A Sweet Life: How Laniebug Farms Grows More than Berries with Lasseter Tractor Company and John Deere

Just outside Douglas, GA, you’ll find a little farm with a big story. Laniebug Farms, owned and operated by John Hayes, is more than just a blueberry and blackberry operation. It’s a place where family roots and farming dreams grow side by side.

Our team had the chance to spend some time with John and his daughter on what most would consider one of the dog days of late summer in south Georgia. Already post this year’s blackberry harvest, we walked through the spent fields where this year’s canes will eventually give way to next year’s fruit as John shared his story.

John wears two hats: By day, he’s the Corporate Sales Manager here at Lasseter Tractor Company in Douglas, focusing majorly on large ag equipment. When he’s not working hard for our customers, you'll likely find him on his own land, tending to business at Laniebug Farms, the family-run operation he started in 2016.

“I grew up in a rural area, but I didn’t grow up farming myself,” John shared. “I had the chance to go to work with John Deere, which led to my current role with Lasseter. The Lasseter family has treated me super well throughout the years, and it was this opportunity that also led to me taking on farming myself. Farming is something my family had done generations ago, but again, I hadn’t done it myself until 2016.”

His dual role gives him a unique perspective: “In my 9-5, I think [operating Laniebug Farms] does lend me some additional credibility. I can give people solid equipment advice, not just because I know the equipment so well and have examples from other people, but because I also use it myself.”

The operation’s name, Laniebug Farms, is a tribute to both John’s mother’s name and his daughter, whose nickname is Lanie. On our trek through the rows, Lanie’s grin shone as brightly as the south Georgia sunshine as she shared with us her own extensive knowledge of the crops grown on the family’s land.

“This variety is as old as I am,” she joked as we strolled. The group giggled, John included, but he quickly added, “We laugh, but she’s right. We planted these the year she was born.” 

Lanie is no casual observer - that was quickly evident. While her dad described her as “all girl,” that title also comes with a strong work ethic. She’s always close by during harvest time especially.

“My favorite part is when we do the blackberries,” she said. “When we box them up, I get to stamp the boxes. That’s the funnest part.”

Many may be surprised to learn Laniebug Farms hand-harvests every blackberry. Once picked, the berries are graded right there in the field, then loaded into refrigerated trailers to maintain freshness.

“So what we’ll do is we’ll take this trailer [of graded berries] and back it up to a refrigerated trailer. The boxes of berries get graded, stacked and into the fridge ASAP - right here in the field,” John explained. “They’ve got to get out of the heat and stay cool right up until they reach the buyer’s hands.”

Thanks to this careful handling, Laniebug Farms supplies fresh-market berries that end up in stores all across the United States.

Running a berry farm isn’t easy, but with the right equipment and reliable support, John, his trusty farm manager and the rest of their team keep things moving smoothly, even when challenges arise.

“This is probably our main tractor,” he said, patting a John Deere 5075E narrow model. “We’ve got to have it for our blueberries especially.

They’re grown on 10-foot centers, so we really have to have the ability to get the tractor in narrow spaces. It’s our workhorse out here.”

The 5075E isn’t the only John Deere machine earning its keep on the farm. The team also uses:

• John Deere 5100E with loader – This machine is used for tasks like mowing with the help of a rotary cutter, loading fruit, unloading chemicals and general farmwork.
  
  
• John Deere Gator – John’s team relies on their Gator for quick trips around the farm and light hauling.

With Lasseter Tractor Company just a call away, John’s never far from the help he needs.

“We work our equipment hard, and that means breakdowns are going to happen,” he said. “There was one time we had a tractor go down during a critical time. Lasseter loaned us a replacement tractor so we could keep working. That kind of support means a lot.”

He added, “It’s a lot more joy than it is a chore when we get the support that we get from them out here.”

Behind every tractor, every row of berries and every stamped berry box is a deeper story like John’s. We count it an honor to share a small part in these tales of family, perseverance and passion. John may have started Laniebug Farms as a side venture, but it’s grown into something far more meaningful.

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s also a break from my everyday,” he said, pausing to watch Lanie sprint ahead down the row. “It means more to my family than I can really put into words.”

With the backing of Lasseter Tractor Company and John Deere equipment that’s built to work as hard as his team does, John Hayes is proving that even late-blooming farmers can thrive when they’ve got the right tools and the right team on their side. A sweet life, indeed. 

To learn more about how Lasseter Tractor Company can assist your operation, find the location nearest you here.