“Ultimately, I’d like it to be like ‘Make-a-Wish’ for the elderly.” – Larry Bell, hunting guide
The beautiful house and barn sit well back from the road, just beyond the tranquil pond and surrounded by gently sloping hills of lush green grass. It looks like a peaceful private oasis.
Amazing Grace Farm is unquestionably a peaceful oasis, but its mission is far more inclusive than private. They open their doors by invitation to elderly and disabled individuals to reconnect with nature and enjoy outdoor activities. It is also open to first responders and veterans, and all of it is offered at no cost to participants.
Amazing Grace Farm offers hunting and fishing experiences, including those with mobility and special needs on the 113-acre property off Highway 26 in Ragland. Their list of accessible activities includes hayrides, cornhole, picnics, relaxing at the fire pit, shooting at their range, and meditation and relaxation. They are partnering with senior centers and veterans’ organizations to bring visitors to spend the day at the farm.
“Our elderly and disabled often end up being stuck inside all day looking at four walls,” says owner and director Judy Batson. She is also a nurse and CEO of Healing Touch Caregivers in Gardendale. “I wanted to give them a way to have fun and enjoy outdoor activities again.”
Judy had passed by the property countless times on her way to visit elderly clients in her work as a nurse. Each time she passed the sprawling landscape with its charming barn and home, she felt a stronger connection to it.
Occasionally, she even pulled in to pass the time between clients. On one such occasion, she found the realty sign lying down in the grass, so she called the number. When she said she wanted to place an offer on the property, she was told there were already other offers, and she likely didn’t have a chance. She didn’t hear back from them and forgot about the exchange until she got the call three months later. Her offer had been accepted.
Crew at the Cafe
“The idea for it was God-given,” says Judy. “Something about this place spoke to me.” From that point on, she says, she was driven to make the farm a place for a ministry to those she felt were forgotten – the elderly, veterans and those with special needs.
She describes the house as being in “deplorable” condition, with destruction by animals and termites just scratching the surface of the level of decay. It was in such bad shape that the appraiser (who at the time was also the mayor) declared that Judy was essentially buying the land and barn; the house wasn’t worth anything. She spent the next two years working with subcontractors to gut and rebuild the house. On the recommendation of a neighbor, she hired Craig Grigsby and John Bush to work on the floors. And they’re still working at the farm two years later – Craig as property manager and John as assistant property manager.
Both Craig and John live in Panama City, Fla., and spend two weeks of each month at the farm working to restore it and to build programs. They’ve hired another friend, Larry Bell, also from Panama City, to serve as the guide for the hunting program.
The three share Judy’s enthusiasm and mission for serving seniors. “I was introduced to hunting by my grandfather,” Larry explains. “What got me into this was to be able to give back to the people who introduced me to hunting. Ultimately, I’d like it to be like ‘Make-a-Wish’ for the elderly. We could give someone that one last big hunt.”
Craig’s family did not hunt, so, he says, friends invited him along. “As a 16-year-old growing up, I was taken hunting by a couple of preachers. Every Thanksgiving, they would go hunting with their families and they’d invite me. I loved listening to their stories around the campfire. It made me want to hear more.”
On this day, the fire pit is empty. A group of visitors is gathered inside around the coffee table as temperatures soar close to 100 degrees. Guests include seniors from the Ragland Senior Center, veterans and first responders from Ragland and Pell City. Laughter gives way to hugs as paramedic Cathy Riggs is reintroduced to the senior whom she helped on a call just over a year ago. After they catch up, Cathy goes with a guide who takes her to visit her old childhood swimming hole on the property.
“Do you know where Happy Top is?,” asks 94-year-old Raymond E. Smith, Jr., as he talks about where he was born and raised. “You know Lewisburg? Bradford? It’s not far from Bradford. We used to walk from Bradford to Happy Top to go to church.” Raymond is Sgt. Maj. Smith, a Green Beret who served in Vietnam. He talks proudly of his love for America and his pride in his service to the Army Special Forces unit. He also dearly loves fishing.
When the temperature cools off, allowing him to be outside with his oxygen tank, he’ll be headed to the fishing pond. It is stocked with bass, crappie, bluegill and crackerfish. Having the pond dug out and stocked was a big-ticket item for Judy and the Amazing Grace team. Luckily, there was clay and dirt to be sold that helped offset the cost.
There are many big projects in the works to continue to build programs for their guests. One of those projects is building a 12-by-12-foot shooting house. Why so big? Craig explains that it would allow the family of a physically challenged person to be a part of the experience in watching the shooting. They’ve also contracted with Michigan-based Wolf Creek Productions to document the experience as a keepsake for the client.\
A relaxing swing in the woods
Craig has also spent many hours working to implement plans for a zero-entry pool. Even with him digging it himself and purchasing supplies, the estimate to complete the project is $180,000. And, even then, they can’t find anyone willing to come out to work. They remain confident that it will come together eventually. “We even plan to invite churches to use it to baptize people who wouldn’t be able to (using traditional baptismal fonts),” says Judy.
They are also working on a café, adjacent to the pool area, where guests could come to get a cool beverage and relive “soda fountain” memories. While not complete, the plans include 50s-style furnishings and a jukebox.
Judy is quick to credit the completion of so much of the work at Amazing Grace Farm to Craig, John and Larry. “They share my vision, and they have such big hearts,” she says. “This would not be where it is without them.”
Greg Estes, commander of the Ragland VFW, is impressed with the changes. “I remember seeing this property when it sold. It’s night and day different.” He is already making plans to bring people to the farm. Teresa Harden with the Ragland Senior Center brought a group to the farm and plans to make the trip again. “It means the world to them. They enjoyed it so much.”
