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Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009

Peach queens blossom at capital

Miss Georgia Peach, Kasey Minyard Hopkins of Warner Robins, traveled to Atlanta last week to meet with top state officials and do her duty as peach queen.

To promote peaches.

Accompanying Kasey were Teen Miss Georgia Peach, Mary Margaret Bishop of Marietta; Junior Miss Georgia Peach, Caitlin Penney of Vienna; Little Miss Georgia Peach, Lizzy Stanford of Cuthbert; and Tiny Miss Georgia Peach, Story South of Perry.

While at the capital, the peach queens met with Gov. Sonny Perdue, Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle and area state legislators Larry O’Neal, Tony Sellier and Ross Tolleson.

They also attended sessions of both the House and Senate, where proclamations were signed declaring the peach industry vital to the state’s economy.

According to Al Pearson, chairman of the Georgia Peach Commission and partner, with his son Lawton, of Pearson Farms, peaches add a lot to the economy of the state and Middle Georgia.

In fact, about 90 percent of the peaches grown in the Peach State are grown right here in Central Georgia.

“It is a labor-intensive business, lots of jobs. Sure, some go to legal migrant labor, but the peach industry employs a lot of local employees as well, “ said Pearson.

Even though it will be several more months before peaches hit the stands, peach growers stay busy all year long.

“This time of year we are pruning the trees, “ Pearson said. “If you don’t prune, you will get a big crop of small peaches. What we want is a quality piece of fruit that is the right size, so pruning helps to manage the crop load.”

In the dead of winter, peach growers are working on their fertilizer programs, taking soil samples and hoping for the cold, wet weather that peach trees need.

As official ambassadors for the Peach industry, the peach queens’ responsibility is to promote peaches.

That works out perfectly for the reigning peach queen, Kasey Hopkins, who said that throughout her pageant career she has preferred pageants with a purpose.

Hopkins has won three Miss Georgia preliminary titles, along with Teen Miss Georgia National Fair and Miss Southern Belle. The first pageant that she won was Miss Teen Georgia Peach.

In a Miss Georgia prelim, contestants are required to pick a platform. Hopkins chose to concentrate on reading and the importance of early literacy in learning.

While early literacy was her platform during her pageants, it is now her life’s work. Hopkins is employed as a first-grade teacher at Quail Run Elementary.

The Peach pageant was Hopkins’ last (she married Matt Hopkins this past summer). But she still plans to be involved with pageants, and has recently joined the board of the Miss Warner Robins pageant.

“I am just at a different place in my life — the other side of pageants. I am getting to help others, working with pageants and doing some interview coaching as well,” she said.

As for her trip to Atlanta promoting peaches, Hopkins said it was a thrill to meet the governor and watch the legislators in action.

“It is something that I will take back to my students. It is very important to know what is going on with your government. I want to encourage them if they ever receive an opportunity like that to grab hold of it.”

The next Miss Georgia Peach pageant will be March 21 at Fort Valley State University. Deadline to enter is March 14, and more information may be found at www.missgeorgiapeach.org.

Contact Alline Kent at allinekent@cox.net or 396-2467.