By Kayla Stroud, Communications and Events Specialist
The Georgia Agricultural Wellness Alliance was established in response to the prevalence of mental health challenges experienced by farm families and communities, which was revealed, in large part, through a joint study conducted by Mercer University School of Medicine’s Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center, the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture and students in the School of Medicine’s Rural Health Sciences Ph.D. program. GAWA’s focus is all of Georgia’s farming communities. In this issue of For Rural, we spotlight Paulk Vineyards in Irwin County.
Among rows of ripening muscadine grapes in rural South Georgia, Chris Paulk is continuing a family legacy that began more than 50 years ago.
Paulk is owner and CEO of Muscadine Products Corp., overseeing winery operations at Paulk Vineyards in Irwin County. The vineyard spans more than 800 acres and is the largest muscadine grape vineyard in the world. The land has been in the Paulk family for six generations.
Paulk now leads a growing agribusiness that includes farming, health products, winemaking and community outreach — a vision first conceived by his grandfather in the early 1970s.
“My grandfather was very innovative,” Paulk said. “He pioneered the fresh muscadine industry when no one else was doing it. People had muscadines growing in their backyards, but he was the first to commercialize them.”
That entrepreneurial drive continues to guide the family business. Paulk left his engineering career in 2002 to return to Irwin County with his wife, Jorjanne. Since then, he has helped launch new ventures on the farm, which now ships fresh fruit nationwide during its harvest season from late August through September.
Community is a key focus. Paulk’s wife manages the winery’s retail and event operations, hosting everything from wine tastings to Friday night bingo, which recently drew more than 150 attendees. The vineyard also hosts festivals throughout the year, such as the South Georgia Wine Festival in March and the upcoming Georgia Muscadine Festival, scheduled for Aug. 30.
“We will have a grape stomp, a 5K, food trucks and live music all through the day,” Paulk said. “It’s our signature event.”
This fall, Paulk Vineyards plans to open a new tasting room and event venue in downtown Tifton, expanding its reach and offering more space for live music, private gatherings and community events.
Even as the business grows, Paulk’s family remains rooted in the values that shaped their success. Paulk said living on the farm is the best place to be. “I believe the quality of life is so much better in rural areas. We’re living on a farm and eating fresh produce.”
“We have a great community. I believe our best days are ahead of us,” Paulk said.