Dye’s Crooked Farms donated to Auburn University

Auburn University has received a piece of “paradise,” thanks to a trust of late Head Football Coach Pat Dye.

Crooked Farms, a 415-acre homestead that belonged to Dye, was recently donated to Auburn’s College of Forestry, Wildlife, and Environment, through the Auburn University Real Estate Foundation. The property in Notasulga features Dye’s main house, a guest cabin, lodge, pavilion, gazebo, two barns, and a nursery office.

“We had been longtime supporters of Auburn University through our charitable trust and in hosting fundraising events, and the timing was right to have the estate settled to make the gift,” said Nancy McDonald, Dye’s partner for many years and a retired nursing educator at Auburn University in Montgomery. “We both knew we would donate the farm to the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment and seeing the work CFWE leaders have done since accepting the proposal, I could not be more confident that the land will be valued and held to the standard Pat and I always wanted to see.

“I feel his spirit in this, and I know what’s happening is something he would be proud of.”

Dye himself often commented on his love for the property.

“To me, living on this place is like living in paradise,” Dye said about Crooked Oaks in his 2014 book, “After the Arena.” “The good Lord created it and then I just put a few touches on it so I can enjoy it and appreciate it, because no one can paint a picture like Mother Nature.”

Dye began developing the property in 1998 and continued to improve it until his death in 2020.

Pat Dye Jr. said that his dad would be “thrilled” with the gifting of the property.

“Given everything that Auburn has done for dad and our family, he would be thrilled to know that Auburn will be great stewards of his beloved farm, hopefully for many generations,” he said.

The Real Estate Foundation is holding the gift from the Dye/McDonald Trust and McDonald on behalf of the university and the college. The college plans to continue its operations as an event venue, while expanding its use for student instruction and community outreach.

“This incredible gift will have a tremendous impact on the college, our students and our academic programs,” said Janaki R.R. Alavalapati, the Emmett F. Thompson Dean of the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment.

“Our college is well-known for the experiential learning opportunities we provide for our students and this property will not only allow us to increase those offerings, but will also help us engage with our broader community and the state. We are grateful to Coach Dye and Dr. McDonald for their generosity and for entrusting the legacy of Crooked Oaks with us.”

Ponds, pastures and woodlands contain numerous Japanese maples, azaleas, camellias, native azaleas, boxwoods, gardenias, magnolias, oaks, pines, beeches, river birches and firs.

Included in the area adjacent to the nursery is a two-acre retreat of walking paths along a stream with falls and pools winding among 200 mature Japanese maple specimen trees of 71 Japanese maple cultivars.

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.