Farming & Agriculture in Calhoun County
Long before the Chief Ladiga Trail, agriculture shaped life in what is now Calhoun County and the Piedmont area. From early cotton and corn fields to today’s diversified farms and nurseries, farming remains a core part of the local story.
From Cotton Fields to Diversified Farms
In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, this part of Alabama was dominated by row‑crop agriculture. Cotton and corn fields covered the valley bottoms and hillsides, supported by grist mills and small rail depots that moved crops to market.
Over time, changes in markets, soil conservation, and technology pushed local farmers toward a more diversified mix of enterprises—cattle, poultry, hay, timber, specialty crops and nursery plants.
Today, Calhoun County farmers produce a blend of traditional row crops, livestock and specialty products. Operations range from multi‑generation family farms to small homesteads serving local markets and agritourism.
Farming Around Piedmont
Piedmont sits in the hill country at the foot of the Appalachians, where small valleys and creek bottoms have long supported family farms, timber and pasture. Generations of farmers have raised cotton and corn here, then diversified into cattle, poultry, produce, pumpkins and nursery crops.
Many of the farms represented at the Chief Ladiga Farmers Market—such as Nances Creek Farms, Rocky Hollow Patch and Garrett’s Farm & Nursery—carry this legacy forward through seasonal crops, agritourism events and greenhouse production.
Agriculture & Community Life
Agriculture has always been about more than economics. Farm families in Calhoun County have shaped churches, schools, civic groups and local traditions—from fall harvest festivals to youth livestock shows and FFA programs.
The Chief Ladiga Farmers Market offers a new gathering place where these agricultural roots connect with downtown life, the Chief Ladiga Trail and the growing outdoor recreation culture in and around Piedmont.