Hays Farm: The Legacy of One of

It’s been some 50 years since the Hays family made the tough decision to move away from the farming industry that the family legacy had been built on since John Hays’ grandfather, Elgie Hays, bought the first plot of what would become Hays Farm in 1906.

According to John Hays, the decision was an emotional one at the time and the vote wasn’t unanimous at first. Five generations of their family were born and raised on the farm. They even had a document from 1814 when Roman Simmons, one of John’s ancestors, purchased land from a land grant in the area complete with the signature of James Madison.

The Huntsville Business Journal was able to sit down with John Hays and talk about the history of the farm and the legacy he hopes to be able to live behind.

As emotional as the decision may have been, it’s hard to argue 50 years later that it hasn’t been beneficial for both the Hays family and for the greater Huntsville community.

They were fortunate enough to see early success with the construction of a new Grissom High School on family owned land. The family also stayed true to their beliefs during the process which John described during our conversation.

“Our family believes in education for children, quality of life for the community and habitat protection for wildlife. These values guided us in the design of Hays, creating the perfect opportunity to develop a recreation and nature complex. Two thirds of the land was set aside and gifted to the city for use as parks and school. We planned and designed the parks so wildlife can flourish and families can enjoy quality of life and just breathe in the fresh air,” said Hays.

The family’s passion for wildlife and its preservation for community use is backed up by science.

During the interview, Hays shared a printed copy of a study completed in 2018 by scientists

Huntsville’s

By: Noah Logan / Photos

in Sweden. The nationwide study tracked over 900,000 people over the course of 30 years. Its findings showed that children who grew up with the lowest levels of green space had a 55% higher risk of developing a psychiatric disorder independent from effects of other known risks.

The study affirms that integrating natural environments into urban planning is a promising approach to improving mental health and reducing psychiatric disorders.

In 2019, a new development was started that the family knew could be special.

“We’ve put out a lot of plans and we are proud of all of them,” Hays explained. “This is the first thing we ever put our name on because we think it is something special for us and special for the community.”

The Hays Farm development will spread 850 acres and consist of