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Sourwood Knoll is made up of land that has been in the family for generations. When my Great-Grandfather, George Washington Brooks, returned from the civil war, he married Hester Arledge. Hester was of Cherokee lineage from the Green Mountain area. George met Hester while going with his brother, who was a dentist, to the remote area to do dental work. Hester was a woman that assisted in dental work for George's brother when he went to the area to treat people.
George and Hester settled down on family land in Candler, farmed and raised a family. After they passed, the land was divided between the children. My father purchased his mother's portion from her and an adjacent tract from another individual and began farming cattle, sheep and chickens. Dad also had pigs,horses,ponies, goats, geese, Honeybees and a flock of guineas. We referred to him as old Macdonald. Dad began to purchase other tracts of the land of his grandfather from his uncles. This was needed to support his farm by providing land to raise hay and corn.
Dad operated a feed, seed and supply store which assisted him in being able to aquire needed farm supplies at reasonable cost and he worked long hours to build both the business and the farm. In the 1960's, dad left the store business, which he partnered with his brother on, and began building houses and farming. Dad even found time to do farm work for others who did not have tractors, weld their broken equipment and just numerous other activities.
Dad taught his sons his skills and we became his helpers in carpentry, farming and everything he did. We built two ponds and raised trout and catfish, but used them for our own consumption. When I was in high school, I helped dad log mature oak lumber off of part of the land and we built the house he lived in til his death.
Now, Sourwood Knoll consists of 5 houses, 2 Ponds, a herd of cattle, a horse, fainting goats, chickens and an apiary. All of my siblings continue to live here except for my older brother who lives near Raleigh. My brother farms the bulk of the land and operates a construction company from it. I have an apiary and fainting goats. Neices and Nephews round out the family living here on the knoll and we are all very close. Often showing up at one house or the other in a golf cart or 4-wheeler, we help each other out and look after the Knoll. How did dad do it all?
The pond sits on sections of land my father purchased from his uncle Oliver and uncle Lee
This rich bottom once grew Corn and Candy Roasters. There was always a covey of quail on that part of the property.
and He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
