Welcome to John Hall and Company’s “Legacy Lands Series.” Hoke Smith, landowner, Real Estate Broker, and Partner, shares his heartfelt memories and the land legacy passed down through generations. Join us as we explore the invaluable experiences and profound significance of rural property. Extending far beyond its monetary value are the recollections of wonderful days with family and friends.

Landowners Leave a Land Legacy

Growing up, I spent countless weekends throughout every season of the year in the woods. Or, playing on the water with friends and family. Now that I have gotten older and have a family of my own, I look back and realize how that time molded me. To include, all the lessons I learned, the memories I made, and the special relationships I created from that time. I write these words for individuals interested in becoming landowners. I want to share my personal experience of what rural property can provide and how the land’s worth is far more than the monetary value it produces.

Every season of the year provides unique opportunities for landowners. Below are some activities you, your family, and your friends can enjoy each season. The memories and lessons learned from these activities will outlive the time spent doing them. Your children, grandchildren, and friends will have lasting impressions of what rural property provided them.

Spring Turkey Hunting

Spring is my favorite season of the year. Winter is ending, and new life is sprouting everywhere! Spend a cool, crisp morning with a friend turkey hunting and listening to the woods wake up! Turkey hunting is like a chess match, and the feeling of success provides a satisfaction that is hard to beat!

Find a body of water, whether a pond, lake, or creek, to go fishing. Many fish species spawn in the spring and can be found and caught in the shallows. Some great memories of mine as a kid are wading the creeks with a fishing pole and exploring. It always seemed like fishing was what we went for, but we had more fun swimming, catching crawfish, and exploring! Wind down with an evening by a campfire, cooking out, laughing, and reminiscing about the day. Talk about planning the next day. And, sit listening to the Whippoorwills or Chuckwills Widow. Simply, enjoying quality time with others outdoors as a landowner.

Summer Quality Time with Family

In the summer there may be little game to hunt. However, spending weekends with friends and family outdoors has given me some of my best lessons and memories. This was also the time for property projects and maintenance. My father always seemed to make the process fun and rewarding. We could come up with a never-ending list of things we wanted to accomplish during the summer. This afforded us time during the fall-winter to focus on hunting rather than on maintenance.

Summer is for grabbing friends and going camping for the weekend!

We stay up late around the campfire. Then, in the morning work towards knocking out our project checklist! We didn’t know it then, but we were constantly learning lessons (usually the hard way). Lessons included, methods for completing tasks such as clearing roads and trails of debris and fixing deer stands. In the meantime, we were having a blast riding our 4-wheelers and dirt bikes. When the day got hot, we would head to the creek, river, or pond and relax the rest of the day away. Alabama is rich in terms of the abundance of rivers and streams it has. It was a summertime ritual that we would always load up floats, kayaks, fishing poles, etc., and find a creek or river to float and explore!

Fall Memories with Friends

The kickoff to a new season! Fall is the time of the year when all the wild game seasons begin! As a landowner, there is so much to do outdoors this time of year, and I always welcome it with open arms!

Dove season provides an excellent way to get the family out in the field. It is a great opportunity to introduce kids and new hunters to hunting! It is typically a social atmosphere that can be an excellent opportunity to teach and learn firearm safety. Hopefully, if the doves are abundant, it is a target-rich environment to sharpen your shooting skills. Enjoy the post-hunt camaraderie sitting on the tailgate of a truck and listening to a college football game. Plus, cleaning the day’s harvest!

Fall is also the time of year when landowners get fields planted and stands prepared for deer season. This time can be a great family activity. We have multiple people in the fields with different jobs to do to get the fields prepared and planted! In addition, spend some time walking through the woods looking for deer signs. Exploring the land can be very educational for you and others. Learning what wildlife eats. Understand the time of the year different vegetation and mast-producing plants become desirable to the wildlife animals. Plus, scope out what are good areas to spend time hunting particular game, etc. There is always more to learn through exploration of the outdoors and its wildlife. The more you know and understand about the land, the more interesting it becomes!

Winter Harvesting White-Tailed Deer

Holidays, hunting, camping, hiking, and more. Winter is the season that landowners have prepared for throughout the rest of the year. The planting and preparation throughout the previous seasons lead to the winter season. All this effort, in hopes of harvesting the most popular game animal in the country, the white-tailed deer.

Other winter activities provide enjoyable experiences and memories. My family likes to spend holidays at the farm! Close and distant family members take time off from their jobs to make the trip every year. We reconnect to hunt, cook, ride ATVs, and spend time with each other. It’s a place where we can separate from the outside world and enjoy time together.

Winter is also a time of the year to rekindle old friendships. The trip agenda may be hunting, but it can be so much more than that!

Landownership can be much more rewarding than its monetary benefits. It can provide a place to create joy, fellowship, learning experiences, memories, and more! The land is more than an asset. It’s a place where you can create a legacy and one of the things people will remember you by!

I was taught life lessons and had many fond memories of growing up in the woods, fields, and waterways of Alabama. I know it will be a place that will continue to provide that for my family, children, and friends.

John Hall and Company Legacy Land Series

The seasons may change, but the opportunities for unforgettable experiences on rural property remain constant for landowners. From the joy of turkey hunting in the crisp spring mornings to the camaraderie of dove season in the vibrant fall, each season presents its own special moments. The lessons learned the laughter shared, and the memories created become the lasting legacy we pass down to our children, grandchildren, and friends.

Owning or leasing rural property is not just about projects and maintenance; it’s about building a haven where you can nurture connections, learn life lessons, and embark on endless adventures. It’s a place where families come together, where friends unite, and where bonds are forged amidst the beauty of nature. Whether it’s fishing in the serene ponds, exploring the abundant rivers, planting fields for deer season, or enjoying the winter hunt with loved ones, rural property offers a tapestry of experiences that surpasses any financial gain.

The land becomes a cherished chapter in the book of our lives, a place where memories are etched, and legacies are born. Hoke Smith’s journey through the woods, fields, and waterways of Alabama is a testament to the immeasurable value of land—a place where joy, fellowship, learning experiences, and precious memories thrive. Discover the endless possibilities and create your own landowners legacy on rural property.

Start Your Own Landowners Legacy

At John Hall and Company, we are here to help landowners start their journey. The goal is to find the perfect piece of land to call your own. Reach out to our dedicated team today and embark on a lifelong adventure that will be remembered for generations to come. Future landowners can learn more about the First Steps to Buying Land.

Read Pete Hall’s article, Creating a Land Legacy, about the importance of passing down your legacy through owning land.

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Landowner Shares Memories and Legacy