One family has grown delicious strawberries for over a century

BLOOMINGDALE, Ga. (WTOC) - When it comes to Georgia crops, many people think of peanuts, pecans and onions.

But one Chatham County farmer grows something just a little different.

Meet Pete Waller, a strawberry farmer whose family has been growing berries for over 100 years.

“It’s in your blood to farm, and you’ve got to love it to farm. I truly love farming, I have farmed all my life,” said Pete Waller, farmer.

Pete Waller is a third-generation farmer in Bloomingdale, Georgia.

His grandfather began cultivating this land in 1873, a tradition that Pete looks forward to continuing every morning.

“If you get a rocking chair and a television set, you won’t be around long. If you get up and take a good hot shower, shave and get out in these fields you feel mighty good. You could forget about all your aches and pains,” said Waller.

This time of the year, it is all about Strawberries at Ottawa farm.

These five acres are packed with strawberries along with something else that wasn’t there this time last year.

“We didn’t have much participation last year on account of the virus. Last year was really a bad year, but this year it looks like we are going to hit a homerun. We’ve got a beautiful crop of berries, good participation with traffic of picking berries,” said Waller.

Waller says over two thousand people have already been out to his strawberry patch over the past couple weeks. People that are filling their buckets up with more than strawberries, but also memories.

“Whenever a family will come by and thank you for having them on your farm, being able to pick berries and enjoy themselves, that is what it’s all about,” said Waller.

You can take more than just strawberries home from Ottawa Farms. There is a general store with ice cream, jelly and other treats available for purchase right next to the strawberry patch.

If you are interested in visiting Ottawa farms and picking some berries for yourself, you can visit their website here or give them a call at (912) 748-3035

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