Tour of Georgia Stop #2: Middle Georgia

From whitewater rafting in Columbus to game days in Athens, Middle Georgia has an Explore Georgia adventure for everyone.

Our Middle Georgia gift box features products from all over this area of the Peach State including Southern Straws Original Cheese Straws (Columbus), Watanut Georgia Pecan Shortbread Cookies (Augusta), Phickles Pickles Carrot Stix (Athens), Biron Herbal Teas Peach Honeybush Tea (Macon), Corks Kettle Corn Kettle Popcorn (Statesboro) and Rinse Bath & Body Oats & Honey Soap (Monroe).

 

Meet the Artisans

Southern Straws Cheese Straws

Columbus, bordered by the Chattahoochee River, is home to the longest urban whitewater rafting in the world! One artisan duo who calls Columbus home is Margaret and Neal Amos, the mother-and-son team behind Southern Straws. Growing up, Neal and his younger brothers would watch their mother make thousands of cheese straws for friends during the holidays. In 2014, they turned their hobby into a business when they launched Southern Straws. The foundation for their delicious cheese straws is an old recipe Margaret got from her mother. Their unique bite-size shape makes them perfect for salads, soups, chili, even grits! Southern Straws offers three flavors of cheese straws including: Original, their most popular flavor with a nice kick of spice featured in our Middle Georgia gift box; Spicy, for those who like a little more heat; and Mild, no heat but focused on the rich cheddar flavor.

 

Biron Teas

Biron Teas is owned and operated by Andi Biron. Andi has a Master of Science in Homeopathy. Biron Teas initial herbal blends were made for friends and family to help them overcome the stage of life they were going through. Love & Laughter was made for a friend going through a bad break-up. Memory Magic was made for a single mom trying to finish her degree. Worryease was made for Andi who loves to sip it when she feels overwhelmed. Each Biron Teas blend has a unique story and purpose. Continuing their commitment to sustainability, Biron Teas teabags and overwraps are biodegradable so you can feel good about what you're sipping. Their Peach Honeybush Tea is featured in our Middle Georgia gift box.  

 

Rinse Bath & Body

In 2002, Heather Swanepoel took up soap-making as hobby after figuring out she was horrible at knitting. To justify making pounds of soap at a time to her husband, she would give away her soap to anyone who would take it. As she experimented with ingredients, she found herself perfecting products and people wanted to buy her products. With that, Rinse Bath & Body was born. With 20 product categories, they offer divine smelling products from soaps to shower bombs to lip balms and beyond. You can find Rinse Bath & Body at over 1500 retail partners (including Georgia Crafted, of course!) as well as Disneyland and Disney World. The Georgia Crafted Peaches carry multiple varieties of their products and are excited to feature their Oats & Honey soap in our Middle Georgia gift box.

 

Corks Kettle Corn

Another great college town, Statesboro is not only home to Georgia Southern but also some of the best kettle corn you'll ever taste from Corks Kettle Corn. On a whim, David Cork bought a kettle corn cooker in the early 2000’s and started popping at the local farmers market. From that simple beginning, Corks Kettle Corn has grown their wholesale distribution and ships popcorn all over the country. They offer multiple varieties of kettle corn including their famous Original Kettle Corn, Old Fashioned Caramel Corn, and their Simply Salted Corn. To ensure their customers get the highest-quality product, they use mushroom style popcorn that pops up to HUGE fluffy pieces, and  take extra time to sift out any un-popped or broken pieces. Their Original Kettle Corn is featured in our Middle Georgia gift box and you can shop all of their products in our Middle Georgia collection. 

 

Phickles Pickles

Athens is not only home to the University of Georgia and the Dawgs but also Phickles Pickles. In 2008, Angie Tillman began selling pickled veggies off her front porch and then in stores all over Georgia. With that, Phickles Pickles was born. A definite foodie and talented cook, Angie  has shared recipes on her social media platforms over the years - many of which have now become products she's added to the Phickles brand!  In her words, "Pretty much... if it's something I like to eat, I'm packaging it for resell!" At this time, Phickles offers seven different pickled veggies, two cheese spreads, three bbq sauces, two pepper jellies and a salsa.... all are gluten-free and low sugar. Her top-selling Phickles Carrot Stix are featured in our Middle Georgia gift box.

 

Watanut

You may know Augusta for the legendary Masters golf tournament but this charming town also features lovely small businesses like Watanut. Augusta, Georgia natives and Watanut founders, Brian and Kam Kyzer, are adventurous, creative, and love to take the road less traveled. Their gourmet nut mixes and shortbread cookies are made from scratch from the finest ingredients, baked fresh daily, and packed by hand. They source local growers and shellers for Georgia’s best pecans for their gourmet pecan gifts.The name Watanut comes from their enthusiasm and passion for what they do. Their delicious Georgia Pecan Shortbread cookies are featured in our Middle Georgia gift box.

