Recently, I had the great fun and pleasure to be involved in making sorghum the old-fashioned way.
Launch Gallery
It was a glorious fall day in the Ozarks , blue sky , warm sun , favorable leaves . Benson Hardaway and his wife , Connie , from Strawberry , Arkansas drove to the Ozark Folk Center early in the morning . They brought a truckload of sorghum cane from their farm , Curia Lake , to conjure in the old sorghum molasses pulverisation . The mill had not been used in year , however it had been checked out and cleaned up and it puzzle out . It was a sodding day to be alfresco for a fun event .
When my booster and donkey owner , Tina Marie Wilcox , arrive with her domestic ass , Whiskey , in the trailer and get ready to put on his harness , kinsfolk were already arriving . Jeanette Larson , cunning managing director at the OFC , shepherdess , weaver and all - around amazing womanhood was awaiting us . As Benson and some of his friends began to prepare for the fervency , which would incinerate under the genus Sorghum tray , we correct up for the day . Missy Epperson , come with her fomite full of Dutch ovens , charcoal , charcoal starters , and biscuit makins . She and her husband Josh have been making cookie using cat iron and cooking over hot coal for years – and they have got it down .
So , this merry , yet hardworking bunch , set about getting the donkey harnessed to the mill , piling the genus Sorghum nearby , making biscuit dough , and alight fervency . Folks started tuck to keep an eye on the cognitive process and stayed to enjoy the demonstration … most all of them wait around for a raging biscuit . Missy made it look easy Tarawa-Makin and bakin biscuits out in the heart of a flying field . Connie set out jar of sorghum and spoonful for tasting and we had visitors help shake jars of cream to make butter . Benson carried cane over to his friend , DeWayne Tucker , who give the cane through the mill most of the daytime long .
This went on all day long and it get spicy and sweaty there for for a while . The crowds were entertained by the donkey , who got a preference of the sorghum cane and then he wanted to hold on everytime he came around the side where the pressed cane was being extruded from the pulverisation . Once compact , the cane is not as sozzled – it is more pliable – and drippy with sweet succus . It is called pumace ( DeWayne tell me that they mention to it as “ pumee ” ) and is broadly speaking fed to livestock . I move a luck of this pumace away from the press into a pile and have me assure you – it was sound – and very sticky . No marvel the donkey wanted it ; he was like a nestling in a confect shop ! We change out donkeys about midday and Tango ( Whiskey ’s chum ) came to have a bend . He had a tasting for that sweet gluey pumee too . I must admit , I ate my fare portion of sorghum on biscuit .
Benson and Connie get the fire burning under the sorghum tray in the shed once we get a few bucketfulls of pressed succus . They have a system to get the water flow and block it where needed with rolled up towels . The weewee goes through the trays first and it has to get stewing and it sure gets steamy . Connie and Benson took turning skimming the foam from the boiling syrup and excuse to folks about the process . It took all daytime , however , I catch to see the finished sirup pour out of the tray into a bucket . When I ask Benson how many pounds of sorghum we used his reply was , “ I suspect we processed around 400 pound of cane . Generally about half the weight of the cane is succus . It takes about 8 gallon of succus to make 1 gallon of genus Sorghum syrup . ” Golly , what a lot of work to get one gal of sweet-smelling syrup !
All in all , it was a great day – educational , fun and mouth - smacking good – and we had muckle of visitors at the park who stay on and visited and even facilitate out with the process . Best of all , I fare away with a case of 100 % pure sorghum syrup , which will be majuscule for holiday baking , not to observe tasty gifts . I love it most on hot biscuits and cornbread , however it is even good on peanut butter pledge and oatmeal . I put it in my baked bean , Indian pudding and gingerbread and my champion Marion made an amazing shrub with orchard apple tree cider vinegar , live peppercorn and genus Sorghum . I am going to work on a pumpkin afters using sorghum molasses for Thanksgiving and I ’ll share the formula once created . If you want to order Curia Lake Sorghum , contact[email protected]or the General Store at the Ozark Folk Center betray it and will be open through Thanksgiving . Benson use his own 100 % sorghum syrup to edulcorate his coffee alternatively of dough .
Fine Gardening Recommended product
Chapin International 10509 Upside - Down Trigger Sprayer
Fine horticulture have a commission for token purchased through links on this site , include Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising program .
Ho - Mi Digger - Korean Triangle Blade
Gardener ’s Log Book from NYBG
Get our latest crown , how - to article , and instructional video recording sent to your inbox .
Signing you up …
Related Articles
Elderberry Syrup on the First Day of February
Cranberry and Orange Relish with Maple Syrup
On the Road: Autumn in Arkansas
Wineberries and Blueberries with Lemon Basil Syrup
unite o.k. Gardening for a spare occupy hot webinar featuring Dr. Janna Beckerman , a renowned plant diagnostician as well as professor emerita at Purdue University and the ornamental technical manager …
When I spotted a particular sand dollar cactus ( Astrophytum asterias ) at the Philadelphia Flower Show a few month ago , I knew I was in trouble . With a delicious people of colour pattern …
When we only prioritize plant we require over works our landscape needs , each time of year is filled with a never - ending list of chores : pruning , filch , watering , treating , amend , and fertilizing , with …
Subscribe today and save up to 47%
Video
Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat
You must be careful when you inscribe the backyard of garden designer Jeff Epping — not because you ’re likely to trip on something , but because you might be dive - bombed by a couple …
4 Midsummer Favorites From a Plant Breeder’s Garden
Episode 181: Plants You Can’t Kill
Episode 180: Plants with Big, Bold Foliage
4 Steps to Remove Invasive Plants in Your Yard
All Access phallus get more
signal up for afree trialand get access to ALL our regional contentedness , plus the relief of the member - only depicted object library .
come out Free Trial
Get consummate internet site approach to expert advice , regional message , and more , plus the print magazine .
Start your FREE trial
Already a member?access
Making sorghum syrup with old-fashioned sorghum mill pulled by a donkey at the Ozark Folk Center State Park. Left to right, Jeanette Larson, DeWayne Tucker, Whiskey (donkey), Tina Marie Wilcox and Benson Hardaway. Click on other pix to enlarge and read captions.Photo/Illustration: susan belsinger
