From 4,000 Hogs to Coveys of Quail
Dear Friends of Hollywood Farms, One of the most popular stories I ever heard our father tell was about the Hog Pen. During World War II, Macon, Georgia became home to tens of thousands of soldiers training at Camp Wheeler before shipping overseas. At its height, the camp housed nearly 20,000 men, and every one of them […]
From Bulldozers to Bird Dogs: The Story of Well Oak
Dear Friends of Hollywood Farms, When my sisters and I decided to take Hollywood Farms and offer our resources to the public, we adopted a saying you will find at the bottom of almost every page on our website: Shaping responsibly our next 100 years. I’ve been around for 68 of the last 100, and […]
From Cropland to Coveys: The Story of Bel Aire
Dear Friends of Hollywood Farms, Hollywood Farms was originally named “Hollywood Plantation” in 1838 by the first land grant recipient, John Chapman. He chose the name because of the American holly trees that still cover nearly a quarter of the property. At that time, the land was all timber. Chapman turned it into a working farm, growing tobacco, cotton, peanuts, […]
A Winter Well Spent in the Quail Woods
Dear Friends of Hollywood Farms, Our last letter went out in December, and somehow three full months slipped by. That was not the plan, but it turns out a busy farm has a way of keeping a man occupied. Christmas and New Year were spent the right way, with family and friends gathered at the house. […]
No Crowds… Just Cotton, Good Company and God’s Creation
Dear Friends of Hollywood Farms, At Hollywood Farms, we specialize in hunting and other events that are totally private. Whether it’s a family weekend, a corporate gathering, or a wingshooting event, your group is the only group on site. No crowds. No strangers. Just the people you came with. Walkin’ in High Cotton The cotton crop was really good this […]
Firelight, Fellowship & Fine Dog Work: Fall at Hollywood Farms
Dear Friends of Hollywood Farms, I’m writing this on the first truly cold and rainy day of fall. After six weeks without a drop, today’s showers feel like a gift – and they’ve got me craving a fire, a bourbon, and the kind of laughter that fills the air at Hollywood Farms after a great hunt. There’s […]
Fall at Hollywood Farms: Friends, First Hunts & Fields in Bloom
Dear Friends of Hollywood Farms, Fall is, without a doubt, our favorite season at Hollywood Farms. The summer heat begins to soften, the leaves start their slow golden fade, and the work we’ve done in the fields all year long begins to show in vibrant color. Dove season is in full swing, and football season brings […]
The Joy on His Face Said It All — September at Hollywood Farms
Dear Friends of Hollywood Farms, Sitting here in the pavilion writing this newsletter and marveling at the coming fall beauty, I am amazed at how well this hunting season has started. I haven’t been this excited about bird season since I was a kid. The whole Hollywood Farms family is energized as we launch into fall […]
What do you imagine a Classic Ole South hunt to be like?
Dear Friends of Hollywood Farms, One of the things I love most about what we do at Hollywood Farms is the people. They come from all over the world to hunt with us—South Africa, Italy, Spain, Mexico, and over 20 states by my count. And that’s just in the first three years of being open to guests outside the family. So […]
Fast, Slow, Beautiful, and Exciting — Life at Hollywood Farms
Dear Friends of Hollywood Farms, May and June have been full-throttle months at Hollywood Farms. Lots of mowing, plowing, clearing, cleaning, planting, and habitat work. The kind of effort that shapes the season to come. And if you’re wondering what it all adds up to—it’s a whole lot of fast, slow, beautiful, and exciting. Some things happen fast. The sunflowers were planted in […]