 

We had such a great time (virtually) visiting Middle Georgia. If you want to explore this piece of the Peach State from the comfort of your couch, shop our Middle Georgia gift box here. 

Tour of Georgia Stop #1: South Georgia

Known for rolling fields of farmland, dirt roads, and some of the best eats you can find, South Georgia is the perfect getaway from the hustle and bustle of the big city to just take it slow and relax.

During our Tour of Georgia South Georgia stop, we visited the town of each artisan featured in our South Georgia gift box including Goodson Pecans Cinnamon Sugar pecans (Leesburg), Oliver Farm Infused Sunflower Oil (Pitts), Grassroots Coffee “Bean Me Up, Scotty” Coffee (Thomasville), Wisham Jellies Peachy Peach Pepper jelly (Tifton), and Stripling's General Store Beef Jerky (Cordele).

Meet the Artisans

Goodson Pecans

Leesburg is not only the hometown of country music singer and songwriter, Luke Bryan, American Idol winner, Phillip Phillips, and MLB player, Buster Posey, but also home to Goodson Pecans. With four generations of pecan farmers in the family, the Goodsons know pecans but welcome all pronunciations of the tree nut's name. They have been producing gourmet pecan flavors for over 11 years. Featured in our South Georgia gift box, their Cinnamon Sugar Pecans were the first gourmet variety sold when they began their business and to this day are still the most popular seller. They have multiple award-winning & finalist products including their Honey Cinnamon Pecan Butter, Toasted Sriracha Pecans, and Vanilla Espresso Pecans. 

Oliver Farm

Oliver Farm is located in rural Wilcox County near Pitts, Georgia. With only 3 total stop lights in the entire county, you could say that this area of the Peach State is certified small town USA. Oliver Farm is owned and operated by the Oliver family and manufactures cold-pressed, gourmet sunflower, pecan, and peanut oils. With multiple awards behind their products including a 2017 Good Food Award & the 2015 Garden & Gun Made in the South award, their various pure oils are cooking companions for chefs, foodies, and home cooks alike. Their infused Sunflower Oil featured in our South Georgia gift box is their best-selling oil and can be used for dipping bread, sauteing vegetables, or enhancing grilled or baked meats. 

Wisham Jellies

Located in Tifton, Wisham Jellies produces some of the best pepper jelly varieties you can find. With the help of a throwback recipe, peppers from his garden, and a passion for grilling, Eric Wisham began getting creative with his pepper jelly batches during the summer of 2012. After a busy summer spent at his local farmers market in Downtown Tifton, he began his peppery journey to making and creating Wisham Jellies for store shelves in October 2013. Wisham Jellies Pepper Jellies are handmade with whole peppers and fruits which keeps their ingredients list short and sweet. Their Peachy Peach Pepper Jelly can be used in a variety of ways and is featured in our South Georgia gift box. 

Grassroots Coffee

Thomasville is known for the Rose Show, Victorian Christmas, and great quail hunting, but one gem located in historic Downtown is Grassroots Coffee. Roasting coffee since 2009, Grassroots Coffee is loved by visitors and locals alike. They responsibly source their beans from all over the world by working closely with importers, exporters, and farms to get the best beans possible. In 2019 alone, Grassroots Coffee roasted 45,000 lbs. of coffee. Featured in our South Georgia gift box, their top-selling "Bean Me Up, Scotty" blend was named in a customer contest and is the smoothest cup of coffee you will ever enjoy.

Stripling's General Store

With a history dating back to 1964, Stripling's General Store has been a staple for travelers and locals alike throughout South Georgia. With a process that uses the whole hog and a perfected blend of signature seasonings, Stripling's is best known for their sausage and produces 300,000 lbs. of their small-batch sausage each year. While still being a full-line grocery store filled with locally-made Georgia Grown products, Stripling's has branched beyond their first location in Warwick and now has locations throughout the state. Our South Georgia gift box features Stripling's General Store Beef Jerky which they make about 35,000 lbs. of each year. 

We had such a great time on our Tour of Georgia stop in South Georgia. To have your own journey from the comfort of your home, shop our South Georgia gift box here. 

The confetti has settled so now it’s time to get to work on those New Year’s Resolutions. Your Georgia Crafted Peaches have a proposed resolution for you that doesn’t involve the gym. Instead, we want you to make a commitment to shop local more often in 2020.

