Molasses Making 2009-Batch 1

The Crew finished stripping the Sorghum Cane by 10:45 a.m. On Friday morning, the Cane will be topped, cut and laid on the ground. Then it will be carried to the Pick-Up. If we don't have enough Sorghum Cane in this Harvest, Hollis will add Cane from his Planting.

Observations include:

(1) Weeding does make a difference. Richard tilled between all Rows twice during the Summer. We hand-weeded 8 of 12 rows throughout the Summer. We did not weed the remainder. The Cane which had been weeded was taller and more robust.

(2) The Cane was slow in growing this Summer. We attribute some of that to the cool and rainy weather.

(3) However, we are keeping an eye on the Soil. Cane is a "robber" of Soil, demanding a lot of Nutients. Over time, the Soil becomes more impoverished, producing smaller, less robust Cane. Richard and Hollis are making plans to nourish the Soil. That will include Summer Fallowing of the present Cane Field next Summer. Stay tuned. Stuff is in the works.