CBS 19 - The Eye of East Texas News - One Tank Vacations, Part 1

One Tank Vacations, Part 1

By Amanda Kost

It's time to get away. Not so fast.  The price at the pump is putting those plans on the back burner for a lot of East Texans.  But, you don't have to go the distance to get away. 

"We're about 40 minutes from downtown Longview and 70 miles from downtown Tyler. All on good highway so it's easy to get to and it's a world away," said Sid Greer of Greer Farm. 

"We decided to take a trip to Greer farm to just renew life a little bit," said Clifford Phillips.

That's just part of what drew Cynthia and Clifford Phillips to this destination near Daingerfield.

"Instead of completely skipping over this and going far, far away, this is basically in your backyard," said Cynthia Phillips.

"It's a great place to relax, take in a breath of fresh air and it's nearby.  It's a short drive," said Clifford Phillips.

For Sid and Eva Greer it's home, but for tourists, it's a unique destination.

"This is not a dude ranch, this is a real family farm. We have beef, we have timber, we have berries," said Sid Greer.

"The red ones are bad. They're not ripe yet," said Kelly Boucher. 

Boucher spent two hours picking and filling pales with pounds of fresh berries.

"Greer farm is just a great place to hang out, pick berries and just stay and have a fun time and you don't have to travel," said Boucher.

It's an experience Boucher says money can't buy.

The Greers say that's what their farm is all about. 

"You can't get it at Six Flags. This is a place where people can see where food comes from," said Sid Greer.

"When you have so many things like we have, I feel blessed to be able to share them with other people and see the joy they have with their family," said Eva Greer.

Your trip doesn't have to end there. Just a few miles away in Pittsburg, you can cash in on your pick of peaches and produce from Efurd Orchards. When you're done there, here's a "peach of a place" to spend some time. It's an old-fashioned country store stocked with one of a kind goods from Mcpeack Orchards.

When you've had your fill of produce, how about a little antiquing? Just up the road in Gladewater, is a virtual paradise for antique collectors, or anyone else wanting to browse through the past.

We'll show you more destinations within one tank's reach Thursday, in part two of the CBS19 special report "One Tank Vacations."