You might ask yourself, “Why should I make more of an effort to shop local this year?” Well, check out these top five reasons to shop local in 2020 below.

1. You support the local Georgia economy.

Every purchase you make locally makes a difference. Approximately 67 cents for every dollar spent at small businesses stays in the community and supports the local Georgia economy. Instead of sending your hard earned money overseas or to support an already rich CEO, your local purchase makes a difference and supports the businesses that make your town unique.

 

2. You support the dreams of artisans around the state.

Shopping local doesn’t just support the local Georgia economy. Every dollar spent also supports the dreams of community members in your city. Small businesses are founded by folks who have a true passion for their craft or product. From a local veteran who founded a honey business to Georgia Grown pecan farmers who have kept the family business going for generations, behind every small business is a hard-working individual or family with the goal of bringing you the highest quality product you can buy.

 

3. Small-batch products are the best quality.

Because local artisans have a passion for their craft, you can bet your bottom dollar that you are receiving the highest quality product when shopping local. One of the many advantages of supporting local artisans is each product is handcrafted in small batches. When we add another product to our inventory, you can rest assured that we have taste-tested and inspected every cheese straw, gourmet pecan, honey, and any other website addition to ensure you enjoy every bit of Georgia-made goodness in your Georgia Crafted gift box.

 

4. You receive the highest level of personalized customer service.

Why make a commitment to shop local more in 2020? Small businesses have one goal: to make sure that you have the best shopping experience and product. At Georgia Crafted, our number one priority is to provide you with the highest level of customer service imaginable. From making sure your box is packed carefully and shipped promptly to helping you build the perfect gift box for a client, we ensure your experience shopping with us is superior from check out to delivery.

 

5. Every purchase you make ends with a happy dance.

Finally, the top reason to shop local is because every purchase ends with a happy dance. Of course, you do a little jig from excitement when you know you’ve got a great box of Georgia-made goodness coming to your doorstep. You’re not dancing alone, though! Your Georgia Crafted Peaches also do a happy dance with every ding from Shopify and THANK YOU for your purchase. After all, your purchase not only supports our small business but local artisans throughout the state of Georgia.

Convinced that you should shop local but not sure if you will have the time this year to discover new small businesses and local artisans? Let your Georgia Crafted Peaches do the work for you.

Our monthly subscription box makes it easy to shop local, discover new products, and support local artisans from around the state. Every month, we will scour the state looking for the best new Georgia-made products - whether it's food, home goods, bath & body products and more...and ship them right to your door. You can grab a 1-month, 3-month, or 6-month subscription here and get ready to discover the best-of-the-best Georgia has to offer.

The freezing temperatures and shorter days have the Georgia Crafted Peaches craving all things cozy. When we want to make our homes feel (and smell) warm and inviting, we reach for a Jack Be Nimble candle. 

Recently, we had the chance to sit down with Paul “Jack” Bruschi, a former professional ballet dancer and founder of Jack Be Nimble candles. 

In 2008, Paul founded Jack Be Nimble after being dissatisfied with run-of-the-mill, low-quality candles offered in stores. 

“I decided I was tired of buying candles that smelled great in the store just to get them home, and they lost their smell after a couple of burns. I knew there had to be a better way.”

With that, Paul began crafting his own signature formula that would later be the foundation for all Jack Be Nimble candles. 

 “I started experimenting and a year later, I felt I had the formula that would make a candle that smelled amazing from start to finish.  Jack Be Nimble was born and I still use that same formula today in all our candles.”

Jack Be Nimble upholds an unwavering commitment to quality that you won’t find in big box store candles. Hand-poured in batches of 12 in their Atlanta studio, all Jack Be Nimble candles are made using American grown soy wax, all-natural cotton wicks & fine fragrance oils. Plus, each candle has a clean burn time of 50+ hours.

When it comes to the divine smell of each Jack Be Nimble candle, Paul is inspired by smells that ignite nostalgia, like his fond memories of his childhood in Georgia, and his devoted customer base.

“I love developing scents that are nostalgic in some way and recall some pleasant memory from your past. Many of our scents, like Georgia On My Mind, come from things I remember from my childhood growing up in Georgia. Other scent ideas come from our amazing customers who ask if we can make a candle that smells like this or that.”

After coming up with another scent, the real work begins, as the process for creating a new candle scent can take up to a year.

“When I do come up with an idea, it usually takes up to a year to fully develop and test the scent.”

After twirling the top off of any Jack Be Nimble candle, you’ll find yourself inhaling deep and smiling as you breathe in each cozy note. Even before lighting one of these beautiful candles, Paul wants the scents to bring happiness to anyone who smells them.

