| Sources |
- [S86] McCammon-Ammons-Click Funeral Home, (http://www.mccammonammonsclick.com/), 7 Aug 2011.
Sallie Cordelia Mobley Bradley obituary
- [S27] The Daily Times, http://www.thedailytimes.com/, (Blount County, Tennessee), 28 May 2012.
Bowman Farms named Tennessee Century Farm
By Katie Forrester
Bowman Farms has been declared Blount County’s 29th Tennessee Century Farm.
The farm was founded by Nathaniel Bowman in 1911. Bowman paid for his land by selling strawberries and grapes to the locals by truck. The original farm was 50 acres and stretched from the corner of East Brown School Road to McKenzie place along Wildwood Road.
“The founder of the farm, Nathaniel Bowman, he created Wildwood Road,” said current owner Tom Robinson. Robinson’s parents gave him their portion of the land to ensure that the land would remain in the family. “It’s our property. Our family worked that land,” said Robinson.
For a farm to be considered a Century Farm, the farm must be at least 100 years old, have been within family possession for the entire time and produce at least $1,000 in agricultural income a year. Today, Bowman Farms has cattle, chicken, goats, wheat and a variety of vegetables.
The farm holds much more than just history for Robinson. The farm is a part of his family. Robinson’s father, Bill Robinson, was born on the property in a shed that is still standing along with his father’s old house which was erected in 1928.
“I’m not knocking that down no matter what goes on in my life,” said Robinson. The shed is an integral part of the farm’s history as far as Robinson is concerned, and is one of the many treasures of the farm.
Music tradition
The other treasure of Bowman Farms is music. “Music was a real integral part of the farm,” said Robinson.
In the early days of the farm, the family would host community singings, and in the winter the family would clear the fields to make ball fields. Today, Robinson’s daughter and guitar player Kelsie Robinson allows this musical tradition to live on within her.
“She sings hard-core country,” Robinson said, “A hundred years of music just passed down. You can’t stop that.”
Bowman Farms also has a history of placing importance on faith and diligence. “There would probably be three things: character, hard work and dedication of the family,” Robinson said.
Robinson’s uncle, John Mobley, still works the family fields, holding on to these disciplines. “He communicates with the land,” said Robinson. “The land speaks to him, and he speaks back. He has worked out here every day for 60 years.”
‘Our Cades Cove’
Robinson also enjoys a population of white oak trees, whose nuts attract deer. “These are the woods at Bowman Farms,” said Robinson of the expanse of trees around him.
Both Robinson and his daughter say that the ability to be with nature is a large factor in their love of the farm. “You can come out here and sit and enjoy nature without the technology,” said Kelsie Robinson.
The woods on Bowman farm are a favorite stomping ground for the Robinsons despite the fact that they do not produce anything for the farm in terms of monetary value. “In a way, this is my Cades Cove,” said Robinson.
To gain recognition as a state Century Farm, Robinson and his aunt Marjorie (Peggy) Mobley filled out an application for the Tennessee Century Farms Program. The biggest impact of the recognition for him is his family. “I think it is just the significance of the longevity and staying power of family,” Robinson said.
He believes that no matter what happens, “the common threads of life: family, faith and being a good neighbor survive.”
For the newly recognized Century Farm, these threads of life live on.
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