All seven of the Saunders' children followed their father's example and graduated from Virginia Tech. Two of their daughters-in-law, Amy Eller (liberal arts and sciences '84) and Pat Echols (housing, interior design, and resource management '87), are also graduates. Five grandchildren have either graduated or are currently enrolled. Even Tatum, who went to the University of Virginia, is considered to have been, in her husband's words, "indoctrinated."

"After 53 years of being with Tech people, you switch over," she admits.

The family's strong bond with the university is a tradition rooted, literally and figuratively, in the passion that Paul has for agriculture.

"When I was young, I was not the most athletic person," Paul explains. "But I was inquisitive, and when I stuck some plants in the ground and they rooted, I was so excited that there was something I could do well."

Paul was heavily involved in 4-H as boy, and when it came time to decide where to go to college, he was torn between becoming the first in his immediate family to attend Virginia Tech and following his brother to the Virginia Military Institute.

"Some of my teachers at school could see my love for the farm and they said, ‘Paul, you need to go to Virginia Tech,'" he recalls.

Paul grew up on his father's farm in Piney River, a rural community in Nelson County, Va. He says he majored in agricultural engineering in order to be able to return to his hometown and make a living. At first that required him to work as a surveyor to supplement his farming income. Since 1981, he has focused solely on agriculture.

"I got bit by a snake while I was attempting to crawl up a creek bank and soon thereafter I said, ‘No more surveying,'" explains Paul, who is pretty sure it was a copperhead. His recovery took five days in the hospital. Fortunately, by then he was established enough to focus full time on the farming business his father co-founded in 1915.

In front: Paul '54; in back, left to right: Jim '85, Tom '81, Paul "Massie" Jr. '80, Bennett '83, John '89, Sam '91, and Robert '86.

Four of Paul's sons run the company with him: Tom (horticulture '81), Bennett (agricultural and applied economics '83), Robert (agricultural engineering '86), and Jim (animal science '85).

"Each of us has our own expertise and area to focus on, so there's not a lot of head butting so to speak," explains Tom, who oversees the nursery aspect of the business.

Bennett, who oversees field production, says the fact that he and his brothers focus on different areas is not just a way to avoid conflicts, but is also sound business strategy.

"I was an ag-econ major, which is more of a business major," Bennett says. "Some of my brothers were in [agricultural] production, one was in engineering, and I think that has contributed as much as anything to our success."

Jim, who is personnel manager, says the firm's success comes from having employees who understand that they are just as important to the company's success as he and his brothers are.

"A lot of our employees have been here 20 years," Jim says with pride.

When talking about those sons who work with him, Paul makes a point to include Frank Sirois, who migrated from Quebec to pick fruit at the farm in 1978, moved down more permanently the following year, and now is in charge of maintaining equipment.

"He's part of the extended family," Paul says.