“I really want the scents to bring a smile to someone’s face. I see it when people pick up a scent and smell it for the first time. Whether the smell reminds them of Christmas morning at their grandmother’s house or a relaxing day at the spa, I want them to make people happy.

With scents like Rustic, Harvest, Nutmeg & Ginger, and Georgia On My Mind, a Jack Be Nimble candle is the perfect way to bring folks together at every gathering. 

As the holiday season gears up, we couldn’t help but ask Paul some of his best entertaining tips. His answer: simplicity is key.

“I say keep it simple. You can’t have fun if you are working the entire time your guests are with you. Prep or buy your food and beverages ahead of time, light your Jack Be Nimble candles 2-3 hours before your party starts, and then relax and enjoy your family or friends.”

What’s Paul’s suggested host or hostess gift to bring along with you to every gathering this holiday season? Give a more thoughtful “Thank You” to your host(s) by choosing a Jack Be Nimble candle. 

“So many people are tired of giving a bottle of wine and are turning to unique gifts like our candles. Candles are a more personal gift and I always think including a handwritten note with the candle is a nice touch.”

Finally, as a Georgia native, Paul has had ample opportunity to explore the Peach State. His favorite Explore Georgia adventure? Visiting old houses that have a unique history to share and provide inspiration for his candles.

“I love exploring old homes whether in South Georgia, the Coast, or the Georgia mountains.  Old homes remind me of my youth and I get lots of inspiration for candles by visiting historic places or homes around the State.”

As the Georgia Crafted Peaches settle in for chilly season in Georgia, you can rest assured that we have a Jack Be Nimble candle lit to warm our homes and our hearts with every sniff.

If you want to bring the cozy feeling from lighting a Jack Be Nimble candle into your home, shop our entire collection here. 

 

We’re starting our days off with sweater weather which means that Fall has made its way to the Peach State, y’all!

A new season means bringing new flavors and scents into your home and we’ve got the Georgia-made products to help you do just that.

Whether you’re cooking up quick dinners after football practice or just want your yearly pumpkin spice fix, here’s your ultimate list of essentials to make sure your pantry is stocked and ready for Autumn.  

Caffeine for Early Mornings

 

Cooler temperatures = actually wanting to grab a hot drink in the morning.

Forget the Star that’s on every corner! For all of the Pumpkin Spice lovers out there, we have a Georgia-made coffee that’s ready to be brewed right from home.

Perky Moose Pumpkin Spice Latte Mix is the perfect blend of creamy pumpkin, fragrant spices, and the best hint of vanilla. Plus, you can save your bucks and have enough Pumpkin Spice to last you through the whole season instead of grabbing one Venti.

If Pumpkin Spice Lattes aren’t your style, you can have a different flavor of fall with Jumping Goat Coffee’s Southern Pecan blend. With the smooth finish of Georgia-grown roasted pecans, this coffee is like pecan pie in a cup, and you won’t have to wait until Thanksgiving to enjoy it.

Easy Dinners After Practice

As soon as the first leaf touches the ground, we’re ready to scream, “TOUCHDOWN!” If you’re trekking your kids to football and cheerleading practice three times a week, you need Dinner Tonight! Seasonings to help you make easy meals for hungry athletes.

With plenty of variety and multiple recipes that come in each box, even picky eaters LOVE their Black Bean Tortilla Chili, Burger, and White Bean Chili mixes.

Did we mention they can be on the table in thirty minutes or less? Easy, quick, and delicious, that’s a successful play in our book!

Delicious Seasonings with Fall Flair

Fall is not a dull season by any means. Make your dishes as colorful with flavor as the leaves outside by adding delicious seasonings from Beautiful Briny Sea to your pantry.

The new season brings late nights around the campfire with good friends.

Beautiful Briny Sea’s Campfire Sea Salt is the perfect complement to these wonderful times filled with fun and food. Smoked sea salt, cumin, and ancho chili add the same amount of warmth as those crackling logs to any dish that needs to be kicked up a notch.

To put a little kapow into your next meal, grab Flavor of Georgia 2019 Award Winner Gunpowder Salt out of your spice arsenal.

Gunpowder Salt includes Hawaiian volcanic salt with chipotle, black pepper, garlic, onion, sumac and more, the tangy spice mix has a mineral clean finish with smoky, residual heat. This seasoning goes especially well with grilled meats, fried foods, barbecue or any foods lacking deliciousness.

Finally, to add a little sweet to the heat that just won’t leave, Beautiful Briny Sea’s Mexican Chocolate Sugar is the PERFECT garnish for all of your warm fall drinks.

