No reason to be blue because July is National Blueberry Month! To honor this sweet fruit, we are featuring the maker behind one of our favorite blueberry products, Blueberry & Hemp Seed Granola from BFit BFly located in Atlanta, GA.

Tawana Cherie is the artisan behind this business that is driven by providing plant-based products that promote health and wellness. We recently had the chance to connect with Tawana about the inspiration behind BFit BFly and what sets her products apart from others available on the market today.

After her son was diagnosed with autism and dairy sensitivities, Tawana made it her mission to craft food that was simple, clean, and fresh while also having an outlet for her passion to create. 

“BFit BFly started in my little Georgia kitchen, testing recipes for how to make dairy-free cookies for my son, Myles, who was diagnosed with autism and dairy sensitivities. 

Spending time in the kitchen was therapeutic. It gave me not only space to create, but a sense of purpose that I was doing something to help my son with his food sensitivities. That purpose ultimately fueled my passion for baking and cooking health-inspired food for others, thus creating BFit BFly.”

Each product Tawana makes is filled with simple ingredients that are nutritionally-balanced and she derives inspiration from her love of fruit, familiar healthy ingredients, and holidays or seasons. 

“BFit BFly products are crafted with simple organic ingredients that bring together a balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fats.

The inspiration behind the product flavors first, comes from my love of natural sweet fruits like blueberries and cranberries. Then pairing the natural fruits with something familiar, healthy, and fun, like hemp seeds with blueberry, or dairy free chocolate chips with cranberry.  

Other flavors are inspired from a season or holiday…who doesn’t love a pumpkin spice gourmet granola during the fall and a holiday blend in the winter? Here at BFit BFly we love this stuff.”

With all of the health-centric foods available on the market today, you may wonder what makes BFit BFly products different. Tawana let us know this answer is four-fold:

“BFit BFly products are unique vs. what you find in most stores because: 

1.  The way we make our snacks. Each bag is handcrafted and baked in small batches (which helps keep the product fresh). 
2. All ingredients are personally sourced within Georgia and the surrounding areas to ensure the best possible product. 
3. Our snacks are dairy free and vegan (which allows most people with digestive issues and sensitivities to enjoy our products). 
4. It’s a mommy-owned company (so you know health and simplicity is always the priority when creating a product).”

As a culinary expert, we had to ask what’s Tawana’s favorite recipe to enjoy during the heat of the summer. 

“My favorite easy summer recipe is grilled peaches with a dollop of dairy free plain yogurt and BFit BFly Hemp Seeds and Blueberry gourmet granola crumbled on top. So good and guilt free.”

There’s no doubt about it: BFit BFly is providing delicious, healthful products unlike the rest, and we’re proud to support this black woman-owned business. If you want to try BFit BFly Hemp Seeds and Blueberry gourmet granola for yourself, order your own bag on our website or our Take a Hike gift box to get a taste of this granola as well as other snacks and sips made for the great outdoors.

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.

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.