blog-special

Forestry + Family

Posted on September 9, 2024 8:34 AM

It’s pretty impossible to listen to a Brantley Gilbert song and not know what he stands for. This award-winning singer/songwriter captures the essence of life in the South with every lyric he pens. At the foundation of his music — and his life — are two Fs: faith and family.

But there’s another F that sure does mean a lot to the Jefferson, Georgia, native. Gilbert has found a passion in forestry. And his favorite place to be is the 375-acre property called Braybear, which he owns in northeast Georgia.

“I looked for 15 years to find the right farm. And when I found this one, I knew it was the one. I knew we were going to hold onto it for a long time,” Gilbert said. 

Even though Gilbert grew up working on farms, 375 acres of forests, fish ponds, foot plots and fields can be a lot to take on. 

“I wanted to get away from the earlier chapters of my life where I thought I knew everything, and just admit I didn’t,” Gilbert said with a laugh.

And so when he reached out to his longtime friend James “JT” Johnson, director of the continuing education program at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia, you could say a fourth F came into the picture: friendship.

“We grew up together from a really young age, and our parents grew up together as well. We lost touch for a while after school, but we reconnected a few years ago when he bought his new farm nearby,” Johnson said.

Gilbert was looking for experts at UGA to speak with about Braybear, and he came across his friend’s name.

“I called him up and said, ‘Hey, I just bought this farm over here and I’d love for you to come take a look.’ He came out the next day and he’s been out here about every day since,” Gilbert said.

Johnson, with the aid of other contacts and colleagues at UGA, has helped Gilbert transform the Jackson County farm into a sustainable area of wildlife management.

“One of the things we talk about when we think about networking is, most educated people are not afraid to reach out to other educated people,” said the 39-year-old Gilbert. “So, if JT doesn’t know the answer, he can access the network that’s there at UGA or through the contacts he’s made through the years doing what he does for a living. 

“You know, I have to remember that I know a little bit. I’ve learned some things through the years. I love learning from JT, but I write songs for a living. So, when it comes to what we want to do with this farm, I have to default to somebody who’s got a doctorate in that and has the skillset to make it better.”

In fact, Johnson does have a doctoral degree in Wildlife Ecology and Management from UGA. The vision that he and Gilbert share for the farm started by taking soil samples and making plans to keep the land and its animal inhabitants healthy for years to come.

“Fortunately, we weren’t starting with a blank slate. The previous owner did some work. We started with establishing food plots and identifying where to do wildlife plantings. Our immediate goal is to bring down the canopy cover by thinning the trees so that sunlight reaches the forest floor, allowing healthy ground cover to grow. New ground cover means better food for the deer. Right now, all the green stuff is up high, and we want to get that back down to the ground,” Johnson said.

The ultimate goal for Braybear is to raise the nutritional plane and create a space for the “happiest, healthiest wildlife we can manage,” Johnson said. 

Not only is Gilbert being a good steward of the land through his management efforts, he’s creating a source of fun and learning for his two children.

“You don’t meet many kids who grow up on a farm that don’t understand work ethic,” Gilbert said. “My kids get out here and they turn into different kids. My son said the other day, ‘Daddy, I don’t need toys on the farm.’ Spending time with them out here, and JT bringing his girl out here too, it’s just an irreplaceable feeling.”

The fish pond especially has been a source of joy for their families.

“It’s been great for our kids, especially these rainbow trout. They’ve been a lot of fun. They come out the minute the line hits the water and you know something’s tugging on it,” Gilbert said.

After spending decades in the music industry, Gilbert’s used to being in the spotlight, and while he prefers to keep his family life private, he views the farm as something worth sharing with his local community.

“A lot of the UGA football players will come fish here. A lot of the local high school kids come fish here. It’s an awesome way to give back. I remember when I was college age and high school age, I wasn’t really dipping off to go fishing, you know? There’s a lot of worse things they could be doing,” he said.

In addition to a community space, Johnson brings his UGA classes to the farm for hands-on learning opportunities. Working with Jay Shelton, a fisheries expert and professor at UGA, they held a two-day course called “Farm Ponds and Food Plots.” Half the time was spent talking about sport fishing pond management and the other half discussing forestry and food plot management.

Because of the long-term goals for Braybear, there will be years of learning ahead. 

“This is an ongoing process. It’s not something we will finish in a year, because there’s no end in sight to what can be done to maintain the quality we are going for. At minimal, we’re on year two of a 10-year plan primarily geared toward wildlife management,” Johnson said. “Based on my input and what his goals are, the future of this land is mostly about hunting, recreation, fishing, being outdoors and in nature.”

Johnson said the work he puts into the farm is not a business transaction. It’s a friendship.

“While Brantley and I are working on this farm, we’re working on our own farm nearby as well. We’re tag-teaming both farms. It just makes sense. We grew up together, hunt together and now we’re managing these properties together,” Johnson said. “It’s been an adventure working out there with him and reconnecting. I’ve been teaching him about the land — but I’m still waiting on him to teach me how to sing and write songs.”