A SNIPPET OF OUR STORY 

Continuing the works of my Great Grandfather, August Long has always been a goal of mine since first setting foot on my family's property as an adult.  Farming began on this Texas land in the 1800's and contiues to this moment.
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The Long family first lived on 32 acres below the crest of the hill located in back of the current homestead, in the Two-Mile Community, called "The Little Bottom."  They were flanked by Thomas Hill on one side and the Smith Bottom on the other.  Great Great Grandma, Rebecca Saddlewhite lived in her own house nearby.  The accumulation of the Long family properties may have begun with less than 40 acres in 1882 but now has grown to several hundred acres in the last 136 years.

 

August was always up early around 4:00 A.M. (no alarm clock).  After eating a full breakfast he would begin his day, most times milking the cows first.  His tasks included slopping the hogs, plowing the fields, planting crops, fixing fences, cutting wood for the stoves, hunting, skinning his catch (he stretched the hides on the wall to dry them out), fishing, and slaughtering beef and pork.  He rode horseback to herd his cattle moving them from One Bottom up to the homeplace or to the Smiley Place and so many more things involving agriculture and living on a large farm.  He was a husband, father, farmer, hunter, teacher, blacksmith (smithy), cobbler, veterinarian, weaver, builder, arborist, - what else can be said?

 

August would allow people to come on the land to pick up pecans and to fish. Much of this was done on halves, which meant he would obtain a half of whatever the other party would reap. August kept a locked box on a wing of the screened-in porch of the old log house. This is where he kept pecans that had been gathered and halved from people who divided with him as payment.

 

The crops raised by August were corn, cotton, sugarcane, goobers (peanuts), hygea, maize, watermelons, tomatoes, peas, potatoes, yams, onions, beans, greens, fruit orchards, walnuts, hickory nuts, pecans, and more.  Great Granddaddy and the other neighbors would drop off produce in

season on the ground at each neighbors mailbox and those who could afford to, reciprocated.

 

It is these time honored traditions that inspires NATURE'S CANDY FARMS to bring you its quality line of products and services.  We take great pride in honoring the history of The August Long Estate, and we thank you for perpetuating this tradition with us.

 

tenisio seanima - Founder