Close your eyes, you are sitting on your porch, “Georgia On My Mind” is playing in the background. You are eating a juicy peach* and then you hear an American green tree frog melodious trill. Does this make you think of the other Georgia symbols?
Most of the symbols denote agriculture, nature, and flowers. Agribusiness accounts for $72 billion annually of the state’s economy, with one in seven Georgians working in agriculture, forestry, or a related field, according to the Georgia Farm Bureau. The state is known as the No. 1 pecan producer in the world, plus peanuts and peaches.
Tourism, worth $53.6 billion, is one of Georgia’s most popular industries. About 14 million people visit each year in popular destinations that include nature watching. Georgia’s state wildflower, the azalea, enhances many yards and gardens in July and August. Honeybees and Eastern Swallowtail Butterflies pollinate azaleas and the Cherokee Rose. Fishermen long to catch Southern Appalachian brook trout or a Largemouth Bass. In South Georgia, you may hunt the Northern Bobwhite or see a Gopher Tortoise. As you travel to the coast, luckily you might see a Northern Right Whale (Marine Mammal) or look for the state seashell, the Knobbed Whelk. The land mammal that represents Georgia is the White-Tailed Deer. Rockhounds search for the state gem, Quartz, which can be found across the state in a wide range of sizes and colors. Bird watchers seek a glimpse of a Brown Thrasher in a tangled mass of shrubbery, and once you do you may wonder how such a boldly patterned, gangly bird could stay so hidden.
General James Edward Oglethorpe and John Wesley are among the famous Georgians who have shared a connection with the Live Oak Tree flourish in the sandy soil of the coastal regions. These trees are a familiar and comforting presence in coastal towns, providing not only landscape beauty but also vital ecological functions.
The Georgia symbols represent the diversity of the state – Its 100 miles of barrier islands exudes a sense of beauty, adventure, freedom; Georgia contains a larger area called the southern Piedmont, which is in the southeastern and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States and is about 870 miles long and 60 to 190 miles wide. It runs in a northeast-to-southwest direction, following the main axis of the mountains, faults, and coastline of the southeastern United States; Georgia boasts a bold treasure trove of majestic mountains that rise from the landscape, offering breathtaking vistas and a haven for adventure seekers.
Whether you’re a history buff, a foodie, or an outdoor adventurer, Georgia has something for everyone. Join Master Gardener and Master Naturalist Phillip Prichard at the Dallas Library on December 8 at 4 pm for a presentation of the Georgia symbols representing the diversity of the state – Its 100 miles of barrier islands exude a sense of beauty, adventure, freedom. This program is free, but space is limited. Register online.