Outside Coweta - Wargo's Pumpkin Patch - Luthersville

October 8, 2015

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Wargo's Pumpkin Patch Luthersville, GA © Susan Crutchfield Photography

It’s officially fall, and probably our favorite time of year!

Halloween, cool weather, crunchy leaves and pumpkin flavored everything. It’s all right up our alley!

We also love a good pumpkin patch.

Wargo’s Pumpkin patch is a new place to go for free fall family fun.

Corey and Monica Wargofcak live on the family farm that has been passed down through generations.

They always wanted a fun place to take their kids in the fall to celebrate the autumn season.

As a service to the community, they decided to open their property to visitors each October.

The endeavor begins as a family affair way before the air gets that telltale crisp.

In early June, the family sows a variety of pumpkin seeds in their fields.

They pumpkins are tended until early October when they are harvested.

This is a labor-intensive process as it is all done by hand.

In addition to a large variety of pumpkins, Wargo’s offers a range of delicious fair food and fun activities for the kids like painting, a small petting zoo and hayrides.

The animals in the petting zoo are the family’s goats and chickens. Monica laughs as she describes to us how friendly the chickens are. Apparently, they get lots of love from the Wargofcak kids and they eat up the attention.

For those who can’t get enough of local markets, there will also be handmade items for sale from local artisans and crafters.

We were excited to see Adam’s Honey had a booth. This is an award winning local honey brand we had never heard of, but are excited to try out.

Wargo’s is open every weekend of October and admission, parking, hayrides, painting and the petting zoo are all completely free.

The pumpkins are all for sale, but the Wargofcak's choose a different charity each year and donate the proceeds.

We love the Wargo’s Pumpkin Patch t-shirts that feature the original artwork seen on the signs. These will be for sale alongside the arts and crafts.

Luthersville is a short drive from Newnan and the Wargo’s signs are everywhere showing the way to the farm.

For more details, check out the Wargo’s Facebook page.

Happy fall! If you make it to Wargo’s, we would love to see your photos and hear about your experience!

Outside Coweta - Providence Canyon State Park

August 19, 2015

As Cowetans, we have a love hate relationship with the rich, red Georgia clay. We have cursed it for clinging to our cars, shoes and pets. We also love the beauty that it lends to our Southern landscape.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in Providence Canyon State Park.

This series of canyons, nicknamed Georgia’s Little Grand Canyon, offers a spectacular display of the colors of the Georgia soil.

The most prominent of these is the deep reddish brown of the familiar clay.

The beauty of Providence Canyon has an unfortunate beginning.

Prior to the 1800s, the Cherokee people who had lived there since before recorded history tended the land where the canyon now lies.

Providence Canyon State Park Lumpkin, Georgia

The Cherokees were familiar with the sandy nature of the local soil and worked the land using techniques that preserved the integrity of the landscape.

In the early 1800s, soon after the Cherokee people were forced to cede their land, settlers moved in to farm the area.

They were unaware of the need to practice a different type of farming from that they knew. They worked the land using a plow.

Wind, water and time quickly began to turn the furrows in the land into deep gulches.

In less than 150 years, the deep gashes turned into canyons that are as deep as 160 feet.

Despite the canyon’s disastrous beginnings, they are absolutely stunning.

We made the hour and a half journey on one of the first days of summer that has not been oppressively hot.

The state park lies slightly south of Columbus near the small town of Lumpkin.

The canyon takes its name from the church established by the first people to settle the land after the Cherokee cession.

We enjoyed the light breeze as we took the steep trail that descends to the canyon floor.

The bottom of the canyon is below the water table, so it is always wet and muddy.

We suggest if you go that you wear shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty. By the time we were done, we were up to our calves in mud.

The bottom of the canyon is stunning.

The trail is a path composed of muddy clay and sand.

We spotted several gorgeous plants, and the area was alive with beautiful butterflies.

Because it is so wet, there are a lot of pesky bugs.

We actually got the chance to try out the Bliss Creek Farm Buzz Off bug spray we purchased at the Newnan farmer’s market and were pretty amazed at how well it worked.

A short hike from the floor takes you into the canyons. There are nine of these.

When the canyon walls began to close in around you, it feels as if you have left Georgia and stepped into the American southwest.

