Meansville, GA |

After years of planning and preparation, Red Tip Farms in Meansville officially opened its gates last May—bringing fresh produce, eggs, and hands-on experiences to the local community through its U-Pick operation and farm market. For owner Terry Batchelor, the project is more than just a business—it’s a way to instill hard work and financial responsibility in the next generation.

“To have this piece of property here, I live next door. And so, was able to utilize this and was like, hey, what better chance than to put in a U-Pick operation?” says Batchelor. “It has done really well and grown every year. It’s been a blessing and showed my kids the value of a dollar—being able to work and not just hand out money. It’s really taught them life lessons for sure.”

With the cost and scarcity of eggs drawing concern in recent months, the farm’s small-scale egg production has been a hit among visitors, who are quick to snatch up cartons as soon as they’re available.

“We’re very small—we have just fifteen, twenty chickens. And yes, this year has definitely seen a big increase in demand for eggs,” says Batchelor. “As quick as I put them out there, they’re gone, usually within the day.”

Amid heightened awareness surrounding Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, Batchelor is taking added precautions—paying close attention to his chickens’ health and feeding them a diet largely sourced from his own row crops.

“My chickens seem to be pretty healthy. We feed them whole grains because of the row crop side of things. I’m involved with growing wheat and corn, and I feed them that type of stuff versus processed food,” he explains.

Still, the main attraction at Red Tip Farms remains the U-Pick berries—specifically blueberries and blackberries—which are expected to be available early next month. And according to Batchelor, things are looking promising.

“So far, we are blessed this year. Blackberries are looking great. Blueberries—we’ve dodged a few cold mornings, but we’ve been fortunate. We do have a bumper crop so far,” he says. “Of course, we’re still a few weeks out from being in the clear, but this year is looking good.”

Helping drive visitors to the farm is its participation in Georgia Farm Bureau’s Certified Farm Markets program—an initiative Batchelor says has significantly boosted visibility and sales.

“It has definitely gotten me way more customers that would have never found me out here,” says Batchelor. “Even though we’re on a state highway, they would’ve never come to the Meansville or Pike County area. It’s been a blessing—more revenue for me and a good thing for Farm Bureau, too.”

For Red Tip Farms, it’s a story of growth rooted in community, education, and a shared love of agriculture.