By Maggie Gaddy 

Laughter fills the valley beneath Appalachian foothills as children weave between rows of red strawberries at Nances Creek Farms. There, Joseph Dothard cultivates his passion for agriculture and appreciation for family history.  

“We are so thankful to steward the farm my family settled in the 1800s,” said Dothard, a Calhoun County Young Farmer. “God had to bring me to my knees for me to see that I wasn’t in control. He led me to this life. I look at this century-old farm and strive to protect it for future generations.” 

Along with strawberries, pumpkins and summer produce, Dothard and wife Sabrina are raising the next crop of farmers. Their three children, Libby, Lorelei and JT, are the seventh generation of Dothards to grow up in the Nances Creek community near Jacksonville. The original Joseph Dothard immigrated to Alabama from Ireland in 1880.

“My perspective changed after we had children,” Dothard said. “I grew up thinking farming wasn’t for me. I was working a job off the farm for almost a decade in occupational safety. Once having kids, I realized this is where I needed to be.” 

Today, Dothard also works at Greenway Plants, a nearby nursery owned by Alabama Farmers Federation Central Area Vice President Jon Hegeman. 

“That ties in perfectly with what we’re doing at the farm,” Dothard said. “It goes hand in hand growing strawberries. Working at Greenway allows me to be full-on ag. Jon encouraged me to get involved with the Federation and Alabama Fruit & Vegetable Growers Association. That’s been instrumental for us.” 

The Dothards’ love story began at Jacksonville State University (JSU). After they married, Sabrina taught school for seven years before turning her attention full-time to her most important pupils — their children.

“It’s amazing to see Sabrina use her talents and degrees to teach our own children,” Dothard said. “Our kids are the driver of why we do it all. We believe in being together and planting the seeds.”

While the Dothards also raise cattle and sheep, Nances Creek Farms is rooted in specialty crops.

“When I grew up, it was mostly cattle,” Dothard said. “I wanted to go back to the roots. This farm once produced fruits and vegetables. I wanted to follow in those footsteps and bring tradition back.” 

The Dothards launched their U-pick strawberry farm in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That timing was impeccable,” Dothard said. “People wanted to get out and be outside with family. Our farm offered that. It took off from the beginning.” 

The farm is structured into seasons — strawberries in spring; cut-flowers, sweet corn and okra in summer; and pumpkins in fall. The family also participates in the Piedmont Strawberry Festival.

Proximity to JSU and the Talladega Superspeedway created demand for an on-farm Airbnb. The 94-year-old rock house overlooks pastures and produce.

“This model allows us to always have people coming out to the farm,” Dothard said. “Agritourism is our market. There is something different about putting your hands on the plant and seeing how it was produced. Our town loves that.”

The Dothards’ neighbor, Gail Pollard, said picking strawberries at Nances Creek Farms brings back memories of growing up on her family’s farm.

“It’s worth the time coming out here to see the beauty of this land and taste the difference in these berries,” Pollard said. “This is the life of the country. It’s what we were built on. We need more farmers. We need to get back to the basics of why America was founded.” 

A successful strawberry season this year followed a difficult 2025 when the nation faced issues with the Neo-P disease in some strawberry plants, Dothard added. 

“We made the hard decision to not open for strawberry season last year,” Dothard said. “It was heartbreaking telling the community we were closed. But that’s part of farming. You face obstacles and figure out how to overcome them. We came back stronger.” 

Today, the bountiful berries are proof of the family’s resilience, faith and commitment to preserving the farm.

“I want to leave a good legacy,” Dothard said. “I am thankful the Lord put us where we are. He has worked and built a paradise here.”