Editor’s Note: The farm is in need of sponsors to help with the costs associated with the programs. Amazing Grace Farm is a nonprofit and depends on donations to meet the needs of its visitors. If you are interested in visiting Amazing Grace Farm or supporting their ministry, you can contact them at 205-281-7828 or info.amazinggracefarms@gmail.com.
Faith-based healing in a peaceful environment finds home in Odenville
Story by Elaine Hobson Miller Submitted Photos
Anna was beyond broken. Hooked on methamphetamine and heroin, she was trying to get off drugs. She was living in Colorado, but her story started as a child in her native Estonia. That’s where her mother sold her for sex as a preschooler.
“The person who hurt me the most was my own mother,” says Anna, now 37 and living in Alabama. “She was hooked on drugs. One day when I was 5 years old, my Dad walked in on me and two men. He tried to protect me. My mom killed my dad.”
The chapel
In 2020, 10,583 situations of human sex trafficking were reported to the National Human Trafficking Hotline. The number of situations involved 16,658 individual victims. Almost 81 percent of those were women. Likely 50percent or more were children. Fifty-nine of these women made their way to The WellHouse, a faith-based healing place for women who are victims of sex trafficking. Anna is one of the nearly 600women who have been through The WellHouse program since its founding in 2010.
“There is no such term as human trafficking in Russia,” Anna says. “What my mother did to me was considered normal.” After their father’s death, she and her brother were sent to an orphanage in Latvia, where they stayed eight years. “There was lots of abuse there, too, physical, emotional, sexual.” She came to the U.S. in January 1981, when a Florida pastor and his wife adopted her and her brother. “But I was damaged goods, I had no self-worth.” She moved to Colorado to work on a ranch when she was 19. She married and divorced twice and had a child by each husband. “I had really bad attachment disorder and PTSD.”
She developed conversion disorder – an emotional state that turns into physical seizures. In the middle of a Botox injection in her neck, seizures brought back the buried memories of her childhood experiences. “I got really sick physically and emotionally,” she says. “I had counseling, physical therapy. But I didn’t know how to cope, so I started using meds. I ran out of my prescription meds, started using my son’s ADHD prescriptions. Methamphetamine is pretty much the same as ADHD meds.”
Anna weighed 73 pounds and had bruises all over her body when she got herself admitted to a psychiatric hospital. “I was slowly killing myself,” she says. “My (adoptive) mom and me were looking for places for rehab, and I must have filled out an application for The WellHouse while researching online. I was in the hospital for two weeks when the rescue supervisor from WellHouse called me and said they had a bed for me.”
Anna entered The WellHouse grounds in Odenville on Nov 4, 2019. It was after sundown. Despite the darkness, she immediately felt a sense of peace. “The healing started as soon as I got on campus,” she says. “You feel safe here. It was time for me to stop running and face my demons.”
Anna graduated from WellHouse in December 2020, after receiving “lots of TLC,” and experiencing the programs the ministry offers. “They taught me self-worth, and I started growing. I learned how to cope with trauma. They teach you how to be the person you are. I found God here, too, and learned of his love. I’m still getting counseling for maintenance, but I have a job in retail, and I’m living on my own. WellHouse literally helped me heal.”
The WellHouse is a faith-based, Christ-honoring program for young women caught up in sex trafficking for whatever reason, according to board chairman Al Worthington.“We’re of the opinion that without faith there can be no major healing because the trauma is too great.”
Worthington, an area real estate developer, got involved in The WellHouse in 2013 when his wife showed him a newspaper article about a nationwide human trafficking sting in the U.S. and in Canada. The sting resulted in the arrest of 123 pimps. One of them was based in Birmingham, and three young girls under his charge were rescued.
“The article quoted the woman who founded this ministry,” Worthington says. “She had a pretty horrific youth, was trafficked at 15 through the age of 26, and ended up here in Birmingham. I called her that day and met with her the next. I told her I thought I might be able to help.”
Finding A Home
The founder began The WellHouse by taking exploited girls into her home in Tarrant City. Around 2011 or 2012, the Woman’s Missionary Union, a partner of the Southern Baptist Convention, gave her an old house in West End, where churches adopted rooms, decorated and furnished them. In 2014, WellHouse moved to Pell City, but when they eventually wanted to expand, neighbors expressed concerns about who was coming into the neighborhood, and the city asked them to leave. “We bought 63 acres in Odenville in the summer of 2016, and in 11 months built two homes and an office,” Worthington says. They now have six buildings, including a chapel and administration building.
Enter the grounds on a warm spring day, and you’ll see several large, rambling, ranch-style homes. You can feel the breeze off the pond and watch the antics of the resident gaggle of geese. Beside the pond are picnic tables and a hammock that beckons one to doze between the trees from which it is strung. Also next to the pond is a chapel – the newest building on campus. It smells of new wood inside, and its exposed ceiling beams give it a rustic feel. It’s easy to see why Anna felt at peace on the campus.
“The purpose of The WellHouse is to rescue women who have been trafficked for drugs and sex, and some from domestic abuse,” says Carolyn Potter, CEO of The WellHouse. “We built the programming around the issues they have.” These include childhood sex abuse, sex trafficking, substance abuse, a lack of basic life and social skills and a lack of education.
How It Works
The program begins with the rescue. “We get them when we can, rescue them from different sources,” Worthington says. “Some are reported by police, some call our 800 number or the National Human Trafficking Hotline. Next comes time in the Stabilization Center, an apartment set aside for this purpose in one of the campus buildings.
“This is a huge life change for these women,” Potter says. For two weeks they receive around-the-clock attention. They are seen daily by a home coordinator and director of trauma therapy, who build an individualized treatment plan for each.
