Laura Potts-Wirht hosted the Glennville Garden Club members on Thursday, April 14 at Sweet Fuyu Persimmon Farm in Glennville, which is owned by Laura and her husband, Tom Wirht.
The meal of tea sandwiches and side dishes brought by club members was enhanced by the delicious desserts made with persimmons prepared by Potts-Wirht, her own special recipes. They included persimmon cookies and a sumptuous bundt cake. Potts-Wirht was gracious in welcoming her fellow Garden Club members, who enjoyed dining on the spacious front porch of the old farmhouse, complete with vases of fresh flowers on each table.
After the meal, farm employee Russell Hampton drove the tractor that pulled the covered hay wagon around the farm property, with Potts-Wirht sharing the history of the property and their future plans for additional cultivation and restoration of the farmhouse and other buildings.
The group especially enjoyed the stop by the pen in which five peacocks (four females and one male) are kept. Potts-Wirht purchased the peacocks about six months ago when they were three days old.
The persimmon farm currently has 20 planted acres of this tasty fruit, with ten more acres next to be cultivated soon. Of the total 177-acre farm that they bought in 2015, the couple's plans are to eventually cultivate 60 more acres. The homestead is often referred to as the old Anderson Place. A five-acre pond, filled with bream, catfish, and bass, is located on the back side of the property.
The members on the tour enjoyed seeing the Christmas trees on the farm, which are Murray Cypress trees. The Christmas tree part of the farm is known as Tom's Trees, and first began selling the trees to the public in November of 2020.
The grassy lane in front of the farmhouse was originally a county road before Hwy. 301, which now runs parallel to it, was opened.
Potts-Wirht referred to several outbuildings on the farm property that she and her husband are restoring or renovating. She also has her own certified kitchen in one of the structures, where she spends time experimenting with her recipes; she hopes to have her own persimmon cookbook available in the next few years.
Potts-Wirht has a garden area ready for lilies, and she will be adding sugar cane and garlic, too, this year. The farm has a covered area with several picnic tables for families or groups to enjoy resting and eating a picnic lunch.
She stated that she would be receptive to hosting other community clubs at the farmhouse, with the farm property actual address of 1293 Lilly Lane, which is the road directly across from The Farmhouse Restaurant.
Potts-Wirht and her husband have two sons, Miles, 15, and Rowan, 11. The family splits their time between Savannah and Glennville, with a home on the property where they stay when on the farm.
