Ashburn Hill

Ashburn Hill Plantation, only 4.5 miles from own- town Moultrie, has been in the Colquitt County area since 1890 but was acquired by Bob and Lynn Alligood in 2009.

Tim Barber, president and COO, played a huge role in renovating Ashburn Hill from scratch as they did a long renovation process that started in 2012 and didn’t end until 2014.

Ashburn Hill is known for its train theme with restored trains from the late 1800s and early 1900s on display.

Barber was excited when he came on board and helped turn Ashburn Hill into the place that it is today.

“We are a little unique here,” said Barber. “Our backdrop is the history of trains in Colquitt County. Our events center is the original Georgia Northern Railway Train Depot, that is where we hold parties, receptions, and weddings. We also have a 1901 Pullman train car, one of three in the world, and a 1957 Cupola caboose that we remodeled and turned into an office. We also have a running train on the property that we use to get guests around. We’re a little different and unique but it was part of the vision we had for this place, and I’m glad the people enjoy what we can offer.”

Gin Creek

Gin Creek, in Hartsfield, opened its doors in 1998. Family owned, it was operated by brothers Richie and Doug DeMott until Richie passed away in 2015.

Doug DeMott oversees day to day operations and Richie’s two children, Max DeMott and Kelli Williams, inherited his share.

Like other plantations, Gin Creek offers event hosting (i.e. weddings, retreats, etc.) and 17 housing facilities, but what makes it unique is its farm winery. It produces 16 brands of wine and can house up to 45 people in its tasting room.

Meaghan DeMott Andres, office manager of Gin Creek, says the family atmosphere is what keeps her going and is pretty sure it’s one reason that people are attracted to Gin Creek.

“It’s all family here. We cut up and we have fun; it’s never a boring moment,” she said. “Also, when you meet new people every week you never get the same experience. It’s new people and new personalities every weekend; it’s just amazing. We get to be a part of their special moments.”

Sundown Farms

Sundown Farms Plantation has been part of the Colquitt County area for more than 10 years. Sundown Farms offers guided quail hunts with meals and overnight lodging in addition to hosting weddings and events. Sundown Farms also offers bed and breakfast type accommodations for anyone visiting the area. It’s owned and operated by Benji Alderman and his wife Jenna. Alderman said the business took time to grow but through word of mouth and great service things picked up.

“Things weren’t steady when we first started, but for the past several years things have picked up to the point where we stay pretty busy,” Alderman said. “I feel like the way we treat our customers with the weddings, the parties and the hunting side of things is why people keep coming back here and is why we keep growing.”

The plantation can host more than 400 guests. It’s known especially for hosting quail hunting groups, large or small, and events, typi- cally weddings, which it’s had hundreds of.

In fact, Sundown Farms acquired the former Leesburg Presbyterian Church in July 2016. The 110-year-old building was moved to Colquitt County, renovated and hosted its first wedding the following March.

Boggy Pond

Boggy Pond Plantation has served Colquitt County’s quail hunting needs since its opening in 1983.

The family-owned hunting preserve offers bobwhite quail hunts, day and night, in more than 3,000 acres of long-leaf yellow pine timberland. Born out of love for the hunt, Boggy Pond started as a small family operation. But owner Mackie Dekle said its renown has grown past local boundaries.

“It’s a lot of fun and I’ve met a lot of people from all over the United States,” he said. “Our farthest customer comes from Anchorage, Alaska.”

Boggy Pond annually observes 650 to 700 hunters but can house around 29 at a time among its six lodging facilities, all with heat, air- conditioning and full-range indoor plumbing.

The main lodge, built from the original Murphy Schoolhouse, features a dining hall, lounge area and game room regarding its interior. A fishing lake sits out front for guests to use during the noon break or after the afternoon hunt.

Once the hunting season begins, there’s no stopping until the end.

“Certain times of the year we hunt every day,” Dekle said. “From Thanksgiving on, we’ll hunt every day of the week into March.”

Boggy Pond is located at 1084 Lanier Road in Moultrie. For more information, visit www.boggypond.com.

The Peacock Venue

Located at 1369 Cool Springs Road near Norman Park, The Peacock Venue offers a variety of packages that are suitable for weddings, private events, quinceañeras, pool parties, lodging and business meetings.

Nestled on 30 acres of amazing country view and lakes, The Peacock Venue features gorgeous green scenery lined by white fencing. Book a tour to visit the venue.

Contact Aurora at (229) 232-2184 or email her at thepeacockvenue.2020@outlook.com for more information.