Made with heady spices like cinnamon and allspice, this cacao-sprinkled sugar will amp up the flavor of all of your favorite seasonal drinks, from Pumpkin Spice to Chai lattes.

It’s Harvest Time: Georgia-Grown In-Season Oils

To take your fall recipes from mediocre to gourmet, grab Georgia-grown oils that are bottled right on the farm. Oliver Farms Pecan and Sunflower oils are ready for you to use in all of your dishes this season.

Their Pecan oil has a light, buttery, slightly nutty taste and has numerous health benefits. This delicious gift from Mother Nature contains more than 19 vitamins and minerals and has a low 7% saturated fat content.

Low in saturated fat as well and high in Vitamin E, Oliver Farms Sunflower Oil has a bold, rich flavor with a color as gold as the flowers from which it came.

Both of these versatile oils are great for dips, dressings, sautéing vegetables, and frying with.

A Fall Favorite: A Variety of Pesto for Pasta

Who doesn’t love pasta after a long day in the cool Fall air?

Bella Cucina’s handcrafted pesto are the perfect addition to your pantry when you need some comfort food. Their varieties include Fresh Basil, Sundried Tomato, and Kale Parmesan, just to name a few.

Each jar is filled with only the finest ingredients that are ready to be served to even the pickiest eaters. We promise everyone will think you’re a professional chef making fresh pesto from scratch, y’all!

Happy Fall, Y'all!

Now, you’re ready to welcome Fall with open arms and cannonball into the biggest pile of crisp leaves ever.

Shop all of our Autumn essentials here and HAPPY FALL, Y’ALL!

 

With a disposition as sweet as their small-batch spreads, Suzy and Clark Neal, the makers behind Unicoi Preserves, are two of the nicest folks you’ll ever have the chance to meet.

Residing in the North Georgia mountains, Sautee-Nacoochee to be exact, this couple has a passion for creating Georgia Grown spreads that are sure to bring people together whether used in a party food, on a cheese plate, or in an old-fashioned PB&J.

Recently, we had the opportunity to chat with Suzy about everything that’s been going on for the Georgia artisans including their newest product addition, award-nominated pretzel rolls, and much more.

When your Georgia Crafted Peaches first found out about Unicoi Preserves’ newest jar of goodness, we were immensely excited to discuss their sweet with a little heat Cherry Jalapeno spread.

The idea for this sweet and spicy spread came from their love of cherries but with a little twist of flavor.

“Cherry Jalapeno Spread came about from our love of cherries. Clark and I look forward to cherry season every year and think that the bright, tart flavor of cherry is complimented by the spice of jalapeno peppers. Ours is a unique recipe that we have been cooking and taste testing for over a year, working to get the balance of sweet, tart and heat just right.”

As Thanksgiving and Christmas approach, this spread is perfect for your holiday recipes and to include in a Georgia Crafted gift box.

“This is a beautiful product for the holiday season and gifting; it's just so festive spooned over goat cheese or cream cheese. We are all about entertaining and Unicoi Preserves Cherry Jalapeno Spread is the perfect pair with Georgia Crafted bamboo cheese boards.”

Adding their newest spread to their collection of other delicious flavors such as Vineyard, Vineyard Fire or Apple Cider Pepper has given Suzy and Clark plenty of new recipes to explore.

“Clark and I have been creating new recipes using Cherry Jalapeno Spread so stay tuned. It’s delicious on a toasted panini sandwich with roast beef and your favorite melty cheese and on bagels with a schmear of cream cheese.”

Not only are the Neal’s talented when it comes to concocting delectable spreads, but they also create delicious recipes to share with all of their friends, family, and followers. If there’s anybody’s get-together your Georgia Crafted Peaches would like to attend, it’s a party at the Neal house because they’ll serve up get-in-your-belly-good food.  

Recently, Suzy’s recipe for Peanut Butter Pretzel Rolls was a top contender at the National Festival of Breads in Manhattan, KS.

“I am very honored to have my Peanut Butter Pretzel Roll recipe chosen from over 300 entries as a finalist at the National Festival of Breads. Bread baking is a hobby I shared with my Mom and I'm always looking for unique ways to spotlight Unicoi Preserves, so a bread baking competition was right up my alley!"

"I created my recipe, took some pictures of my bread and submitted it online following the guidelines of the contest. I was thrilled to get a phone call from the organizers of the event asking if I was available to come to Kansas to compete and immediately said yes.  I competed in the Food Blogger category against three wonderful bakers and while I didn't win my category, I came away a winner with great memories, a lot of nice swag from the sponsors, new friendships and connections.”

