Gordon Mineral Springs ad in the Wilcox Progressive Era paper from Camden, Alabama Thursday December 21, 1916, page 6.
Newspapers in our area have always profiled local residents and their human interests pursuits. Yet in an era when most people were "closer to the earth" it was well thought of to cover farms and agricultural interests. It is almost a forgotten fact of local history but our area was once awash in peach orchards, produce growing and strawberry patches. The area between Canoe and Malta was no different and many farmers made their livelihood growing such crops.
The Brewton Standard was one in a long line of Brewton newspapers which covered such impressive agricultural pursuits. In their November 5, 1914 edition the paper covered several farmers but the Gordon's of the Canoe/Malta area seem to stand out.
"At Canoe, Dr. R.C. Gordon has a combination stock ranch-orchard and general farm that it would be really hard to equal," stated the writer. The farm covered around 1000 acres and one of his fields was 425 acres and had no trees or anything other than row upon row of crops.
Dr. Gordon had 180 acres of young peach trees planted at the time of the article. He also had 135 acres of cotton and corn growing between the peach tree rows in a method of planting previously unknown to this writer who has lived his life around farmland and the rural lifestyle. Gordon was quoted as having made 25 bushels of corn and producing forty or fifty dollars off the cotton per acre.
The tenant farmers, who lived on land owned by Gordon raised 102 bushels of corn per acre that year. Gordon threshed 17 acres of oats that went 60 bushels to the acre and seven acres of strawberries planted between the trees brought gross returns of $900.
His pasture land and cattle seemed equally impressive. "He has a forty acre pasture in Bermuda grass that a large herd of Herefords are unable to keep grazed close; and to furnish shade for the cattle he has pecan trees forty and fifty feet high spaced at sixteen foot intervals," noted the newspaper columnist from the story. The story notes the cow manure was transferred to the corn fields for fertilizer.
Dr. Gordon's farm was modern in every respect for the early 1900s. "Dr. Gordon has every modern tool invented, several kerosene burning engines, a big silo and ensilage cutter and is planning to erect a couple more silos. He has a splendid field of alfalfa started and plants velvet beans in his corn middles and after pulling the corn turns the cattle in to help themselves. Last year he fed 125 steers and made an attractive profit on them," noted the writer.
"He also has a Satsuma orange grove, figs, persimmons, plums, pomegranates and every conceivable item mentioned in the catalogues of the seedsman and nursery men," stated the writer.
The writers of the newspapers of that era loved to visit the Gordon farms on a regular basis.
Dr. Gordon's brother, W.Y. Gordon is also chronicled in this article as to his successful farming efforts. The paper notes him as having 15,000 fruit trees planted on his farm, as well a 600 pound Poland China sow he had to bring in from his herd of 400 hogs because she was getting "too fat" on the rich pasture grass.
Mr. Geo. Trammell is also noted in the article as running a highly progressive farm with massive acreage devoted to watermelons and sugar cane production.
One of the Gordon brothers bottled and sold water from the Canoe mineral springs during this era. Canoe was known far and wide for its mineral springs and trains during this era would sometimes stop and allow passengers to have a drink.
Farming has changed a great deal over the last 100 years. One has to wonder what the Gordons would think of the big farming operations today. While our economy has changed significantly over the last century; it is as true as ever that at least three times a day a person relies on a farmer- breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Coming soon: Shadows and Dust III-view the trailer on Canoe Civic Club's Facebook Page.
