Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey (right) speaks at the annual Peach Season Kick-Off at Durbin Farms Friday morning. Also pictured are (from left to right) are Lindsey Jones Simmons, Danny Jones (owner of Durbin’s), and Colby Jones.

By Whitney Denson

Standing in front of rows of peaches at Durbin Farms, speakers praised Chilton County’s undeniably popular peach crops at the 6th annual Peach Season Kick-Off on Friday morning.

Danny Jones, owner of Durbin Farms, welcomed Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey and John McMillan, Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Agriculture.

“First, I thought this [event] was a crazy idea,” Jones said. “Now see what happens. We have more vendors and more people here than ever.”

This year marked the sixth year since Durbin’s began their annual kick-off event.

Bob Terrell, minister at Clanton Church of Christ, said the opening prayer before the ribbon cutting ceremony for the 2014 peach season.

Jones commended the first responders on their service to Chilton County, and McMillan and Ivey shared their thoughts on the upcoming peach season.

“We love and admire the people who work the fields and provide us with these peaches,” Ivey said. “They are such a core part of Chilton County’s agriculture, and these are the people who make Alabama such a great place to live and raise our families.”

After the ribbon cutting ceremony, Chilton County residents participated in the free sampling of food, provided by Durbin Farms and Boomerang’s restaurant.

A police car and ambulance were there for children to view, as well as booths with representatives from the Chilton County Extension Office and Southern Care Hospice.

Brandi McKinnon of Clanton brought her 2-year-old son, Michael, for a first-time experience at the annual peach kick-off.

“It was a much bigger turnout than I thought it would be,” McKinnon said. “We shop here often and my first experience at the kick-off was great.”

Danny Jones said Durbin Farms has the Rich May peach varieties right now and will start picking the June Gold variety in the next few days.

“This is not just about Durbin Farms,” Jones said. “It’s about the people of Chilton County and what they want.”