For about 40 years, Linda Jones has been standing over a hot stove making all-day candy suckers in muffin tins to sell at arts and crafts shows.

Glass artist Charles Adams had first decided it would be a good idea to sell all-day suckers at Adams Nut Shop, the number of suckers increased and they were sized to last all day.

Adams then took the suckers on the road. It was a good decision. It took a transfer truck to take a load of suckers to the festivals.

“It was hot standing over a stove and I told Mr. Charles he needed to cut way back on the number of suckers we were making or either he was going to have to stand over the stove, too.”

The all-day suckers were made in many different flavors, strawberry, cherry, grape, watermelon, bubble gum, lime, peppermint, scuppernong, and root beer all-day suckers.

“I told Mr. Charles he was going to have to get me some help or get in the kitchen with me.”

Neither happened, Jones laughed.

Charles Adams began going to more and more arts and crafts shows and the demand for the suckers when up and up.

Festival goers were enjoying the same sucker all day and into the night.

After years, the demand for all-day suckers declined and Adams decreased the all-day suckers to half-day suckers.

“You had to buy two suckers if you wanted a sucker that lasted all day,” Jones said. “Then, for no kind of reason, it seemed as though everybody, from the children to the grandmas and grandpas wanted suckers.”

Even Adams was surprised that all-day suckers crossed generations. He was sure all day suckers would soon be a folly from the past.

Around 50-plus years now, the Adams family continues to sell all-day suckers at arts and craft shows.  The suckers are still made in muffin tins and will be available at the Adams tent at TroyFest. And, to borrow a phrase from the Colonel, they are lip-smacking good.