The Durbin Family has been growing peaches since 1940, starting
with Glaucus Durbin. The fruit business was a part of a diversified farming operation consisting of various vegetables and
livestock. All work was performed by two mules and hand labor. The labor force originally consisted of Glaucus Durbin, his
two sons (Jimmy Durbin and Jerry Durbin), and one hired man.
After the death of Glaucus Durbin in 1960, Jimmy Durbin was drafted into
the military and served two years. Jerry Durbin pursued other interests. After his tour in the military, Jimmy Durbin returned
to a public job in Birmingham. The love of farming was still alive and well.
In 1972, Jimmy returned home to form a full time establishment
in what is today known as J. Durbin Farms. With a hard work ethic, strong religious beliefs, and honest relationships with
everyone, the farm has grown from 10 acres of peaches in 1970 to what now consists of more than 500 acres of peaches, a custom
nursery timber harvesting operation, a custom tree planting operation, and through its affiliat farm, Sunshine Farms, owns
and operates one of the fastest growing seedstock cattle operations in the United States, which covers another 2500 acres.
The farm is located in Chilton County, Alabama, in the central part of the state.
In 1968, Jimmy married Jettie Minor. In the process of the marriage,
Jimmy became the father of 12 year old Gary Minor and 8 year old Tim Minor. Both sons are full time farmers along with their
father Jimmy.
After struggling in the early years, the farm now employs some
60 employees with some having been with the operation 18 years. The farm is more mechanized than in the past, packing US #1
EXTRA Fruit for various retail chains by the semi truck loads, but we still pick our fruit one peach at a time by hand.
Each peach is harvested only after it has reached its full maturity.
When we say it's tree ripe, we mean it. We want our customers to experience juice running off their chins when they eat one
of our peaches. After all, there's still a little bit of kid in all of us.
We hope you enjoy our peaches as much as we enjoy growing them for you.
Thank you,
Jimmy, Gary and Tim
