Our current featured Farmer Story is about the founder of Paulk’s Vineyard, a founding underwriter of this informational website.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Southern farmers like Jacob Paulk in Wray, Georgia, discovered how well muscadines thrive in the local climate.
Jacob planted his first muscadine vine in 1970 and began harvesting the fruit in 1973. Now fresh muscadines and scuppernongs are available during August and September in grocery stores, without even a visit to grandma’s back yard.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Southern farmers like Jacob Paulk in Wray, Georgia, discovered how well muscadines thrive in the local climate.
Jacob planted his first muscadine vine in 1970 and began harvesting the fruit in 1973. Now fresh muscadines and scuppernongs are available during August and September in grocery stores, without even a visit to grandma’s back yard.
Jacob Paulk on his muscadine farm in Wray, Georgia
In 2017, a team of University of Georgia researchers found that a newly developed variety of muscadines, called “Paulk” that were developed at Paulk’s farm produced more consistent, high-quality fruits. The scientists noted the Paulk cultivar to be the first self-fertile, high-producing muscadine.
Chris Paulk, son of Jacob Paulk, with a handful of ripe muscadines at Paulk Vineyards.
For more info on mighty muscadines, check out this review paper.