Suzy’s Peanut Butter Pretzel Rolls are easy to bake and are best served with Unicoi Preserves Strawberry Vanilla Spread. 

When it comes to Suzy’s favorite recipe to cook up during the hot summer months, she prefers a delicious appetizer that brings the heat as well: Her Jalapeno Poppers glazed with Unicoi Preserves.

“There are never any leftovers when we take them to parties. We usually use Apple Cider Pepper Spread but we've recently tried our new Cherry Jalapeno Spread and its great as a glaze on them too!”   

With so many different flavors of Unicoi Preserves spreads to choose from, you have to wonder which flavors best reflect the personalities of the artisans.

Suzy says, “I'm Salted Caramel Peach Spread because I'm constantly looking at what's trending in the food world and I'm a proud Georgia Grown Peach!”

As for Clark, “He’s Strawberry Vanilla Spread because he's a traditional guy but is always up for an adventure and putting his unique twist on traditional recipes.”

To check out more delicious recipes from Unicoi Preserves, click here. We promise you’ll be hungry as soon as you start scrolling. To add all of their spreads to your pantry, you can shop our Unicoi Preserves collection to ship these little jars of goodness right to your doorstep.

 

From makeup samples to shoes to shaving essentials to even athletic leggings, we’re constantly bombarded with ANOTHER subscription box that we HAVE to try. As your Georgia Crafted Peaches, we’re going to be brutally honest: you don’t need more makeup, razors, or leggings. You need a Georgia Crafted subscription box.

 

 

Our Georgia Crafted subscription boxes aren’t filled with low-quality products that make a CEO’s or celebrity’s wallet fatter. Your subscription with Georgia Crafted funds the dream of a local artisan, helps a small business owner expand their entrepreneurial efforts, and improves the local Georgia economy. Our boxes do good for your best friend, your neighbor, the secretary at the doctor’s office. Our boxes help support the dreams of those that dare to take a chance, put their talents to use, and create a locally made product in Georgia. With your Georgia Crafted subscription box purchase, you don’t support the high rises in midtown. You support small towns and family farms.

 

 

There’s only one subscription box in the entire universe that contains locally made and Georgia grown products and it’s Georgia Crafted. We scout the state, spend our weekends at farmer’s markets, network and connect with others to bring you the best products that the Peach State has to offer. We are proud to live in Georgia, and we are proud to be the exclusive Georgia product subscription box.

 

 

We’re good at keeping secrets, and we usually only drop a hint or two throughout the month to peak your interests. Part of the fun of a subscription box is getting the email that your shipment has been delivered to your front doorstep and the excitement that builds until you can get home and open your Georgia Crafted box. The element of surprise sets our boxes above the rest and allows you to have a little bit of mystery to discover new products every month.

 

 

Because we source products from all over the state, we find products that don’t just fit into one category. The top categories for subscription boxes include beauty, food, and home, and we incorporate all of them into our boxes. Each monthly box contains a variety of products from a new scrumptious snack to a new eye cream that will make your eye bags a distant memory. We allow artisans of all product talents to be featured in our box because our boxes are just as diverse as the state of Georgia.

 

 

Need a gift for someone who’s impossible to buy for? Our monthly subscription boxes are PERFECT for such a person. You can purchase a 1, 3, or 6-month membership based on your budget, and they’ll have a wonderful surprise waiting at their front door each month. We cater to every taste and personality with our diverse lineup of Georgia-made products each month.

 

 

What are you waiting for? Subscribe to our monthly Georgia Crafted boxes before it’s too late! You don’t want to miss out on the incredible opportunity to have Georgia-made locally-sourced products delivered to your front door every single month.

 

I was raised in Southwest Georgia where there were at least two carbs at every meal and a pitcher of sweet tea ready to be poured by family and friends alike at the dinner table.

As I am preparing for my wedding this upcoming November, I realized that this habit would not help me feel my best on one of the most important and most photographed days of my life.

After becoming familiar with the Keto diet from a friend, I decided to give it a try. I will admit that after hearing about this diet I thought it was just another fad such as the grapefruit juice diet or South Beach Diet that was not a day at the beach for lack of a better cliché.

The Keto diet’s premise surrounds a low carb, high fat diet that causes your body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates.

Individuals who swear by the diet have stated that you reach a sense of euphoria after being on the diet for a week or so.

I’m sorry but this idea made me a little skeptical of such a great diet that emphasizes little to NO carbs. However, it’s worth a shot to at least try the diet for a week for the sake of November 10, 2018.

After purchasing a Georgia Crafted Keto Deluxe Box, I had an arsenal of snacks and meal ideas to effectively begin THE KETO DIET.

