Alyssa Ridenour
reporter@greenepublishing.com
Allison Acres is comprised of over 200 acres of land. Of that acreage, there are 51 acres of blueberries, three acres of lavender, three acres of Christmas trees and 36 acres of goat farming land. The farm is owned by Hank Allison and run by Farm Manager Jessica Billy. Other farm workers include Jeff Metacarpa, Sarah Heiken, Tony Merritt and Ferlin Cox.
Allison Acres is an organic farm, meaning they don't use traditional pesticides and fertilizers like other farms. Therefore, they have other, less conventional methods of taking care of pests and helping their plants to thrive. They have bee hives to pollinate the blueberries. “You can't have a blueberry without pollination,” said Billy, gesturing out to the rolling hills of blueberry plants. “Every single blueberry out there has been pollinated.”
While standing at the highest point in the fields, everything surrounding is visible under the vast expanses of the sky. It's an awe-inspiring view to those who aren't blessed enough to see it every day. While strolling onward, what sounded like a bird cawing turned out to actually be an automated sound, intended to scare off other birds in the area. Billy even mentioned that sometimes, they have a loud banging sound that goes off to scare away birds, thus keeping the blueberries safe.
From there, she talked about the meat goats, pointing out that many of them have recently had babies. These goats typically provide meat to sell for food. However, Billy did also mention an interest in farming for goat milk and goat cheese as well.
From there, you will find live oak trees with spanish moss draping elegantly from the branches and vines climbing up from their trunks. The terrain is hilly and the scenery makes for quite a view. “This is what we plan on turning into a recreation area,” said Billy. She mentioned plans to route electricity to the area and construct lodging in hopes of becoming part of the Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF) program, which is a program where people come work on the farm and in return, they receive food, water and lodging, along with guidance and education in farming. Allison Acres is currently in the process of obtaining permits and lodging.
Families interested in picking blueberries can come out to Allison Acres during mid-April through the end of the June. Check their Facebook for updates. Allison Acres can be found at 4076 County Road 150, in Pinetta and are reachable via phone at (850) 929-2045.