Mercier Orchards: Bustling Family Farm + Market in Blue Ridge

My sister-in-law Jamie spent her formative years in north Georgia, and over Thanksgiving weekend, we visited many of her childhood haunts. We navigated windy hilltop roads, passing the sink hole where she used to swim, her grandparents’ creekside home and the smallest K-12 school in Georgia before finishing in Blue Ridge at Mercier Orchards, a sprawling apple lover’s Mecca (and then some) that’s partially run by her former AP English teacher.

Mercier Orchards dates to 1943, when Bill and Adele Mercier started farming 27 acres. In 1972, son Tim joined the family business. He and wife Sandra helped grow Mercier Orchards to 200 acres and added a retail market and bakery. The Merciers now grow apples, peaches, nectarines, blueberries, cherries and blackberries under the watchful eyes of Tim’s daughter Melissa and her husband David Lillard.

Apple season runs from August through December. “Late season” is considered October through December.

The Merciers filled a sample basket with more than a dozen varieties of colorful apples, including Rome, Crispin (Mutzu), Stayman, Granny Smith, Fuji, Arkansas Black, Yate, Pink Lady and Gold Rush.

The Merciers sell apples in small, medium and large bags. A sign over each variety specifies whether the apples are best for Baking, Pies, Snacking or Salads.

Mercier Orchards produces glass jugs of multi-apple cider that has just the right sweet-tart balance.

Single origin chocolate and coffee have all grown in popularity. At Mercier Orchards, so has single varietal apple cider, including Granny Smith, Fuji, Pink Lady and Gold Rush. Gold rush is especially fitting since north Georgia hills hosted America’s first gold rush.

Mercier Orchards sells hundreds of apple cider doughnuts per day. A dozen of supple sugar dusted rings cost $3.25. They have a distinct apple flavor. They’re even better after a couple minutes in the toaster when the outside sugars caramelize and the cake-y core gets pillow soft.

Mercier also sells 21 varieties of fried pies – hot and cold – including cranberry-apple-pecan, blueberry cream, butterscotch, and of course apple.

Fried apple pie was very good, featuring cubes of whatever variety’s in peak season and a crimped, glazed crust. During our visit, we enjoyed Pink Lady apples and very little syrupy filler.

We also ordered a sweet potato pie that hosted an overly sweet puree. It probably would have been better to stick with another fruit pie.

Mercier Orchards was a great reminder, not only of Jamie’s childhood, but also of simple pleasures that are unthinkable in urban areas.