Taking a holistic approach, The WellHouse treats the physical, emotional, relational and spiritual problems of these women. Physical problems, such as traumatic brain and sexual injuries, are handled first. The physical heals the fastest, while the psychological takes longer.
“It’s healing to be in a pretty place,” says Holly Bunn, chief development officer at The WellHouse. “Our buildings are new, with new furnishings, much of them donated. We have pretty, elegant decor, because these women deserve it.”
The WellHouse has an on-site medical clinic managed by UAB School of Nursing. “Their medical needs can be intense,” says Potter. “We partner with Alabama Psychiatry for those who need more. Odenville Drugs has been a great partner, too.”
When the women first arrive, they’re dealing with a lot of psychological trauma. They don’t have much self-confidence, they don’t make eye contact, and they don’t trust anyone. “That’s how trafficking works, by destroying their sense of self-worth,” Bunn says. “After a while here, they begin to believe in their own worth. They get to know themselves again, then start to accomplish things – they get their driver’s licenses, their GEDs, achieve six months of sobriety. Then they keep going on their path to success.” They can stay at the WellHouse up to three years.
Their treatment plan is divided into three phases, beginning with time living inThe Immediate Shelter (TIS). That’s where women continue to be evaluated and assessed and to get back the identification documents, such as passports and driver’s licenses, that traffickers took from them. “TIS can house 12 women,” says Bunn. “They stay there from 90 days to four months. At that point, with the help of her case manager, a woman will decide whether to remain at The WellHouse long term.”
Phase 2, or Next Steps to Freedom (NSF), involves living in another home that also houses 12 women. “There, they continue with what was started in the first phase, with a case manager and more therapy,” says Bunn. “Cases become even more individualized in this phase.”
Although most of the women at The WellHouse are between 20 and 30 years old, most haven’t finished the 10th or 11th grade, according to Bunn. “We meet them where they left off with their education, before or at the time when trafficking began,” she says. “We help anybody who wants to go to college, too, through scholarships,” Potter says. “They attend here, online, in mobile classrooms. We apply to a group in Tennessee calledFree for Lifethat gives scholarships specifically for trafficking survivors, and they can go anywhere they want online.”
The Next Phase
After meeting certain requirements, the women “graduate” from The WellHouse. “We actually host a graduation ceremony for them,” Bunn says. That brings about the third phase of the program, Next Steps to Independence (NSI). “Some women move back to their hometowns in this phase, but some aren’t financially ready to live alone,” she says. “NSI takes place in one of our buildings that contains apartments with two bedrooms each, for 16 total beds. They must apply to live there and must have full-time jobs or almost full time and be enrolled in college. They must have their own transportation, too.”
Most of the women in NSI apartments will have saved up to buy a car, but The WellHouse helps with that, too. “Car day is a big day here,” Bunn says. “We have a car fund from donors, and we’ll use it to match their savings up to $2,500.” Women may live one to two years in these apartments, because they need that time to work out the kinks of their new lives. “They pay us $200 a month rent,” Bunn says. “That money goes into a savings account, and we give it all back to them when they leave here.”
Some of the programs offered at The WellHouse include art therapy by a retired schoolteacher, equine therapy at King’s Home in Chelsea, quilting classes taught by women from a local church, and ShopWell, a work-therapy program where the women make jewelry that is sold to the public online, at events and on campus. ‘After they work with ShopWell for six months, The WellHouse helps them find part-time jobs in the community, usually with some of their sponsoring partners. “We also offer job preparation courses,” says Bunn. “We partner with WorkFaith, a career preparation organization.”
Volunteers help, too. “We have a volunteer training program for individuals who are interested,” Bunn says. “They can house sit for a while to give a house mom a break, handle transportation, cut grass, do repairs, mentor, etc. We’re always looking for more volunteers.” Some of the administrative work is done by volunteers, while others sort clothing for Elizabeth’s Closet, the campus clothing boutique furnished by donations. “Every quarter we have a shopping day for the women,” Bunn says. “Volunteers sort the donations and tidy up.”
As a ministry, The WellHouse philosophy is that a spiritual encounter with God and the healing power of Jesus are paramount to recovery. However, staffers don’t force the issue. Participation at monthly chapel services is voluntary. “Spirituality is threaded throughout our programming because we want everyone to know they are loved by God and us,” Bunn says. “We have Bible studies and morning prayer. But we support and facilitate believers of other religions besides Christianity, too.”
The WellHouse operates on an annual budget of $2.4 million, which is funded 100% by donations and grants from individuals, churches, foundations, corporations, nonprofits and federal funding for victims of crime. Fundraising gets a boost with special events in January and October. The one in October is a luncheon where a sex-trafficking survivor shares her story. The January affair is a big party called the Grace Gala, held this year at Thomas Jefferson Towers in Birmingham. “We may have to find a bigger venue next year,” Bunn says. “We had 300 people attend this year.”
The newest program for the ministry, WellHouse Child, is aimed at girls between the ages of 11 and 18. “We have learned that lots of teens are being trafficked,” Bunn says. “They’re minors, and there used to be no safe house in Alabama for trafficked minors.” WellHouse Child is housed in a new, separate building erected in 2020, and will hold 10 minors. “We’re more than excited to begin this new program,” Bunn says. “These girls are identified the same way as other women, through law enforcement, hospitals, health care workers, families. Sometimes, their families are the perpetrators.”
WellHouse Child is a lot like the adult program but tailored to children. They have the same issues as older women. “Their needs are the same, but more extreme,” Bunn says. “They are more likely to run away. Some may need more psychological care than we can give them.”
