Sorghum Cane Check

We checked the Sorghum Cane today in the Big Garden. It has gotten Big. Some stalks reach 10 feet tall. Richard laughed and said at Harvest, it was going to be too tall for him to head. (To harvest, the heads are cut by hand while the Cane is standing.) According to him, we would need to depend on the likes of the tall family members with long reaches to do such things. That would be David and Jake.

The Sorghum Cane is heading out. Wisdom in these parts tells us that Harvest is then about a month away. Richard found pollen grains on the heads of some stalks and seeds forming on others. With any luck, the Crawford family will be making Molasses soon. It's too early to tell exactly. I shall leave it up to the Guru of such things (Hollis is lead here). Typically that will be in September.

We 3 C's are excited for a number of reason. Making Sorghum in the traditional way has been considered a dying craft. Beginning fall 2004, the Crawford family has reclaimed this using all the old ways. This is the 1st time we 3 C's have raised Sorghum and on our very own farm to boot. Hollis planted it. We tended and weeded it watching it grow from single sprouting blades in single file on a long row to these proud tall plants which smile down on their Human Friends.

With the challenges of the year, we are pleased to have what we do. Some who typically raise Sorghum Cane in the area either didn't or found the season a wash. This was particularly true of those with fields in the river bottoms or low lying areas. Richard checked out the sweetness of the Cane. It is beginning to sweeten up. We are keeping our fingers crossed that the Weather will be good to the Cane. Winds would not be good now as it would lay the Field down like Pick-Up Sticks. Harvest would be a mess.

The year has taught us that there are no givens. What we get is a Precious Gift for which we are deeply Grateful.