| from the editor |
The images of fall in Southwest Georgia come easily to mind: harvest time, high school football, the homecoming celebration. This issue of Moultrie Scene touches upon all of those wonderful images. Kent Hamilton of Norman Park was named Georgia Farmer of the Year earlier this year, and contributing writer Akilah C. Clarke sat down with him for a moving profile. Hamilton said despite the prestigious award, he wasn’ t the natural farmer in the family. That was his brother and business partner, Kirk. Hamilton said he had a lot he had to learn after Kirk’ s death in 1987.
Read about Hamilton and the growth of Southern Valley Fruit and Vegetable in the cover story of this issue of Moultrie Scene.
On Oct. 14, at the Governor’ s Luncheon on the first day of the Sunbelt Agricultural Expo in Moultrie, Hamilton will face six other state Farmers of the Year for the title of Southeastern Farmer of the Year. The award and the luncheon are hallmarks of the annual farm show. Reporter Adelia Ladson reflects on her years of covering the Expo and offers some tips on what might be seen there this year. When the work’ s all done, it’ s time for fun— fun under the Friday Night Lights of Mack Tharpe Stadium!
The Packers opened their season Aug. 15 against Benedictine in front of the home town fans. Since then, they’ ve marched up and down the field in a fall tradition that goes back more than 100 years. Reporter Adelia Ladson’ s essay in this issue helps us celebrate that tradition.
Each year there’ s one unique football game— Homecoming— usually the last home game before the Packers start region play. A week of activities lead up to it with the homecoming parade usually the day before the game. Then, at half-time, the football game clears away for the announcement of the homecoming queen.
Photographer Connie Southwell has chronicled homecomings for The Moultrie Observer for years. We held this issue to get her 2025 Homecoming photos in.
Farming and football are huge for Colquitt County, and we’ re proud to acknowledge both in Moultrie Scene. But there is more in our community, too. If you know of a story we should be covering, please send me an email at kevin. hall @ moultrieobserver. com. We’ re always working to tell the stories of our hometown!
Kevin C. Hall Editor The Moultrie Observer and Moultrie Scene
CNHI’ s Magazine of the Year 2020 & 2021
Volume 9 • No. 10
Publisher LAURIE GAY
Editor KEVIN C. HALL
Contributing Photographers CONNIE SOUTHWELL JILL STRINGFELLOW PHOTOGRAPHY
Contributors ADELIA LADSON AKILAH C. CLARKE DAVID & KAY SCOTT
Account Executive JANE BENTLEY
Design & Layout DEREK SCHAPER
Moultrie Scene Magazine is published monthly at 25 North Main Street Moultrie, Georgia 31768 by
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6 MoultrieScene OCTOBER 2025