WellHouse partners with Children’s of Alabama, where the youth are assessed and may have to return for medical attention. “We’re very excited because there’s such a huge need for this program,” Bunn says. “We take residents from all over the U.S. We’ll be able to pave the way through helping others understand how to do this work.”
Human trafficking is such a hidden crime thatit’s hard to get statistics, according to Bunn. Social media plays a big part in it, because victims are groomed and sold online through commercial sex ads. “Only one percent of cases are from abductions,” she says. “Most involve a manipulation process.” Men can be manipulated into the sex trade, too, and while The WellHouse only accepts women now, Bunn, Potter and Worthington hope to add a program for men someday.
Every woman who winds up at The WellHouse comes of her own will. There are no contracts, and the only requirement is the desire to get well. “As much love and support as we give, it’s a lot of work for these women,” Bunn says.
Anna couldn’t agree more. “At times, I wanted to give up, but I couldn’t,” she says. “I’m grateful I had the courage to stay at WellHouse.”
Editor’s Note:If you suspect a girl or woman is the victim of human sex trafficking, you may call The WellHouse local Crisis Line at 205-306-6058 or their toll-free Crisis Line at 800-991-0948. For more information about their program or volunteering, send a note to info@the-wellhouse.org
St. Clair County’s courthouse stands like a beacon, centering a perfectly square intersection in downtown Ashville. The structure itself has undergone many renovations since Littleton Yarbrough built it in 1844, but it remains central to the county’s legal system, making it the oldest operating courthouse in Alabama. Many of the stories created within its walls and the legal system itself were shaped by those who served as its judges.
A sampling of those earliest years gives a glimpse of how history was made and who made it:
John Ash
John Ash was born Nov. 30, 1783, to William and Jane (Fleming) Ash. The family originated in York County, S.C., and, making their way south, found themselves in Franklin County, Ga., for a time. John, his brother, James, and their families made their way to Alabama.
In January 1817, they were making their way on the Old Montevallo Road, which led through modern-day Ashville and Odenville in Beaver Valley. They camped there and spying game in the distance, John dismounted his wagon, took aim with his rifle and fired. The shot caused the horse to bolt, and Betsy, John and Margaret Ash’s daughter, was thrown from the wagon.
John Ash historic marker
She lay unconscious for three days until Jan. 27, when she died at the age of 3. Not finding it in their hearts to leave Betsy alone, the family stayed with her. A log dogtrot house was constructed for John’s family and his wife’s parents, the Rev. Thomas and Ann Newton. This house, the Ash-Newton Cabin, still stands today and is the oldest structure in St. Clair County.
John would have a two-story house built not far from the Newtons and his beloved daughter.
In November 1819, Ash succeeded James Thomason as county judge and remained in that position until the next election in 1821. Ash was the first man elected to that position, as Judge Thomason had been appointed by Gov. William Wyatt Bibb.
In 1820, Ash, Joel Chandler, John Cunningham, John Massey and George Shotwell were selected by Bibb to secure a Seat of Justice for the county. The first courts had taken place at the home of Alexander Brown near present-day Ashville in Old Town, or “Cataula” in the Creek Language.
On Nov. 28, 1822, St. Clairsville, which covered 30 acres and was in the center of St. Clair County, was incorporated. In less than a month, on Dec. 12, the town was chosen by the five commissioners as the county seat.
St. Clairsville was owned by Philip Coleman, a man who possessed great business skills. He and the commissioners had a model of the town built and began dividing it into lots and selecting locations for the county courthouse and jail.
After this process, Coleman and the commissioners agreed to rename the town Ashville, to honor their friend Judge John Ash.
The courts were moved to Ashville well in advance of the construction of the first courthouse, an 1824 wooden structure that stood on the site where Ashville Rexall Drug was located and is now home to Ashville Dental Care.
The new courthouse was built in 1844 by Littleton Yarbrough, and although renovated several times, part of the original 1844 structure still stands, encased in the modern building, making it the oldest working house of justice in the state of Alabama.
On Oct. 8, 1823, Ashville was purchased by the commissioners for $10,000. Judge Ash would continue to serve his community and county as state senator from 1825-1826, then 1832-1833 and 1844-1845.
Margaret died in 1855, aged 63, and was reunited with her husband on April 1, 1872, when he departed this life at the age of 89. They are both buried at Liberty Cemetery in Odenville and had a total of 13 children together.
Their original grave markers were donated to the City of Ashville by the John Scoggins family and are on public display at Ashville City Hall.
E.J. Robinson
When Henry DeBerry resigned as probate judge in 1871, Gov. Robert B. Lindsay appointed E.J. Robinson, a young Ashville attorney, to that office. In 1874 Judge Robinson was elected to a full, four-year term, and the voters kept him in office until 1886.
Elisha James Robinson
Elisha James Robinson was born on Sept. 16, 1846, to George and Mary Robinson, who had come to Alabama from Newberry District, S.C., in 1849. The family first lived in Elyton, but in 1857, they purchased a farm two-and-a-half miles away from Ashville.
When he was 17 years old, Robinson entered the Confederate Army. He joined Company E, 53rd Alabama Infantry Regiment in June of 1863, and at once was in the thick of battle at Big Shanty. On Dec. 13, 1864, the discharge of a torpedo caused him to lose his right foot. He was soon discharged and returned to his studies. He read law and passed the bar examination at the age of 22. He was only 25 when he became probate judge.
Judge Robinson was married three times – first to Susan Vandegrift, then to Lena Ligon, and the third time to Laura Weatherall. Two of his sons, Harold and Memory Leake Robinson, were Birmingham lawyers.