The red Georgia clay is streaked with rose pink, light purple and stark white sands that make the canyon walls look like a sunset.

The erosion pattern causes some of the wall to rise into the sky like a giant chimney formation that would be more at home in a desert.

We were completely awe struck as we craned our necks to look up at the hundreds of feet of geological wonder.

The constant trickle of water has left some of the walls smooth and curvy, while others are jagged and rutted.

We took our time exploring and enjoying the beauty.

We only took the canyon trails because of the heat, but in the fall we would definitely consider doing the longer hike that leads out of the canyon and through the pines.

Along the canyon rim trail, you can view the rusted out remains of old cars that belonged to a long abandoned homestead.

The local wildlife has made a home of these automobile shells, and for this reason they are left to decay on the side of the trails.

At the top of the canyon, there are overlooks that offer a spectacular view of the entire area.

Standing there, we could not believe that this beautiful vista was created by a few donkey driven plows just a few decades ago.

Just as we were admiring the view, we heard a rushing noise from the canyon and realized a wall of water was headed our way.

We made it to the car just as a pounding summer rain drenched the landscape.

We think this beautiful hike is definitely worthy of a day trip.

Bring old, comfortable shoes, bug spray and a picnic.

The visitor’s center is closed during the week, but maps and restrooms are always available. Please let us know if you have visited Providence Canyon. We would love to hear your thoughts!

Outside Coweta - Blue Eyed Daisy Bakeshop - Chattahoochee Hills

June 3, 2015

Blue Eyed Daisy Bakeshop Serenbe Photo © Susan Crutchfield Photography

The heart of the Chattahoochee Hills community is Serenbe, a relatively new planned village that has a unique charm. One of the strong desires of the Serenbe community is to create a sustainable living space.

On the Serenbe main street, Blue Eyed Daisy Bakeshop is working to hold true to these environmental goals. Located in one of the country’s smallest Silver LEED certified buildings, Blue Eyed daisy offers a small menu of breakfast and lunch items, as well as a range of tempting pastries.

The café’s menu is prepared using as many locally produced and sustainable ingredients as possible. Many of the dishes incorporate fresh produce from the Serenbe Farm.

We headed over to Serenbe on a gorgeous, sunshiny day. We love the drive to Serenbe from Newnan. The road curves through farm country, giving you a glimpse of grazing cows and waving fields of green new crops.

Once you arrive at Serenbe, you get the additional treat of driving through the farm to get to the town. The farm is a small and well kept. The narrow drive winds through scenes so idyllic you feel like you have stepped into a painting.

We decided that since the day was so beautiful, we would enjoy our breakfast on Daisy sidewalk. It’s the perfect place to relax over a long breakfast at one of the bright blue wooden tables.

As dog owners, we love that the outdoor seating is a dog friendly area. They have bowls of fresh water for furry companions and hitching posts to tie a leash.

Inside, Blue Eyed Daisy emphasizes their commitment to environmental responsibility with upcycled décor. Most of the furniture are beautiful second hand pieces and the ceiling is festooned with large branches secured with twine.

We were both in the mood for eggs, so we decided to try their egg white omelet and scrambled eggs with bacon and toast.

The scrambled eggs were light and fluffy. They were given an extra shot of flavor with a pinch of fresh herbs. Paired with toast and bacon, they made the perfect breakfast for a late spring morning.

The egg white omelet came buried under a mound of mixed greens and sunflower seeds. The mild flavor of the egg whites contrasted nicely with the flavor that was bursting inside. It was a delicious combination of buttery sautéed mushrooms and fresh pesto.

Blue Eyed Daisy also has very good coffee.

The blend Rebekah tried was smooth with light citrus notes. No cream and sugar necessary.

We couldn’t leave without grabbing a few pastries on our way out. The peanut butter cookies were huge!

We also had to try the cupcakes that won Food Network’s Cupcake Wars competition. They were every bit as delicious as we anticipated.

Those who want to take home a bit of the Blue Eyed Daisy can browse their merchandise wall for preserves, t shirts and recipe books. The wall also contains a stack of board games to entertain kids while their parents catch up over coffee.

Serenbe is just a few miles outside of Coweta and has many great restaurants and adorable shops. Blue Eyed Daisy does special dinner nights, so be sure to follow them on Facebook to stay updated on dinner menus and limited offerings.

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