Samantha Lineberger, the owner of Arena Acres U-Pick Farm, provides her customers with a unique experience nestled in the rolling fields of Perry, Georgia, that combines nature’s beauty with the joy of creativity.
For Samantha, a fourth-generation farmer, agriculture runs deep in her veins. The land she cultivates today once belonged to her great-grandfather, who was a dairy farmer. Her passion is a testament to the enduring connection her family has with the land dating back to the early 1900s.
But Samantha’s vision for Arena Acres goes beyond farming— it’s about inviting people to embrace the outdoors, reconnect with nature, and get their hands dirty.
“I have sunflowers right behind me...some dahlias,” Lineberger said, describing the diverse flora that graces her fields. “We’re going to continue to grow sunflowers through the fall. We’re planting more this week, and then in a couple of weeks, so every two weeks we’re planting sunflowers.”
Lineberger’s journey from a high school student dreaming of being a florist to a fully-grown flower farmer is a testament to her dedication.
“I was on the floriculture CTE team with FFA, and I just loved flowers, I loved designing,” she said. “I always thought okay, I’m going to be a florist.”
With time, her heart led her to a different path.
“Instead of being stuck in a building with plants all day, I preferred to be a little closer to where the plants bloom, and that’s where the dream of becoming a flower farmer blossomed,” she said.
“My great-granddad was a dairy farmer — this is his land,” she said. Her connection to the land and her family’s farming legacy is evident. “It’s been in the family for a long time since the early 1900s.”
Lineberger’s dedication to preserving her family’s farmland as the community in Houston County grows around it.
“As Houston County grows, as people move here, and a lot of the farmland is starting to slowly turn into houses,” she said. “It’s very important to keep what’s left of the farmland to show the people who are moving to Houston County how important agriculture is, where your food comes from, where your clothes come from.”
With plans to expand and grow, Arena Acres aims to become an agritourism hotspot in Central Georgia. Samantha sums up her vision with a touch of local pride.
“It’s nice to have a little bit of what we call ‘Perry-dise’ right here in the middle of what’s getting developed,” she said.
