Jackson County Outstanding Farm Family for 2025
Wendell Williams Family – 2025 Jackson County Outstanding Farm Family
At least four generations of the Williams family have farmed in Jackson County. The Williams are a long line of hard-working people who provided for their families, respected the land under their care, and loved growing crops and livestock, so much so, that they sacrificed their own leisure time to carry on the family arming tradition.
Will Williams, Wendell’s grandfather, had a diversified farm raising crops with and a variety of livestock that included chickens. They lived in the Allison Community along Fort Road or what is now Highway 69, in the Northeastern part of the county. Will, like most farmers of his generation, had a large family and limited cash income, so bartering was a common practice. It was quite common for him and other families in the area to send their kids to the local stores with fresh eggs and farm products to trade for sugar or other goods. Legend has it, that bartering was so common in Allison that the community, it was later renamed Two Egg, as patrons would barter farm products at Lawrence Grocery or Pittman Store.
John N. Williams, Wendell’s father, followed in the tradition of his father Will, farming crops with mule powered implements, which included corn to feed hogs and of course the mules. He also drove a school bus to help make ends meet while holding a full-time position working nights at Florida State Hospital, in Chattahoochee. John and Alzadia had nine kids, three boys and six girls who all grew up doing chores and helping on the farm. After graduating high school, the daughters gradually left the farm, each setting out to continue their education and start families. The three boys: Nathaniel, Wendell, and Michael helped their father John on the farm. They got their first tractor, a Ford 8N, in the early 60s. Wendell went to Chipola and became a certified auto mechanic and eventually opened a car repair shop in Gordon, Alabama. Michael joined the Marines, but Nathaniel and Wendell continued to help their father on the farm until John was ready to retire.
In 1980, Nathaniel and Wendell each started farming on their own, with help from their father at key times of the season. Wendell worked to grow his farming operation to 700 acres, primarily on rented land, growing peanuts, corn, or a double crop of wheat and soybeans. In addition, he gradually built a swine operation that peaked at 200 sows. Hog farming was a major part of numerous farms in Jackson County until the vertically integrated corporate farms slowly eliminated local markets. Wendell sold his last 40 hogs for 4ȼ/lb. in the late 1980s.
Wendell loved farming just like his father. He loved it so much, like his father, he found a full-time job that would allow him to keep farming even in tough times. For 35 years, Wendell worked on the 11 PM-7 AM nightshift at Florida State Hospital, in Chattahoochee. He worked all night and farmed until 5 PM, took a shower, ate dinner with his family, slept three hours, and drove back to Chattahoochee to work either 7 days on and 2 days off, or 9 days on and 4 days off. Wendell was not the only one who worked hard in the family though. Wendell and his wife Betty were married for 27 years before her passing. She raised three daughters – Twanna, Katrinia, and Nakia, managed the household and all of the pageants, cheer practices, and extracurricular activities, plus Betty owned and managed the Koffee Pot Restaurant, in Greenwood. This hard-working couple made sure that all three girls graduated first from high school, and then college at Florida State University.
In 1989, Wendell bought a gleaner combine to harvest corn, soybeans, and wheat. To help cover the cost of the machine, he started offering a custom harvest service to other farms in the area, but he never quit his night job, because farming in the late 80s was so hard, much like the last few years have been. In the late 80s, Wendell also started a commercial beef cow herd to replace the diversity of income he had lost from his hog herd.
At age 75, Wendell has no plans for retirement. He has slowed down some, farming about half the acres he once did. He still grows peanuts and manages his cow herd, which includes growing enough corn and hay to feed his cattle through the winter. He offers some sage advice from someone who has farmed his entire life. “You can’t buy everything you want. Only buy what you absolutely need. Instead, take care of what you have, and you won’t need something new.” Wendell’s newest tractor is a 1990 model, and he has no plans to replace it, because he knows how to fix it when a repair is needed. Most recently, Wendell is now helping his daughters with their new farming endeavor.
Twanna Nelson is The Deputy Director of Programs and Strategies for the Georgia Health Policy Center, at Georgia State University. Katrinia Williams Patrick is the Program Coordinator for the Florida Center for Public Management, at FSU. Nakia Williams is the kindergarten through second grade Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teacher, at Malone School. So, they are not only college graduates, but Wendell and Betty’s girls have made their own marks on the world and have done well!
In 2021, this 4th generation started an agritourism event center called, “The Farms at Two Egg.” Katrinia visited an agritourism operation in Valdosta Georgia to get ideas for what she wanted to create. What started with the idea of, “We need a better place for our family gatherings,” became a much larger vision that included the needs of their local community. Most farms erect barns to store hay and equipment, but these ladies created a special place with the warm farm feel for families and the community to gather for special celebrations such as weddings, family reunions, horse trail rides, and special parties. They created a venue where 200 people can gather at an affordable price. They held their first wedding in September of 2021. Not only are they using the venue for private functions but have been using the barn and property for community events like easter egg hunts, family movie nights, trunk-or-treat at Halloween, and Christmas tree lightings. Plus, the whole Williams family can all gather every Thanksgiving and other specials days at this wonderful venue.
The Outstanding Farm Family Award is sponsored by the Jackson County Farm Bureau.