Loving the outdoors
On the Hemmer farm, gorgeous gardens and abundant animals coexist in a family setting.
Forget diamonds and pearls. When John Hemmer wanted to give his wife, Jane, an anniversary gift, he presented her with a small herd of Belted Galloway cattle. "I had seen these cows and thought they were the most exquisite animals," remembers Jane.
The Hemmers sell some "Beltie" young stock, but the heritage breed is just fun to have around, says Jane. "They are so docile -- just sweethearts -- and we love looking at them," she says.
It's all fun
Almost everything on this 400-acre property in Hall County, Georgia, about 60 miles northeast of Atlanta, is fun to look at and enjoy - from the gardens, to the pool and ponds, to the various animals. The farm has been in Jane's family since the early 1800s. Jane and John acquired the property in the late 1970s. When they were about to break ground for their house, the Georgia Department of Transportation announced plans for an interstate extension to cut through one edge of the property. Rather than watching as 22 acres of timber were destroyed, the couple enlisted a local sawmill to transform the trees into lumber for their home.
Jane's brother, an architect, designed the home to complement the farm's woodlands and gently rolling pastures and to accommodate as many as 150 dinner guests. "We love to entertain," says Jane, who is a former state senator and is active in many civic organizations.
Outdoor playground
The home is surrounded by a beautifully manicured lawn. There is an heirloom garden in the front yard where Jane, a Master Gardener, has transplanted perennials from family members' gardens, including a butterfly bush from John's mother and hyacinths from her mother.
There are also plenty of outdoor living spaces as well, including a crystal blue, in-ground pool and several cozy outdoor dining areas. Further out from the house, near one of the farm's two ponds, there is a fire pit and picnic grounds where many summer gatherings are held.
The north fork of the Oconee River runs through the middle of the farm. "Our children and their school friends loved to wade in it when they were young. They could spend all day searching out crayfish and salamanders from hiding places under rocks," says Jane.
A nearby abandoned gold mine also provides entertainment. "On hot summer evenings, we've been known to take lawn chairs down and sift for gold in the river, but we haven't found any nuggets yet," reports Jane.
To enhance the existing natural woodlands, the Hemmers have planted approximately 100 acres in timber, including pine, crepe myrtle, oak, poplar, cedar, and the Sweetheart chestnut, a special cross between the American and Chinese chestnut.
More than 100 acres of the farm are pasture. John set up the fences so he can move the cattle throughout the summer. The Hemmers have 14 purebred Belted Galloway cows and a breeding bull. They also raise some calves for beef without steroids or hormones. "When we eat beef, that's what we eat," says Jane, who touts the breed's lean and tasty beef.
The Belties aren't the only pasture ornaments at the Hemmer place. Five Tennessee walking horses, which Jane refers to as "plantation walkers" because they aren't shod with fancy shoes or exhibited in the show ring, also reside there.
The livestock and pastures take a lot of work, especially when it comes to weed control. But John, an orthopedic surgeon, says riding a tractor is the perfect way to unwind after a busy day at the hospital or office. "I could Bush Hog all day long and just let the world go by," he says. "I love coming home and working on the farm."
Peacocks and ponds
Another lawn ornament on the property is a pair of peacocks, which wander freely around the grounds. "They love to be around you but just only so close," says Jane. "They are really pretty, and they are not aggressive. But you need a good dog to keep them away from the house or you might have an unpleasant surprise." Abner, the Hemmer's Great Dane, playfully chases the peacocks until they fly high up into the trees to roost.
There is a small pond near the house that's stocked with catfish, crappies, and blue gills or brim fish. A larger pond is about a third of a mile from the house, situated in the farm's bottomlands. The Hemmers named this 5-acre body of water St. John's Lake, after John's favorite fishing spot in Florida. A third pond was built in 2007.
Several years ago the Hemmers replaced their white swans that resided in the small pond with a pair of Australian black swans. "The black swan feathers don't show up on the surrounding lawn like the white features did," says Jane. Over the years, the Hemmers have had a few pairs of black swans, but they have yet to raise any cygnets into adulthood.
Swans leave people alone for the most part and are easy to have around. "The male might make you think he's going to come after you, but really, they are all just wing and fluff," says Jane. The swans can pretty much be left alone, too. "Mostly they graze on grass," John says. "I give them a little corn every day and occasionally some old lettuce." Other than feeding, the swans require little management.
Gus and other wildlife
The ponds and surrounding grounds attract wildlife, including Gus, an alligator who began sunning himself on an old dock on the large pond a few years ago. The Hemmers assume he wandered in after being released by a local resident that transported him from Florida as a pet. Wild boars, coots, deer, and blue Herons have also been spotted. "If you live in an area that is rapidly growing, the wildlife keeps getting squeezed in tighter spaces," Jane says. The local Department of Natural Resources has often called on the Hemmers to care for injured animals or young animals that have lost their mothers. Jane admits that releasing an animal back into the wild is not easy.
"When something comes to live with us, it generally has a home for life," she says wistfully. And what a beautiful home it is.