Day 1: To be perfectly honest, day one was not as bad as I anticipated, but it included a lot of hunger and stomach growling. Unknown to my fiancé, we were in this together so he would be forced to eat the same dinner as my Keto-focused self.

The dinner consisted of lettuce wraps featuring Dinner Tonight! Burger seasoned burgers with a few slices of tomatoes and some special keto sauce. The folks at Wholesome Yum said that this recipe would taste like a Big Mac without the bread. With a sauce combination of mayo, white vinegar, mustard, paprika, and pickles, I must say that I didn’t miss Mickey D’s in the slightest.

Day 2: Day one began with optimism but on Day two the carb withdrawals began to hit. I wanted nothing more than a slice of bread. It didn’t even have to have anything on it. I went to the grocery store for a few groceries and I kid you not I could smell the bread from six aisles away.

However, I persevered and made it through day two with a little help from a Keto-approved fruit dip recipe perfect for strawberry dipping. With greek yogurt, Georgia Grinder Honey Almond Butter from my Georgia Crafted Keto box, and a little bit of honey, I whipped up a dip that tasted almost like cookie butter without the guilt.

Day 3: Because the weekend was over, it was back to work for me and hopefully a space free of carb-filled distractions. With the help of Front Porch Pecans Sea Salt Pecans from my Keto Box sitting beside my monitor at my desk, I could thoughtfully snack and keep myself full and focused without traveling to the temptation riddled break room.

Day 4: Ah! Day four was not a breeze but this no carb thing is getting a little easier. I still daydream about Oreos and find myself drooling after scrolling to a Tasty video on my Facebook feed but I have not broken. I am a Keto-strong warrior! I prepared an “I can’t believe it’s not a chocolate shake” smoothie with Nourished in 5 Back to the Basics Plant Protein powder from my Keto box to get my day off to a wonderful start.

Day 5: When I wake up in the morning, I feel less bloat and more confidence. I head back to the office with Striplings General Store Beef Jerky to help me have a protein-packed snack throughout the day.

My energy has increased, and I feel ready to hit the gym after work. Most of the time, I feel too sluggish to do anything but eat then sleep after a long day at the office. However, after participating in the Keto diet, I feel ready to run on the elliptical for about half an hour.

Day 6: The sense of euphoria has not quite been reached but I do feel better and ready to tackle the day. I enjoy a protein-packed breakfast featuring a sweet potato toast recipe from Little Bits of Real Food and Real Talk covered in Georgia Grinders NaturAlmond Honey Almond butter and a few banana slices.

Day 7: The week is already over? I survived without inhaling an entire row of Oreo cookies?

I am pretty proud of myself but prouder of the Keto diet. Although I felt as if this diet was simply a bunch of hype created by fit influensters and bloggers, I must say that this diet works even for a carb-loving Georgia Peach.

Without the help of the Georgia Crafted gift box for snack and gift ideas, I would not have had the perfect catalyst to begin this healthier lifestyle. I am excited to continue this Keto journey until my wedding in 9 months and plan on getting another Georgia Crafted Keto box to help me reach my health and fitness goals.

For anyone considering the Keto diet, living with little carbs is not an easy feat and the first few days will consist of foggy thoughts and a little hunger.

Research low-carb recipes that fit your tastes and preferences, and check out the Georgia Crafted Keto and Keto Deluxe Gift boxes as well as the Keeping it Keto section of their site.

You’ll gain plenty of delicious snack and meal ideas while also supporting small businesses throughout Georgia including Georgia Crafted.

I drive past the blue city limit sign that indicates I have reached the hometown of Luke Bryan, Buster Posey, Phillip Phillips, and Carly Mathis. This small town in Southwest Georgia is not only home to this big talent but also houses some of the finest people you will ever have the opportunity to meet. Most especially, the Goodson family, who are the proud owners of Goodson Pecans, call this small town home.

Goodson Pecans is a small business located in Leesburg, Georgia that creates and sells shelled pecans, gourmet pecans such as the cinnamon sugar or sriracha flavors, and pecan butters. The idea for this business stemmed from Goodson Farms where all of the pecans are harvested for Goodson Pecan products.

David Goodson, the driving force behind making the dream of Goodson Pecans a reality, said that he pushed for his dad, a farmer since 1972, to bring the pecans grown by Goodson Farms to the internet.

“I had always been telling my dad about two years before we started we need to start getting our pecans online. The internet was a huge avenue already for things. We talked about that for two years and nothing. No traction.”

Goodson then took the business idea into his own hands and started to build Goodson Pecans.

