pearson Farm shows how continuity, variety planning and prepared products can keep a peach and pecan farm competitive for six generations. See the Georgia farms guide for the wider picture and the other operations profiled with it.