After his service as probate judge of St. Clair County, Judge Robinson moved to East Lake and sold his beautiful Victorian home, built in the 1880s, to James P. and Clara (Inzer) Montgomery, which would remain in the Montgomery family for many years until it was transformed into a bed and breakfast inn known as “Roses and Lace.”
It is now owned by the Nicholas Lemonds Family. Judge Robinson served as mayor of East Lake for a number of years and was active in promoting public schools there. Robinson Elementary School was named for him.
He is interred with his third wife at East Lake Cemetery.
James Lewis Herring
James Lewis Herring was born in St. Clair County on Sept. 7, 1876, to James P. Herring and Elizabeth Forman. After his father’s death of brain fever in 1878 at the age of 27, Elizabeth remarried and moved from Springville to Ashville.
Judge James Herring campaign pin
The young James would one day be a football player and graduate of the University of Alabama. He received his degree in law from Georgetown University.
In 1906, at the age of 29, James became the president of Ashville Savings Bank and would serve in that capacity for the remainder of his life. On Dec. 21, 1910, he married Esther Nunnally and the next year was elected probate judge. During his four-year term, Judge Herring championed for new and better roads in St. Clair County.
The Herrings moved to Gadsden in 1916 and there, the former judge would be engaged in real estate and civic activities. He was also a devout Mason.
Judge Herring passed away on Sept. 13, 1952, at his home and was interred at Forrest Cemetery. He would be reunited with his wife almost two years later, when Esther passed away at the age of 68 and was laid to rest beside him.
In 1884, Judge Herring’s uncle, Augustus B. Herring, transformed the family home in Springville into the Herring Hotel, which stood until it destroyed by a fire on Christmas Day in 1960.
Curtis D. Adkins Sr.
Curtis D. Adkins Sr. was born on Jan. 24, 1897, in Moody, attended high school in Leeds and returned from his World War I service in France to become St. Clair County tax collector at the age of 23, the youngest person to ever serve in that office.
Curtis D. Adkins
In 1928, he became St. Clair County probate judge and served as vice president and president of the Leeds State Bank for many years, as well as president of the Ashville Savings Bank. He was also a livestock dealer with large farming interests and served as post adjutant for the American Legion chapter in Ashville.
Death came suddenly and unexpectedly early in the morning on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 1956, and he was buried at Ashville City Cemetery. At the time of his death, he was director of the U.S. Savings Bond sales program for the state of Alabama.
Judge Adkins was married to the former Erin Westbrook, and their children were Joe, Curtis Jr., and Carolyn (Adkins) Spann. His grandson is the noted television meteorologist and author, James Spann.
Adkins’ portrait was donated by the Joe Adkins Family to the Ashville Museum & Archives. It was painted by Floyd Stewart, Bessemer, a painter and St. Clair native. l
It is no secret that St. Clair County is home to wide-ranging and stunning views. Look in just about any direction, and there it is. From a sunrise over lake Logan Martin or Neely Henry lakes to the tranquil setting of Springville’s quaint downtown to the rolling hills, mountains and sprawling pastures of the north, St. Clair is no stranger to picturesque places around the state.
It is a road less traveled, County Road 31 past the churches readying for revival and homecoming, where Anderson Farm comes into view, emerging as yet another picture-perfect destination.
After four generations and not one divorce in the lineage, Toni Anderson Clark and husband Randy, who represent that fourth generation living there decided it just might be the perfect venue to share with others to begin life anew on their wedding day.
Its history is deeply rooted in this soil. Originally, the property sat on 1,000 acres first purchased by William R. and Annie Elizabeth Anderson in 1905. Four generations later, the farm remains in the family, and breathtaking scenery is just a glance away.
From the white-washed front porch swing of the original homeplace with two rooms dating back to the Civil War, one can see for what seems like forever. The rolling green hills of spring rise up to meet a clear blue country sky.
The Clarks utilize features of farm for events. The barn doubles as reception area, complete with pulldown bar or serving area.
Just a few hundred feet from the porch lies an idyllic orchard with fig, pecan, walnut, pear and peach trees that, when in bloom, smell so sweet they bring back lingering memories of another time. Perhaps it was bittersweet – a time when life was slower and simpler, yes, but also peppered with memories of war and loss.
Turkeys and other wildlife run freely through the wide-open fields on the property, which all remain untouched by modern development. Through four generations, there have been many Anderson family members born on the property, including now 93-year-old Ray Anderson.
Anderson is a veteran of the Korean War, having served in the U.S. Navy from 1949-1953, two tours in Korea and being honorably discharged as yeoman second class. Ray is now the only surviving son of the farm’s second generation, patriarch Paden and Cammie Anderson. Ray also had two brothers, Floyd and Jesse, both of whom also served in the Navy during World War II and honorably discharged as yeoman first class. Anderson’s two uncles, Henry and Carl Anderson, to served in World War I.
From left, Dorothy and Ray Anderson, Toni and Randy Clark
“We come from a long line of military service,” Anderson said. “There have been family members that lived here and also proudly served our country from World War I through the Korean War.”
After the war, Anderson packed up his things and used his GI Bill to attend Jacksonville State University, where he studied business administration. It is also where he was introduced by a friend to his now beautiful bride of 64 years, Dorothy Leininger, known to many as “Dot.” The two were married in 1958, shortly after she graduated with her degree in medical technology. At first, she did not let herself be pursued romantically by the young seaman because she was there to study.
“At first, he was just an acquaintance, someone I’d see around campus, and we were friendly,” Anderson recalled. “But I was there to study and graduate first, so I saw to it that I did that before becoming an item with Ray.”
The two settled into married life in Atlanta and had two daughters, Toni Clark and Debbie Williamson. Toni and her husband, Randy, are now the fourth generation to live and work on Anderson Farm.
