Agricultural Land Use in Clay PDF Print E-mail
Written by Tina Tidmore   

September 15, 2009

Note: This is a condensed, updated version of an article that was first published in the January 2005 Clay News.

“Is there any of that left in Clay?” A question a Clay resident asked when responding to a poll about whether preserving agricultural or rural land was important in Clay’s future.
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The answer is in how agriculture use is defined. In the proposed amendment to the Comprehensive Land Use Plan for Clay, the Agricultural / Forestry classification is defined as “establishments that grow crops, raise animals, harvest timber, harvest fish and other animals from a farm, ranch, greenhouse, nursery, orchard, hatchery, or their natural habitats.”

Of course, as many of Clay’s “old timers” testify, there used to be much more of this type of land use in Clay.

Danny Keith, whose family has a long history in Clay, said that Clay was never known for “row crops”. He said the soil being rocky and clay loam instead of sandy loam was not good for growing vegetables. And the steep slopes in Clay were not good for that either. Keith said that grass grows well in Clay. He said that most of the farming history of Clay consists of dairy farms. In the Clay area, McCrory’s Dairy Farm, between Trussville and Clay on Trussville Clay Road, was the last in operation. All the silos are gone now.

While there is still some agricultural use in the city limits of Clay, most of the larger parcels are outside the present boarders. Much of the agricultural land use in Clay is for hay, small head of cattle and horse stables. The Clay area has two stables in operation: Mountain View Stables between Self Road and Cavern Road and Dreamweaver Stables at the end of Self Road.

But, there are others that are using land for muscadines, chickens, blueberries and horses for personal enjoyment.

The answer to why the number of full-time farms is much fewer can be found in younger generations not interested in farming, higher value of property for other uses and the hard work involved in farming.

With so much against it, the logical question is: Why is anyone in Clay is still using their land for agricultural use? Time and again, the answer is the love of the lifestyle and the amenities that money can’t buy.
For some, their land is for their lifestyle choice

mountain-view.jpgMountain View Stables: In Clay News research, one of the last two families with agricultural activity as their only source of income is the Kennedy family. Their business is Mountain View Stables which is between Cavern Road and Self Road. This property, which historically has been considered close to the center of Clay, is not in the city limits. They say they bought the first 10 acres there and had three horses in 1971. Since then, they cleared the land, put up pipe fencing, removed the big rocks for a total of 90 acres they now use for their horse business. Mrs. Kennedy said they just liked horses themselves and “fell” into boarding them. They now offer many services including training riders, training horses, selling horses, transporting horses, selling horse trailers, and selling manure.

Mr. Kennedy said he gets an offer from a developer about once a month to buy his land for a subdivision. He said he tells them up front that the land is not for sale. Since the family has chosen this lifestyle, selling this land would just mean they would have to buy other land and try to recreate what they have here and Mrs. Kennedy said they are too old for that. Despite their statements to developers, every once in a while, he will get an offer that is, in his view, ridiculously high. On these occasions he has called his children together and asked what they wanted to do in light of the offer. So far, the answer has been, “Don’t sell.”

Mrs. Kennedy said that diversifying in many aspects of horse-related products and services has been an answer to being profitable. Mr. Kennedy said getting a reputation for knowing and understanding horses, being able to train them and match the  horse and rider according to personalities, has contributed to their financial viability. Their horses have been seen in a General Motors commercial and were used as a mascot for the Stallions Professional Football team which was in Birmingham. Mrs. Kennedy said being flexible to the client’s needs has helped too.

Kennedy’s son is already working in the family business along with Kennedy’s daughter and grand-daughter. Again, the whole family says it is a lifestyle they love. Kim Trull, Kennedy’s daughter, said that she believes that working at the stables has helped in raising her daughter. She said her daughter stays busy and has enjoyable wholesome activities in the presence of family. Christen Trull, Kim’s daughter, who just started college, agreed with her mom. She said she does not feel like she is missing anything. She occasionally goes to a movie with friends but says working with the horses,  riding the horses, fishing, boating, and other outdoor activities with friends on the family property are enjoyable.

The whole family commented to Clay News about the joy they have had in forming relationships with loyal clients over many years. Because they have the property for those boarding with them to ride on, the clients and the Kennedy’s, and their children, all share activities together at times. Mr. Kennedy said he does not allow alcohol, cussing or drugs on the property.

