Today, Theresa and Jerry Bell of Pineview live on a property named Legacy Acres. Located alongside Hwy. 113 between Flomaton and I-65. The farm has an event barn that is considered an agri-tourism business. The Bells live on and farm 200 acres of the original land purchased by Theresa's Great Grandfather Coleman Strength.
A deed for a Land Grant was signed to Escambia County pioneer, Henry Morningstar on September 10th, 1873 by Alabama Governor David L. Lewis. Theresa's Great Grandfather, Coleman Strength bought 320 acres of the grant land from Henry Morningstar on August 30th, 1876. Reported to cost Mr. Strength $200.00.
Mr. Strength cut the virgin longleaf pines to build a home and clear the land for farming. For income, the trees were cut to make square timbers. The logs would be floated down from Narrow Gap Creek to Little Escambia Creek, then on to Conecuh River. At the Conecuh, the logs would be floated on rafts made by Mr. Strength to float on down the Escambia River to Pensacola, Florida for being sold. He would be paid for his timber with silver dollars. After collecting his money, he would have to walk back to Pineview. Even though he had to make his way back to Pineview, he was blessed to have never been robbed of his silver dollars.
Coleman and his wife Nancy Jernigan Strength had five children. Eventually the land was divided into parcels and handed down to their children. Frank Strength, Theresa's Grandfather, inherited 80 acres of the land from his father Coleman in 1910. Frank and his wife Mary Moye Strength, built a home on the land in 1911 to live and raise their seven children. One son Byron, Theresa's father, was born and raised in the stately old house that still stands on the grounds today.
Two pecan trees still stand near the house that was planted in 1911. When Theresa's grandmother married, an uncle gave her five pecans to plant with the advice to plant them,
"Because they will make enough income to pay your taxes each year."
In 2004, three of the five trees got destroyed by Hurricane Ivan. Theresa and Jerry sold pecans from the two remaining trees last fall. This writer bought several packages of those really good pecans for Christmas baking. When Hurricane Ivan destroyed those cherished pecan trees the 1911 home was damaged as was the old barn.
Theresa shared that about that time their daughter Whitney suggested they needed to take down the old pole barn and build a new event barn on the spot there. Theresa and Jerry decided to look at other places that had that kind of a farm business already in operation. Traveling to several places in North Alabama to visit agri-tourism farms they started working toward the goal of developing the farm that would allow people to come see a working farm, to get outdoors to enjoy the place where plants and animals are grown. School children would have access to a lifestyle they couldn't otherwise share in.
Jerry built the event barn to have a kitchen and restrooms. He repurposed some of the wood from the old buildings to make beautiful walls inside and tables that complement the antique farmhouse interior. Theresa and Jerry are now in the planning stages of restoring the beautiful old home to its original self. The house has sat empty for a number of years and is being planned to again be a cherished and admired part of Legacy Acres.
Frank's son Byron, and wife Christine Morris Strength, Theresa's parents, farmed the land continuously until Byron retired. Byron was the only child of Frank to stay on the farm to keep it going. Once Theresa's parents, Byron and Christine Morris Strength retired from farming, Theresa inherited 100 acres which she and Jerry now farm.
In 2013 the Bells applied for the farm to be recognized by The State of Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries as an Alabama Century and Heritage Farm. The program was designed to recognize and honor farms that have been in the same family as a continuous family operated farm for at least 100 years and have played a significant role in Alabama history. The Bells request was accepted and honored. Theresa and Jerry had started an agritourism venture to have something meaningful to hand down to their children and grandchildren and so the name, Legacy Acres was born.
Legacy Acres has hosted land judging for FFA, Field day for NRCS, FSA and Alabama Forestry Commission. The event barn stays booked mostly with weddings, family reunions, birthday parties, graduation parties, bridal showers, baby showers and cooperate gatherings. Theresa shared that the event barn is booked nearly solid for the coming months.
The Bells raise cattle and sheep herds which they are trying to enhance. The Bells run a Brangus/Cross cows commercial herd and just this year have added an Angus bull. They are trying to keep a purebred bull to make the herd better. The farm has some Kataihdin sheep, (hair sheep) that help keep down the underbrush. As needed, those sheep are sold in Brewton to be shipped to South Florida for sale to ethnic groups.
The Bells use the hoop houses now for growing fruits and vegetables for their own use. No crops are grown on Legacy Acres at this time except hay and grass for the cows and sheep along with 80 acres of pine trees. From talking and asking questions from the Bells, I see how they have tried several kinds of commercial crops to get to the way the farm is operating today. Trial and error as in any venture has determined the success of the farm.
Both Theresa and Jerry grew up on farms and know how hard work and being dependent on each other for a successful lifestyle makes it all worthwhile. Jerry was a member of his Repton High School FFA Chapter when he won Reserve Champion Gilt in 1972. That experience helps him today in working towards a successful goal.
Jerry and Theresa realized their children would not be taking up the trade of farming when both went off to study engineering; so with that knowledge in mind they wanted to do something that would give them a reason to love coming home to stay in touch with their farm roots. The Bells love having their grandchildren come to visit Legacy Acres and understand the reason they work so hard to keep this important place in the family for the Strength connection to this land for generations to come.
Son Seth and his wife Angie live in Arab, Alabama with their three kids, Cooper, Owen and Millie. Both are Auburn grads with degrees in Mechanical Engineering and both work for NASA in Huntsville. Daughter Whitney Bell is an Auburn grad with a degree in Bio-Systems Engineering. She works for the US Army Corps as an Environmental Engineer. Whitney also lives in Huntsville, Alabama.
Theresa keeps busy helping Jerry run things on the farm and with building the Event Barn business. Jerry keeps busy doing the heavy lifting side of the farm/event barn. Both are such a joy to talk to while they share the great side of living on a farm property that has given so many members of the Strength family a good and happy life.
***Theresa and Jerry invite everyone to call (251) 363-0966 or http://www.legacyacresal.com for info on booking the event barn for your special events.***