“After that second year, I was like I just have to get out there and try it. We built a website and we essentially started Goodson Pecans at that point. We got a business license, and we were selling shelled pecan halves and pieces. The next year we added some sugar coated pecans and every year after that we’ve just been expanding.”

Goodson started running Goodson Pecans from his home, but as the list of pecan products kept growing, a new facility was needed.

As he sits on a metal stool in the middle of their packaging area, he said:

“We moved from our home into here when we started making pecan butter. We couldn’t do that in our home. We were required by the department of agriculture to be in a commercial facility. It was a big step for us to move from our home into a commercial facility.”

The facility is not incredibly large but allows the Goodson family to create most of their gourmet flavors and all of their nut butters in house. The store smells like warm pecans, cinnamon sugar, and chocolate. As you look around, you can tell that this facility is used to create, pack, and send Georgia grown pecans to people all across the country not just in this corner of Georgia.

One flavor of Goodson Pecans, Mimi’s Sugar Pecans, was created from an old family recipe and some flavors, such as the chocolate covered variety, are made locally. However, most of the delectable artisan products that Goodson Pecans sells are surprisingly created by trial and error.

“I love creating and it drives my wife crazy because I’ll say we need to try a savory flavor and I’ll get in the back and play with it. We’d play with recipes and say it needs a little more of this or a little more of this and we’d go back to the kitchen and work it out. That’s how Sriracha came about.”

The Goodson Pecans Gourmet Sriracha flavor has proven to be a successful savory and spicy flavor for the business, winning the 2017 Flavor of Georgia for the snack category.

“Sriracha won Flavor of Georgia back in March, and it’s been flying off the shelves this year. We’ve been super encouraged with it. We never thought that it would have been as popular as it was.”

Goodson Pecans prides itself on being a family business that creates products that are georgia grown.

“Georgia grown is important because of my product and our pecans are Georgia Grown. Pecans taste different here. They taste better. People say that and I’m probably biased but there’s also a little truth behind that.”

Goodson also knows the importance of georgia crafted products to his business as well:

“It’s valuable to be Georgia Crafted because that’s also who we are. We take what we grow and we craft it into something else. We add value to our product and that’s where I think there is great value in being Georgia Crafted.”

In this small town of Leesburg, Georgia, the taste of a Goodson Pecan reminds you that you’re in the part of the South that keeps it Georgia Grown, Georgia Made, and Georgia Crafted. 

To try Goodson Pecans, you can check out the 2017 Flavor of Georgia gift box featuring Goodson Pecans Sriracha flavor or purchase the Cinnamon Sugar or Sriracha flavors by the bag in the Build a Gift Box section of our website.

 

At Georgia Crafted, we aren't strictly B.Y.O.B., but we do give you that option. Our B.Y.O.B. may not stand for the same words you might be thinking of, but we promise our Build Your Own Box option can be just as fun.

Why Should You Build Your Own Box?

There are three reasons why Building Your Own Box can be the best option for your gift giving.

Budget: The holidays are tough and money's tight. With our B.Y.O.B. option, you control how much you spend on each person on your gift list. By choosing the items yourself, it's easier to make sure that you stay within your holiday spending budget.

Personalization: Giving gifts is no fun if you know your Georgia Crafted Peaches picked out all of your box's products. You can make your gift more personalized and cater to the receiver's likes, favorites, and personality.

Preferences: If you have a certain theme in mind for your gift box, but still want to control the price and personalization, you can sort our products based on categories such as city or product type. We have Georgia made products to fit any theme from Marietta to spa days to food.

How do you create your own box?
It's as simple as 1, 2, 3, and 4.

1. Go to the Build a Gift Box tab on the GeorgiaCrafted.com homepage.


2. Next, select the shop by city or shop by type options if you want to create a themed gift box.

3. Select the products you wish to go into your gift box and add them to your cart. You can always keep a running total of all of the products in your box by simply clicking on your cart in the right hand corner.

4. Finally, after you've created the PERFECT gift box, proceed to checkout where you will have the option to create a special message for your friend or family member who will receive the box.

There's no better or easier way to win the holidays than giving your own personalized Georgia Crafted gift boxes to everyone on your list. You will definitely receive texts, phone calls, and emails about how thoughtful, wonderful, and possibly scrumptious your Fresh Picked Gift Box items were. If you're ready to get started, click the image below to begin building the perfect box for your friends or family.

Fight cold & flu season, dry skin, chapped lips and all other chilly symptoms with our top picks for winter survival goodies made by Georgia artisans.

We KNOW your employees don't need another company mug. Make corporate gifting special this year with a tailored box of Georgia goodies!