The Kennedys have a warning for those who don’t have the stamina, “It is a lot of work.” It does not matter what day it is, the forty horse stalls have to be cleaned every day, no matter the weather or personal interest. Trull tells of having to call a vet for a sick horse, despite her being at the hospital in labor. Only now that their children are working in the stables, can the Kennedys take vacations.

Red Fox Farm: Lauren and Jack Brown raise and breed roosters on forty-seven acres at the corner of Cedar Mountain Road and Clay Palmerdale Road. Lauren said she is the third generation, since 1938, in the poultry business, which used to be for fighting but now is only for show, exhibition and breeding. Their chickens became recognized that they are registered as a separate breed now. She said as long as she is able, she will continue to use that land for her chicken business. It is a lifestyle choice. “We used to live in the city,” said Jack, but now they prefer to live in the country.

Jack said that it is possible to make a living at raising show roosters because of the breeding. But, he said if someone wanted to start from scratch and buy land, buy the birds and get the land suitable, they likely could not do it in Clay and make a profit.

Bear Mountain Blueberry Farm: On his father-in-law’s property on Clayton Road, right on the edge of the city limits of Clay, Jim Gober operates a blueberry “u-pick-it farm”. He said it is only on three acres. He does not sell his berries to stores or restaurants. But, he said people will come to pick the blueberries from all over Jefferson County and many other counties. He said they want the fun and the family experience. He said some, especially the elderly, believe blueberries are important in their diet. At first it was just a hobby to do something with the land. But, it has now become necessary for supplementing the family income with three children in college.

The soil there is good for blueberries, Gober said because it had been farmed for over a hundred years before making it organically rich with most of the rocks already removed.

Gober said it is not possible to support a family on this type of operation, even if it were many more acres. But, he and his in-laws are planning to keep the land undeveloped for another 30-40 years.

Danny Keith: Danny Keith, mentioned earlier, runs  Keith’s Landscaping business. But he also does some farming of cattle for meat and grows pecans. He uses property on Lake in the Woods Road for growing hay. Additionally, he is participating in a preservation program to plant long leaf pines and create a native habitat in St. Clair County.

Keith said he is holding on to his land in Clay. “It’s a quality of life you want; if that’s the quality, then you have no reason to sell and develop.” Keith said the things which his agricultural land provide, which he enjoys, are the garden, raising cows (some of which he sells), the pecan orchard, fishing and working his hunting dogs. When asked if a developer could offer him enough money to sell, he responded, “Not at this time, no way.” Although Keith is determined to protect his bucolic way of life, he said he doubts he will still be on that land farming it in 20 years because he believes the very quality of life he desires will be compromised if his neighbors sell to developers as he expects in the next 20 years.

For others, their land is for current enjoyment and investment for the future

Walker's Forestry: While it is not very apparent to most people, there is still forestry in Clay. Johnny Walker also owns 2,000 acres between Cavern Road and Cedar Mountain Road. He said he is actively growing timber on it now. In 2004, he cut the hard wood and planted pine on a portion that is in a valley. Most of his property is outside the city limits of Clay.

He is using it for hunting and other recreation along with the forestry. He is not planning to take steps to preserve the agricultural or forestry use but will use it for that until the beltline comes through and will decide what to do then. But, having moved to Clay in the 1970s, he said, “I’ll always have a place to live in Clay.” He thinks he will hold on to 500 acres or more in Clay just for his personal use.

Jim Gober, the owner of Bear Mountain Blueberry Farm, is also a consultant having retired from the Alabama Forestry Commission. He said that most individuals who are growing timber do it for more than just money; they enjoy the recreation in forestland. While forestland may be disappearing in the Birmingham metropolitan area, including Clay, Gober said that on the balance for the state, forestland has increased by 1,000,000 acres from 1990-2000. Farmland is being converted into forestland.

Jim Gober said the terrain in Clay of steep slopes and solid rock mountains will hinder some future development in Clay and will likely determine where it will be. Looking down the road over the next thirty years, Gober said about agricultural / forestry use, “I think there’s enough of us here that Clay’s not going to lose that flavor.”
 
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