What began as a search for hunting land ended as a place for Elliott and Andrea Perkins to raise bees, make jams and honey, and welcome neighbors each fall for hayrides throughout their property.
“We just enjoy meeting people, and that was our purpose, to create community,” Andrea said.
The couple recently celebrated the opening weekend of their 9th fall season. Though longtime Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce members, they marked the occasion last Saturday with a ribbon cutting hosted by the Chamber.
The Perkins bought the former dairy farm and moved from Peachtree Corners to Putnam County late in 2016 after Elliott spent the better part of a decade searching for hunting land.
Andrea described an earlier property her husband considered would have required cutting roads through trees and relying on generators and outhouses.
“I said, ‘No way, not for me,’” she readily admitted.
Unity Grove, however, offered something different: trees, meadows, barns and an 1830s farm house that the couple renovated and modernized while retaining its old-time charm. Plus, with approximately 120 acres, Elliott could hunt morning and afternoon, while Andrea could enjoy the property, too.
“‘I’m in,’” she recalled saying.
The store opened in 2018 inside what once was a milking parlor. Its conversion required filling and leveling the recessed floor and removing two concrete troughs. The couple painted the interior the color of butter as a nod to the building’s dairy history.
Today, it holds honey, jams made from fruit grown on the farm, and an assortment of products Andrea makes using beeswax harvested alongside the honey. These include lotion bars, candles, and lip balm. Most of the store’s merchandise comes straight from the Perkins' farm, rather than serving as a collection point for other growers.
An observation hive in the store also provides visitors a first-hand look at the insects at work behind many of Unity Grove's products.
“People can come in and actually watch the bees doing their thing,” Andrea said. “Normally they do all that in the dark, in a little box that no one can see.”
Overall, the farm has about 20 hives, with 16 active last weekend. Andrea said the property is home to perhaps a million bees, with a strong hive capable of holding 60,000 or more.
Caring for the bees is just part of a workload the couple largely handles themselves, however. They also keep chickens, grow fruit, make products, and operate the store.
At Unity Grove, preserving the personal atmosphere remains a priority. Andrea said she and Elliott enjoy meeting longtime area residents as well as people who recently made Putnam County and Lake Sinclair 'home.'
“We want to keep things very local,” Andrea said. “We really don’t want it to become a huge thing where it becomes more impersonal. We like it to be very accessible.”
The Unity Grove Farm store’s regular hours are Wednesdays only from noon to 5 p.m., with additional openings every Saturday and Sunday in October during hayride season. However, Andrea stressed customers can always call or text 404-831-2807 to leave a message and arrange another time to visit.
“If we’re home, we’ll be happy to meet you down there,” she said, intent on building her community one visitor at a time.