Sunday, September 16, 2012
Follow the highways into north Georgia and you are bound to come across the town of Ellijay which is known for its mountain views and apples. With fall underway, the orchards around Ellijay are full to the brim with different types of apples and hence the couples and families that come to pick them. BJ Reece Orchards is just one of the many that not only sells and processes the fruit but also includes fun family activities as well. The orchard has a petting area for farm animals including goats,fowl and turkeys. You can also see how good your aim is at the apple cannon which can shoot an apple hundreds of feet away. There is also a gift store with fresh baked goods including breads, pies and cakes. I photographed people as they picked apples for a Three of a Kind photo feature for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Tony Cruz (right) and Tomas Rodriguez sort apples on a conveyor belt at BJ Reece Apple Orchard in Ellijay on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
BJ Reece Apple Orchard in Ellijay has been a family run business since 1975 and has 50 acres for people to pick their own apples.
Aliana Castro picks apples at BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
Abby Taylor (right) and her mother Lisa walk along a section of BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay as they search for apples on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
Brooke Taylor picks golden delicious apples at BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
Thousands of apple trees stand in rows on the 50 acres of the BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
Mark Kiefer (left) helps Isaac Kiefer aim his high powered apple cannon as they try to shoot fruit into a basket at BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
Lyla Clay runs along the rows of apple trees at BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
Amin Brown (left) and his grandmother Attie pick apples at BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
A turkey struts around the petting zoo section of BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
Nia Lawrence hides behind her mother as she reaches to pet one of the goats in the petting zoo section of BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
Apples grow on the trees at BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
Jacob Clay struggles to carry a bag of apples as he picks them with his family at BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
Mark Kiefer walks along the apple trees with his grandson Issac at BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
McCrae Swank (right) feeds Milkshake the goat with the help of his father Michael at BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
Destiny Kelley holds a golden delicious apple in her hand at BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
Hanna Alhir reaches for an apple as she picks them at BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
Thousands of apple trees stand in rows on the 50 acres reserved for pick your own fruit at BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay on Sunday, September 16, 2012.
Noah Alhir reaches for an apple as he picks them at BJ Reece Orchards in Ellijay on Sunday, September 16, 2012.