Ray playfully noted that there has yet to be a divorce in the Anderson family. Dot agrees saying the secret to 64 years of marriage is not luck or money, but hard work – plain and simple. “You just have to put in the work every single day and if you do, well, I think you’ll be just fine.”
Anderson Farm that first gave the Clarks – Toni and husband Randy – the idea in 2014 to transform parts of the farm into a special wedding venue with a breathtaking, million-dollar view of the rolling hills of Ashville.
Since then, a dozen more weddings have taken place at Anderson Farm, homeplace to four generations of Andersons since 1905, including Toni. The Clarks left their corporate jobs in North Carolina behind and moved to the historic family farm back home in Alabama. Today, they care for it fulltime, tend to wedding duties and family members.
“We first started this because we wanted to share the farm’s beauty with others,” Clark said.
Planning a wedding is no easy feat and is often stressful and time-consuming on couples. They make it simple. Anderson Farm offers a wide variety of amenities with one base price of $1,000, which includes the use of the property for up to 100 guests for both rehearsal and wedding dates.
Seating for up to 100 guests is provided, along with several tables handcrafted from the original wood from one of the barns on the property. A bride may choose to use the beautiful, oversized doors for her grand entrance, along with other signage, or the Clarks do allow couples to bring their own decorations and accessories, including signage and seating.
Catering is not included in the package price, but it is set up for easy access. Beer and wine may also be served on the premises, but there must be a person designated to chaperone those who choose to indulge.
A newly renovated bridal suite complete with ample electrical outlets, mirrors and salon seating is also provided for the bridal party for both rehearsal and wedding dates. Adjacent to the bridal suite is also a newly renovated holding room completely decorated with years of mementos and pieces of family history on the farm.
A private bathroom is also available for use by the bridal party, while guests use the outdoor facilities. Under the bridal suite is a partially covered area, perfect for a DJ or band to set up if the couple wishes. Randy is also a wedding officiant. If the couple chooses, he can conduct the ceremony for a nominal fee.
“I tell the brides that come through here that it is all about you and your future husband,” Clark said. “We take care of the majority of the details so that the day can be all about them, surrounded in love.”
During their time in quarantine for the COVID-19 pandemic, the Clarks also used the newly found free time to do some renovating of the original barn on the property. They took out the old hay loft to give way to high ceilings, and they added wedding accents such as new lighting.
The original dirt floor remains today. If inclement weather approaches, the Clarks can quickly move everything from outside to inside the barn as an alternative, or the couple can choose the barn for their wedding, rehearsal or reception area.
“We feel so honored to be a part of a newlywed couple’s journey,” Clark said. “There has been so much love and life here, and we like to think we give some of it to the people who marry here.”
Story by Elaine Hobson Miller Photos by Meghan Frondorf
Outdoor weddings, full meals instead of receptions and the Bohemian look are gaining popularity among today’s brides. So are body waxing, boudoir books, naked cakes and walking down the aisle to music other than the traditional, “Wedding March.” One of the biggest surprises, however, is how the COVID-19 pandemic may have worked in their favor.
“For thepast two years, brides went through postponements and reschedulings, but the benefit from this is that they saved more money up and so have had more to spend on their weddings,” says Amanda Robbins of AMR Bridal & Events. “Now they can afford add-ons like a vintage car for the getaway, a DJ or more lavish tablescapes at the reception.”
AMR was part of the second annual Bridal Show at Springville’s Woodall Building in March. Twenty-one vendors participated, from planners like Robbins to florists and caterers, singers, photographers and travel agents.
“It’s important to hire a planner because of the amount of stress it takes off the bride and her family,” says Robbins, who is in partnership with her husband, Jordan. “There are lots of planners out there. The goal is to find one who sees your vision best and that you can connect with.”
Most planners have packages that fit a wedding couple’s budget and needs, because one size doesn’t fit all. “I meet them where they are in their planning and lead and guide them from there,” says Robbins.
Some people want it all handled for them, while others just want “day of event” planning, according to Dee Wilson of Oh La La in Trussville. “In this area (St. Clair County), wedding budgets usually run from $5,000 to $20,000,” Wilson says. “Brides will allot so much to catering, photography, flowers, etc. I like to see them take that $20,000 they’ve budgeted, use $8,000-$10,000 for the wedding and the rest to pay off a student loan or to put down on a house.”
For the past 5-10 years, brides have been serving full meals more than the simple cake-and-mint receptions. Wilson says it’s cheaper to do a meal than hors d’oeuvres because the latter can mean a lot of pieces per person — usually about seven. “Alcohol is huge now,” she says. “Girls want more of a party, and when you offer free alcohol for four hours, people will party!”
Before the big day
Pre-wedding skincare and skincare parties are trendy with today’s brides, too.
Firming creams to lift faces and tighten thighs can be used in the comfort of one’s own home, says Katelyn Lear, who partners with Pure Romance, a company that specializes in women’s wellness. Lear sells bath and body products, lacy negligees and intimate products.
“One of our skin-firming creams works in 24-48 hours and one in two hours,” she says. “Lots of people are still using self-tanners, which are safer than tanning beds. If you don’t like the results, it (the tan) will fade in 72 hours. We also host bachelorette and lingerie parties.”
Springville’s Beauty Society specializes in clinical-grade skincare. Usage should start at least two-three months before the wedding, according to Ceil McDanal. “Our products are designed for skin repair, not just a quick fix,” she says. “Every person would have a different regimen, depending on their skin type.”
