Jonathan Harrison obtained a land patent, signed by President James Monroe, for his acreage in present day Butler County. PHOTO BY JIM PLOTT
Creek Plantation. He raises cattle and his farm is used to grow soybeans, cotton and timber. During the non-growing season, he manages a successful commercial hunting operation that has attracted country musicians like Blake Shelton and the late Troy Gentry and numerous Alabama and Auburn sports legends. “I always knew I would be involved in some activity at Wilkes Creek Plantation because it has been a big part of my life,” Wood says. “The love of the land and being able to spend time outdoors has kept me in farming. It keeps me in touch with my family heritage.”
The Bicentennial Farm Awards program is ongoing, and landowners who meet the following qualifications may apply as future recipients. • Farm must have been in the same family for at least 200 years. • Farm must be at least 40 acres of land owned by the applicant or nominee. • Farm must currently have some agricultural activities. • Applicant must reside in Alabama. • Owner must complete an Ownership Registration Form supplied by the Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries.
Wood admits that even he is astonished that the farm, with its ebbs and flows, has made it through six generations in the same family. He hopes it will continue. “It is humbling to know that my family has held onto the land for longer than Alabama has been a state,” Wood says. “I have included Mary Hardy in my farming operation since she was a baby. I am hoping to pass it on to her.” Wood’s ancestor, Methodist minister William Stith Hardy, built the current house – said to be haunted – in late 1886. The property also contains a church built in 1830 where William Stith Hardy later pastored. A large barn, constructed in the early 1900s to replace an earlier barn built in 1880, remains in use.
Farming heritage
Thet Spree, 70, grew up in the Hill of the Howth homestead and was living there when the land was divided up among heirs and the house, originally a log structure, was dismantled and used for con-
struction of another house in the county seat, Eutaw. Howth is an Irish term for health and was called that after the Choctaws showed the site to McKee. “It never floods, and the water runs all year,” says Spree, who now owns the property and an additional 5,000 acres where he cattle farms, raises catfish and grows timber. While Eric Cates III, 62, has spent much of his adult life away from the farm, lessons learned growing up in an agricultural environment still have an impact. “I think the passage of time and departing a familiar place like the farm helps you better reflect on the value of those experiences,” Cates says. “I certainly gained an appreciation for what all farmers and their families learned. Our dad was always so proud of our farming heritage and instilled that in each of us, which is why ‘The Farm’ remains a focal point for our families and a place where we continue to gather frequently.” The farming heritage will continue in some manner at Persimmon Ridge. The Boutwells’ son, Andrew, is employed with an Atlanta-based forestry consultant firm and also manages all of the timberlands grown at Persimmon Ridge Farms. Wood says farming has always been a business of highs and lows, but he is confident that because of recent trends in consumer demands, agricultural opportunities will abound on Wilkes Plantation for Mary Hardy and for smaller farms in general. “I would encourage anyone interested in agriculture to pursue their dreams,” Wood says. “People worldwide have become more and more conscious of what they are putting in their bodies. I think it’s only going to get better for the agriculture industry. Find your niche and go for it.”
The barn is still well utilized on Wilkes Creek Plantation.
PHOTO BY JIM PLOTT
Landowners should contact Amy Belcher at 334-240-7126 or by email at amy.belcher@ agi.alabama.gov to receive an application. A copy of the application is also available on the department’s website agi.alabama. gov under the “Forms” tab at “Century & Heritage Farm.” 18 MAY 2019
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