blog-special
Preserving Tradition
Posted on September 8, 2026 12:27 PM
Clark Haddock grew up running around in the woods with his buddies in Bolingbroke. They’d ride bikes, climb trees, get dirty and not come home until dinner time. But that was more than 30 years ago, and times have changed.
With the advent of technology, children are spending more time behind their smart-screens and less time outdoors. That’s something Haddock hopes he can change. As the owner of Fieldstone Outdoors and Fieldstone Preserve, Haddock is working to share his love for the sporting lifestyle with a whole new generation that may not have had the chance to experience it.
“Nowadays kids can’t really do what I did as a kid. It felt safe then but it’s a different life now. Kids are less likely to enjoy the outdoors,” said the 46-year-old. “Through the Preserve, I hope we can give that experience to this generation.”
Fieldstone Preserve, located in Dry Branch, has 240 acres that they manage, plus more than 1,000 acres that they lease out for sporting activities like hog hunting. The property has two big fishponds and offers opportunities for hunting quail, pheasant, duck, turkey and deer.
“This business came from my love of hunting and the desire to give that opportunity to others. We’ve hosted hunts for kids from disadvantaged circumstances and have had the most fun seeing first-time hunters experience something that was part of life for me growing up,” he said. “I’m getting to watch people fall in love with the outdoors for the first time.”
That includes the three children he shares with his wife, Sarah Haddock.
“I want them to have the experience of fishing all day like I did,” he said.
Along with the desire to share the outdoors with the next generation, Haddock also feels a responsibility to preserve the land for generations to come.
“Everything can’t be a parking lot — we’re connected to the land. Land conservation is a direct investment in our state’s economy and livelihoods. Keeping private working lands in production — rather than losing them to urban sprawl — is critical for local communities. By supporting programs that help farmers, hunting preserves and foresters protect their land, we safeguard our food supply, preserve rural ways of life and maintain a resilient, resource-rich state,” he said.
Some of the ways Fieldstone works to preserve their land includes relying on conservation and management practices such as prescribed burning, strategic timber management, food plots and supplemental forage, native plant restoration and water source management.
While the preserve was founded in 2023, this isn’t Haddock’s only business venture that reflects his love for the sporting lifestyle. Fieldstone Outdoors is a high-quality apparel brand that includes shirts, hats, outerwear and gear all designed for people who love to hunt.
Haddock got started in the custom-printing apparel business in 2004, and by 2019 he decided to create his own niche brand of apparel for outdoor enthusiasts. It has grown from being sold at 100 retailers to 1,500 retailers. Georgia Farm Bureau is one of the many corporate partners whose employees are outfitted with branded gear that looks good and protects against the weather.
Through promoting the apparel brand at events and trade shows, Haddock has had the opportunity to meet many other likeminded sportsmen and bond over their shared childhood experiences.
“I was having so many conversations with dads saying, ‘I love hunting but can’t get my kids to do it.’ That’s one of the reasons for creating the Preserve,” he said. “When I randomly meet someone with a Fieldston shirt on, I always chat with them. We quickly discover we are alike in that we have a common enjoyment of the outdoors. When two strangers start talking and have something in common, you connect instantly over things you love.”
The natural partnership of the two businesses — and their clientele — reminds Haddock of why he started down this path in the first place.”
“The Preserve has helped me come full circle to why I started this apparel business. I like hunting and being outdoors, and nothing makes me happier than when I can put a smile on someone’s face,” he said.
Along with the idea of doing what you love, bringing joy to others is one of his core business values.
“No matter what you’re selling, if you put a smile on someone’s face and treat them how you want to be treated, you’ll do good in business,” he said. “After being in business 22 years, that’s a big realization that every business should have. Make a good product and put a smile on someone’s face, that’s what we’re about.”
These values are another way he connects with his customers, like Georgia Farm Bureau.
“The same people that Farm Bureau works with are the same clients that come to the Preserve. Farm Bureau customers are our customers. We’re all in the same family with the same passions — timber, hunting, farming, ducks, deer, enjoying the outside and caring for the land.”
Learn more about Fieldstone Preserve at fieldstonepreserve.com and explore Fieldstone Outdoors apparel at fieldstoneoutdoors.com.