We had another beautiful day for Molasses Making at the Crawford Family Farm, Sunday, September 27. Coming and going throughout the day, 45 Family and Friends gathered for re-unioning, meeting, updates, conversation.While the focus seems to be "Molasses Making", the whole event is much much more. While observing the whole shin-dig, I could not help but see that the Family Tree was laid out there right in front of us. Four generations were present, weaving a fabric of the present, the past and the future all around us. How many Families these days get together? or make a priority for reclaiming such events?
Throughout the day, Family Stories of the Old Ones kept coming out of Long Locked Away Treasure Chests. I asked some questions about what People remembered of their earliest Molasses experiences. The sharing was really neat.
Overall, the details of Molasses Making seem to more fleshed out compared to that 1st year when we made Molasses "without supervision", as Hollis called it. We keep learning every single time we gather. These are some things that came up on this day:
We want the pulp dry when it comes from the Mill. That means we have more Juice, which means we have more Molasses.
Molasses Making has become synonymous with celebration. Yesterday, we celebrated 4 Birthdays, including Hollis' 70th. While we each have contributed in our own way, Hollis has been the glue which has allowed us to reclaim the Molasses Making in our Family. How do you say thanks? I think we say thanks as we each drive down the drive on our way to Molasses Making and take our places to reclaim this tradition in our Family on these beautiful Fall Harvest Days.
For the 1st time, Music has entered the Molasses Making tradition. Last week, Tim brought his Guitar. At certain special moments, our voices were lifted together in song. This week, Jana Russon brought her Mandolin. The sweet strings of the Mandolin floated on the breezes. Such music just makes me smile.
Food seems to be a common theme. And we turn out in droves for those Homemade dishes that we all love. Melanie made Homemade Ice Cream for Hollis' Birthday. It took a lot longer than expected but surely was worth the wait. We all lined up with dishes, pieces of Angel Food, Wacky, Molasses Cake, or Pie, and spoons.
Cooking off this batch took longer. While the day was warm, the brisk Breezes did their fair share of cooling the Pan. The Wood was wet from recent Rains which slowed the Fire. Hollis Dale (who is the Firekeeper) said some of the flooring from Grandma's Kitchen in the Old House actually saved the day. It was the best Wood on this day. I think that was Grandma's way of having a hand in this batch. She was born 100 years ago October 18.
We had a few more Acorns and Leaves fall into the Batch. The Skimmers kept a close watch on things, in addition to 4 times of Straining.
The Women are more sure about when it is done. Deleta thinks last week's Batch could have cooked a little more. This time, the Batch seemed to cook a little longer past the Frog Eye Boil. We all noted a different sound to Boil as it neared completion. We stopped and just listened. In that magical moment, Melanie said: "It's done." As an aside for the Whole Process, Deleta wonders if we should wait a little longer before Harvest so the Cane is more ripe.
After the Pan is carried off, Hollis scoops the Batch with the Skimmer to cool it down and to reduce the bubbles. He doesn't remember the Boys' Dad ever doing this.
I asked how much a gallon of Molasses weighed. When Richard, Hollis and Deleta were bottling up the Molasses today, Hollis and Richard weighed the Molasses. A Gallon weighs 11.5 pounds. In other words, this Batch produced 14 Gallons which means it weighed 161 Pounds coming off the Fire. That does not include the Pan. In the meantime, Hollis was figuring out a way to weigh the Pan.
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