Mercier Orchards is Southern Living Magazine's "favorite roadside apple market," according to the October, 2002 edition. "If you come for no other reason, you must sample the fried apple pies and cider," the article says. "The cooks create some of the most memorable pastries, fried pies, fritters, doughnuts and dumplings that you will find anywhere."

For 50 years, the Mercier family has been welcoming visitors to taste the fruits of the mountains - that's a lot of tourists and a lot of fruit! Mercier's is a major tourist attraction, bringing hundreds of busloads of visitors to Fannin County year after year. The orchard grows almost 20 varieties of apples, including Gala, Red and Golden Delicious, Jonagold, Rome, Stayman, Granny Smith, Braeburn, Fuji and others. Other seasonal fruit also is available, including peaches, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, along with locally grown produce.

Mercier's bakery doesn't just produce the most famous fried apple pies in the mountains -- also peach, blueberry, chocolate and coconut, among others. The apple house offers a huge selection of jellies, jams, smoked trout and other gift items to create gift baskets for the holidays. The orchard recently added picture windows in the bakery and fruit processing areas to allow tourists to see the action firsthand. Tourists can also "pick their own" apples in the fall.