Nadia Johnson says another trend is body waxing for brides-to-be. “With waxing, you don’t have to worry about any body hair throughout the wedding or honeymoon,” she says. “It lasts three to four weeks.” Gaining popularity is the waxing party, where the bride and bridesmaids get together over drinks and have a portion of their bodies waxed. Some choose brows and facial hair, others their necks, legs, underarms or the Brazilian (bikini) wax. “Underarms and legs are really popular during the summer,” says Johnson, an esthetician at Isabella Anya Body Waxing Studioin Springville.
Glow Getters of Trussville also handles spray tans for a bride’s wedding day, bachelorette trips and the honeymoon. The company helps brides host bridal spray-tan parties, too. “People pay individually, and when four or more people buy a spray tan, the bride-to-be gets hers for free,” says owner Ashley Ritch.
Tabitha Austin of Steele is a hairstylist who does hair and makeup for weddings under the name of Beauty by Tab. She says today’s trend is toward a natural, glowy look for the bridal party’s makeup, along with thicker eyebrows. “I use a gel for the brows, because it’s a little easier than powder,” Austin says. As for hair trends, she says the Boho (Bohemian) look is in for brides and bridesmaids, where their hair is part up, part down and has lot of braids.
If a bride and her family don’t want to address dozens of invitations, they can hire Mrs. Scribbles Calligraphy. Kim Kimbrough uses calligraphy, a decorative form of handwriting, to address invitations to weddings, parties and bridesmaids’ luncheons, save-the-date notices and table cards. “I started doing calligraphy in high school and used it to address my own wedding invitations 30 years ago,” Kimbrough says. While the style is more popular now than then, today’s bride usually prefers a more modern script to the Old English font of yore.
Capturing the memories
When a bride is ready to line up a photographer to capture those precious wedding moments, the trend is to record and preserve everything from the proposal to the honeymoon, although not necessarily in that order.
Photography captures special moments
“Lots of brides are looking for highlight trailers, which are photos or scenes that aren’t in chronological order,” says Crystal Gray of Gray Manor Creatives of Birmingham. “We might feature the reception first, then the vows, everything out of order,” she says. Her setup includes drones and creative angles that allow couples the chance “to experience their wedding day in a true, unexpected, cinematic way.”
One of the extensions to the basic bridal photo package is the bridal boudoir book. It contains more intimate photos of the bride for the husband. “We have an app available where they can download the photos and send them directly to him, or we’ll print a hardback photo album that she can give him as a wedding gift to be opened after the wedding, like when he’s getting dressed,” Gray explains.
Boudoir books aren’t something Soulgrown Photography’s Mandy Smith and Kimberly Gaddis wanted to get into. “But people started asking for them. They are very popular,” says Smith. Today’s bride wants “full-day coverage, not just the wedding and reception,” she says. “People are spending more on photography because they want more.”
Modern bridal parties want most of the formal photos done before the wedding so they can enjoy friends and family at the reception. “No more receiving lines,” Smith says. She and Gaddis strongly suggest an “unplugged” ceremony so the cellphones of friends and family taking photos don’t interfere with the professional efforts.
Makenzie Neely, the photographer behind Neely Creative, ofSteele, says it’s trendy to have adventure elopements where the bridal couple escapes to the mountains or seashore by themselves or with close family. “They’ll pick a destination local or away and ask us to photograph the event,” she says. “The farthest we’ve been is Crested Butte, Colo. It was for a Springville couple, and the wildflowers there were beautiful.”
Neely offers hardcover books and print albums, but most couples just print what they like and save the rest on their computer. “I give the pictures to them digitally,” she says. “Most of my galleries are 800-1,000 pics for an eight-hour day.” Some people still do film, but it’s an unnecessary added expense, she says.
The music
When it comes time to select the music for their special day, modern brides don’t always walk down the aisle to the traditional “Wedding March” by Felix Mendelssohn. Often, it’s to “Canon in D” by Johann Pachelbel or Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Jesu Joy of Man’s Desiring.” Just as often it’s to a particular piece of music that is special to the bride and bridegroom, according to three area music providers.
“One couple wanted music by a South Korean pianist named Yiruma, particularly, ‘Kiss the Rain,’” says Kara Lancaster of Kara Pure Music Studio. “Some of his songs sound like raindrops falling.” They also wanted a jazz version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” during the ceremony. Lancaster, a pianist and vocalist, says wedding parties are walking out to more upbeat songs after the ceremony, too, such as Etta James’ “At Last.”
Rita Allen, who provides vocals over soundtracks for weddings and receptions, says selecting the music usually is a joint effort between the bride and the bridegroom. “A lot of them blend the traditional with the modern,” she says.
Allen, who can sing anything from opera to bluegrass in English, French or Italian, bought the old Murray’s Chapel Church of God building on U.S. Highway 11 in Springville and renamed it Allen Hall. It is now a concert hall, music teaching studio, tea room and event venue.
Lee Jeffrey, a Springville disc jockey who goes by DJ Lee L, sees a trend toward fall weddings. “Summer used to be more popular, but the weather is so blazing hot in summer,” he says. He, too, tailors the music he plays to fit the bride’s wishes, and sees more people foregoing the “Wedding March” in favor of pieces like “Canon in D.”
“They just got tired of the ‘Wedding March,’ I guess,” he says.
The flowers
Flower arrangements are featuring blushes and creams or simply ivory and greenery, with a touch of blue and maybe a dash of something whimsical, according to two area floral designers.
“A touch of whimsy, like pampas grass in arches and centerpieces, is popular these days,” says Hannah Steele of Steele Magnolias in Springville. “Peonies and dahlias are our biggest sellers. However, dahlias are for cooler weather because they wither in the heat.” Taylor, a home-based floral designer, says blue is a popular color used in many weddings now, such as white anemones with blue centers. “Tulips are suddenly being requested, too,” she says.
