The Black Belt soils of south Perry County, Alabama are rich in nutrients and flush with history. The region gets its name from the fertile black soil that runs through the heart of west central Alabama.
The region was once a thriving agricultural center with tens of thousands of acres planted in King cotton. Later soybeans and other row crops replaced the cotton as the principle commodities grown in the Black Belt.
The soil is really thick and retains water very well, making the prairie a muddy mess during the wet season. A local man made a great statement about the soil, when he said, "If you will stick with this prairie soil during the summer, it will stick with you during the winter." This proverb has proven true as I still have some mud on my truck from January. 
Herds of beef cows dot the open pastures of cattle farms in this area. Highway 183 from Marion to Uniontown is lined with thousands of acres of open pastureland. The cows graze on the lush, green grass until time to be sold.
Every Wednesday cows, mules, and other animals are taken to the Alabama Livestock Auction in Uniontown to be sold to the highest bidder. The Stockyard Cafe is a good place to eat a hearty country meal during breaks in the auction.
The area was once home to numerous small dairy operations, and Southeastern Cheese Corporation in Uniontown still makes cheese in a facility that was built in 1932, to accomodate the milk from the scores of dairy farms that surrounded Uniontown.
Sometime around 1970, commercial aquaculture gained a foothold in these prairie soils. Now this region is the second-largest catfish producing region in the United States, behind the Mississippi Delta. Farmers grow millions of pounds of farm-raised catfish. The fish are captured in seine nets and taken to nearby processing plants in Greensboro, Uniontown, and Eutaw.
One of the best places to sample fresh catfish is at the Faunsdale Cafe every Thursday, when Stacy prepares catfish that were brought to her from the local processor the day before. The fresh fish served with homemade french fries, slaw and hush puppies is a real treat. If you're going to join Stacy for lunch, bring cash or check because she doesn't accept plastic.
The Black Belt of Alabama and particularly south Perry County is a great place to purchase rural land. If you are looking to buy rowcrop land, a working cattle farm, or a catfish farm please let me know how I can be helpful. Alabama has some of the best land prices in America and the lowest property taxes, so it makes sense to buy land in Perry County. Please contact me today for more information on some great properties in south Perry County.
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