Simply Sage Florals, inthe Moody-Trussville area, arranges a lot of ivory and greenery at weddings, according to co-owner Tina Locke. “We use a lot of delphiniums with ivory garden roses, for example,” Locke says. “We’ll use them in the bridal bouquet, all the bridal party arrangements and the tables at the reception.” As an alternative to flowers, cylindrical candles and votives are cost-effective and popular. “Some venues won’t allow candles, so we’ll use battery-powered ones,” Locke says. “We might use bridesmaid bouquets as centerpieces on individual tables.”
The menu
Catering is essential.
Five to 10 years ago brides wanted finger foods at their receptions. Today, the biggest food trend is the taco-and-fajita bar, according to Sonya Bates of Our Family to Yours Catering and Events in Springville. “Another trend is stations,” she says. “They might have a ‘mashed-tini’ bar consisting of mashed potatoes in martini glasses with toppings, a macaroni-and-cheese station and a carving station.” Barbecue is always a safe bet at receptions, along with smoked ham, pork, brisket or ribeye at carving stations. Buffets are popular, too. Her brother and partner, Richard Harper, handles the meat side of the business. “Banana and blueberry shooters are popular desserts, usually at the bridegroom’s table,” she says.
Morgan Yundof The Flying Biscuit Cafein Birmingham says people are scheduling more daytime weddings, even as early as 9 a.m. “Then they’re going into brunch afterward,” she says. “Venues tend to be cheaper during the day.” She says weekdays are becoming popular and so are outdoor weddings. “People are getting creative because of their budgets,” she says. She and her husband, Greg, specialize in breakfast and lunch and are known for their biscuits and grits. “Lunch can be shrimp and grits or chicken and waffles, and they can be for breakfast and bridal teas, too.”
What’s for dessert?
What would a wedding reception be without a cake? It might just feature shaped cookies with messages or naked cakes, because both are gaining in popularity among brides and bridegrooms who don’t like a lot of gooey frosting.
“One woman did cookies instead of a cake at her reception because she didn’t like the traditional wedding cake,” says Michelle Green,owner of Sweet Pea’s Cookie Creations in Springville. She makes shaped cookies and decorates them with figures or messages. The latter are popular for teas, showers and receptions and are sometimes used as favors at wedding dinners. She once made boxes of cookies that said, “Will you be my bridesmaid?”
As for that “naked cake,” it has some icing, but most of it is on top, and there is far less decorating involved, according to Anissia Howard, owner of A Piece of Cake in Odenville. “It’s still a traditional three-tiered wedding cake with almond flavoring, though,” she says.
When her own daughter got married last December, mom made a three-tiered cake with whipped-cream icing and decorated it with greenery because daughter doesn’t like sweets. “More brides are ordering cupcakes instead of tiered cakes, and the groom’s side wants cookie and brownie trays instead of a groom’s cake,” she says.
The honeymoon
After they’re stuffed with dinner and cake and drive away in their rented stretch limousine, most brides want to fly off to Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Costa Rica or Saint Lucia, according to two area travel agencies. They much prefer all-inclusive resorts to cruises and adventures.
“Most people have an idea of where they want to go,” says Ashley Ritch of Ritch Travels in Trussville. “Usually the bride selects the destination, and they’ll choose a resort over a cruise. Resorts are letting up on their COVID vaccination restrictions, but cruise ships still require vaccinations.”
Kathy Richards, of Ash Travel in Springville, says all-inclusive packages are the most popular for honeymooners. “All-inclusive means room, food, beverages and tips, and when I book, I include airfare and transfers to and from the hotel. I can book excursions, too.”
Honeymooners don’t go sight-seeing per se, but they do like ziplines, snorkeling, rafting or riding a dune buggy around an island. “People don’t book cruises much because they’re too crowded, and there’s not much privacy for a honeymoon, whereas resorts have nooks and crannies for privacy,” she says.
A big trend at these island resorts is toward the oceanfront, on-the-beach suite where you can swim right up to your room’s door or step out onto the balcony and into a pool. “Suites that have butlers and private pools for just your room are popular, because honeymooners want lots of room service, especially at breakfast,” Richards says. “They stay up late drinking and don’t want to get up early.”
The Ring
Central to the wedding ceremony is the ring, and there are plenty of new options to go along with the more traditional.
Gaining popularity because of its beauty and its price are Lab Grown diamonds, according to Michael Abernathy, vice president of sales and marketing at Griffins Jewelers. They are identical to earth-mined diamonds in every way, except that they are grown in a laboratory above ground.
They have the same chemical, physical and optical properties as mined diamonds and exhibit the same fire, scintillation and sparkle, he said.
“We offer lab-grown diamonds as an alternative choice for our customers. All lab-grown diamonds we sell are laser inscribed ‘LAB GROWN’ on the girdle,” he noted.
Griffins offers both mined and lab-grown diamonds. “We want our customers to know about all options available and to choose what is best for their budget and desires,” Abernathy said. “Lab-grown diamonds allow our customers the opportunity to choose a high-quality diamond at a much lower price point.”
For the groom, some are returning to white and yellow gold traditions, but alternative metals are still extremely popular. A new trend is Tantalum, a rare earth metal that is used in rocket engines, missile guidance systems, electronics and medical implants.
It has a cool dark gray modern color and is listed on the periodic table as Ta. It can be plain or have a textured design.
“These rings are extremely durable, hypoallergenic and will never corrode or tarnish,” Abernathy said. “We can create any style of jewelry you desire. Every piece of jewelry has a story. We want your story to begin with us.”
