This nippy Fall weather reminds me of the good old days when times were hard. When I was growing up folks didn't have a sorghum cooking apparatus, but one traveled around and would set up at one farm or another..You hauled your sorghum to the Mill.....I suppose the farms owner got a small portion of the sorghum...and probably got to run his through first. Wood supplied the heat but I don't know who supplied that. We grew the sorghum like corn, and in the fall cut it down after the men had gone through each row and knocked off all the leaves with a sort of wooden sword. . Then they went back through and cut it all down with a blade on a long handle.....Then it was piled up at the side. I can eremember cutting off sorghum heads when I was real little..maybe 7 years old. It was SO cold I was crying...remember cutting nicks out of my knees with the big Butcher knife Daddy made from a saw blade. The sorghum was loaded onto a wagon ..all straight and nice, and hauled away....We took some of the seed heads to the house to feed the chickens, but I don't remember Daddy saving all the heads for winter. A mule pulled the long handle{sweep } that was attached to the crusher, and an elderly man sat up under that long sweep and fed the cane into the crusher .The juice came out one side and crushed stalks came out the other..Bagasse, I think they call it. The juice is poured into a big flat pan that has a fir burning under it. Men stir the syrup as it cooks till it get thick...Once Daddy was helping a neighbor make up sorghum and he brought home a quart jar of the golden foam that they had skimmed off..... That pan they cook the syrup in has always fascinated me...They keep on adding fresh syrup to it on one end , and it is stirred, stirred , stirred! The heat from the fires burning under it and the men's paddles causes the liquid to thicken and is moved from one end of the 'pan' to another. It is then drained out into glass jugs or jars and sold or used in the home kitchen as ' Long sweetnin'... On cold winter mornings the delicious thick syrup flowed slowwwllllyyy over the rim of the syrup jar ..It had beautiful amber bubbles in it and they would stretch out like a rubber balloon. Folks said kids were as slow as Sorghum molasses... Sure tasted good when we mixed molasses and butter on our plate, and sopped it up with one of Mama's big flaky biscuits...Jeannie T . ____________________________________________________________ Hate Carrying Pet Food? Now you don't have to! Pet sites deliver to your door for free! http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4cccfed76d89e595c3m06duc

My aiater asID HER husband, for his school lunch, would take biscuits filled with molasses. I guess if that was all you could afford that tasted pretty good. Emma > To: SOUTHERN-CHAT-L@rootsweb.com > Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2010 00:30:58 -0500 > From: askgranny@juno.com > Subject: [SOUTHERN-CHAT] Making sorghum molasses.... > > > This nippy Fall weather reminds me of the good old days when times were > hard. > When I was growing up folks didn't have a sorghum cooking apparatus, but > one traveled around and would set up at one farm or another..You hauled > your sorghum to the Mill.....I suppose the farms owner got a small > portion of the sorghum...and probably got to run his through first. Wood > supplied the heat but I don't know who supplied that. > > We grew the sorghum like corn, and in the fall cut it down after the men > had gone through each row and knocked off all the leaves with a sort of > wooden sword. . Then they went back through and cut it all down with a > blade on a long handle.....Then it was piled up at the side. I can > eremember cutting off sorghum heads when I was real little..maybe 7 years > old. It was SO cold I was crying...remember cutting nicks out of my knees > with the big Butcher knife Daddy made from a saw blade. > > The sorghum was loaded onto a wagon ..all straight and nice, and hauled > away....We took some of the seed heads to the house to feed the chickens, > but I don't remember Daddy saving all the heads for winter. A mule pulled > the long handle{sweep } that was attached to the crusher, and an elderly > man sat up under that long sweep and fed the cane into the crusher .The > juice came out one side and crushed stalks came out the other..Bagasse, I > think they call it. The juice is poured into a big flat pan that has a > fir burning under it. Men stir the syrup as it cooks till it get > thick...Once Daddy was helping a neighbor make up sorghum and he brought > home a quart jar of the golden foam that they had skimmed off..... > > That pan they cook the syrup in has always fascinated me...They keep on > adding fresh syrup to it on one end , and it is stirred, stirred , > stirred! The heat from the fires burning under it and the men's paddles > causes the liquid to thicken and is moved from one end of the 'pan' to > another. It is then drained out into glass jugs or jars and sold or > used in the home kitchen as ' Long sweetnin'... > > On cold winter mornings the delicious thick syrup flowed slowwwllllyyy > over > the rim of the syrup jar ..It had beautiful amber bubbles in it and they > would > stretch out like a rubber balloon. Folks said kids were as slow as > Sorghum molasses... Sure tasted good when we mixed molasses and butter on > our plate, and sopped it up with one of Mama's big flaky > biscuits...Jeannie T > > > . > ____________________________________________________________ > Hate Carrying Pet Food? > Now you don't have to! Pet sites deliver to your door for free! > http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4cccfed76d89e595c3m06duc > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SOUTHERN-CHAT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Jeannie T., So Sorghum is basically syrup? I have heard of it before, but this is the first time I have ever heard of how it was made. That's very interesting. In many of your past stories you always seem to mention how the children were involved in the growing or picking of crops. Today I don't think children would know the first thing when it came to doing what children have done in the past. It certainly made a child more appreciative of what they had. Nowadays, it's handed to them & they just expect things. To me, by doing all these things, they were stronger individuals when they grew up. ~Jen in AZ ----- Original Message ----- From: <askgranny@juno.com> To: <SOUTHERN-CHAT-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2010 10:30 PM Subject: [SOUTHERN-CHAT] Making sorghum molasses.... > > This nippy Fall weather reminds me of the good old days when times were > hard. > When I was growing up folks didn't have a sorghum cooking apparatus, but > one traveled around and would set up at one farm or another..You hauled > your sorghum to the Mill.....I suppose the farms owner got a small > portion of the sorghum...and probably got to run his through first. Wood > supplied the heat but I don't know who supplied that. > > We grew the sorghum like corn, and in the fall cut it down after the men > had gone through each row and knocked off all the leaves with a sort of > wooden sword. . Then they went back through and cut it all down with a > blade on a long handle.....Then it was piled up at the side. I can > eremember cutting off sorghum heads when I was real little..maybe 7 years > old. It was SO cold I was crying...remember cutting nicks out of my knees > with the big Butcher knife Daddy made from a saw blade. > > The sorghum was loaded onto a wagon ..all straight and nice, and hauled > away....We took some of the seed heads to the house to feed the chickens, > but I don't remember Daddy saving all the heads for winter. A mule pulled > the long handle{sweep } that was attached to the crusher, and an elderly > man sat up under that long sweep and fed the cane into the crusher .The > juice came out one side and crushed stalks came out the other..Bagasse, I > think they call it. The juice is poured into a big flat pan that has a > fir burning under it. Men stir the syrup as it cooks till it get > thick...Once Daddy was helping a neighbor make up sorghum and he brought > home a quart jar of the golden foam that they had skimmed off..... > > That pan they cook the syrup in has always fascinated me...They keep on > adding fresh syrup to it on one end , and it is stirred, stirred , > stirred! The heat from the fires burning under it and the men's paddles > causes the liquid to thicken and is moved from one end of the 'pan' to > another. It is then drained out into glass jugs or jars and sold or > used in the home kitchen as ' Long sweetnin'... > > On cold winter mornings the delicious thick syrup flowed slowwwllllyyy > over > the rim of the syrup jar ..It had beautiful amber bubbles in it and they > would > stretch out like a rubber balloon. Folks said kids were as slow as > Sorghum molasses... Sure tasted good when we mixed molasses and butter on > our plate, and sopped it up with one of Mama's big flaky > biscuits...Jeannie T > > > . > ____________________________________________________________ > Hate Carrying Pet Food? > Now you don't have to! Pet sites deliver to your door for free! > http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4cccfed76d89e595c3m06duc > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > SOUTHERN-CHAT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message

My daughter picked strawberries when she was in Jr High School and it didn't hurt her. But, Oregon decided no kids under 12 yrs old could be in the fields working and that curtailed a lot of the families from going to the fields. About that time, we moved to Central Oregon so she couldn't pick any more. She still talks about working in the fields. Emma > From: AZJen@npgcable.com > To: southern-chat@rootsweb.com > Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2010 23:54:19 -0700 > Subject: Re: [SOUTHERN-CHAT] Making sorghum molasses.... > > Jeannie T., > > So Sorghum is basically syrup? I have heard of it before, but this is the > first time I have ever heard of how it was made. That's very interesting. > In many of your past stories you always seem to mention how the children > were involved in the growing or picking of crops. Today I don't think > children would know the first thing when it came to doing what children have > done in the past. It certainly made a child more appreciative of what they > had. Nowadays, it's handed to them & they just expect things. To me, by > doing all these things, they were stronger individuals when they grew up. > > ~Jen in AZ > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <askgranny@juno.com> > To: <SOUTHERN-CHAT-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2010 10:30 PM > Subject: [SOUTHERN-CHAT] Making sorghum molasses.... > > > > > > This nippy Fall weather reminds me of the good old days when times were > > hard. > > When I was growing up folks didn't have a sorghum cooking apparatus, but > > one traveled around and would set up at one farm or another..You hauled > > your sorghum to the Mill.....I suppose the farms owner got a small > > portion of the sorghum...and probably got to run his through first. Wood > > supplied the heat but I don't know who supplied that. > > > > We grew the sorghum like corn, and in the fall cut it down after the men > > had gone through each row and knocked off all the leaves with a sort of > > wooden sword. . Then they went back through and cut it all down with a > > blade on a long handle.....Then it was piled up at the side. I can > > eremember cutting off sorghum heads when I was real little..maybe 7 years > > old. It was SO cold I was crying...remember cutting nicks out of my knees > > with the big Butcher knife Daddy made from a saw blade. > > > > The sorghum was loaded onto a wagon ..all straight and nice, and hauled > > away....We took some of the seed heads to the house to feed the chickens, > > but I don't remember Daddy saving all the heads for winter. A mule pulled > > the long handle{sweep } that was attached to the crusher, and an elderly > > man sat up under that long sweep and fed the cane into the crusher .The > > juice came out one side and crushed stalks came out the other..Bagasse, I > > think they call it. The juice is poured into a big flat pan that has a > > fir burning under it. Men stir the syrup as it cooks till it get > > thick...Once Daddy was helping a neighbor make up sorghum and he brought > > home a quart jar of the golden foam that they had skimmed off..... > > > > That pan they cook the syrup in has always fascinated me...They keep on > > adding fresh syrup to it on one end , and it is stirred, stirred , > > stirred! The heat from the fires burning under it and the men's paddles > > causes the liquid to thicken and is moved from one end of the 'pan' to > > another. It is then drained out into glass jugs or jars and sold or > > used in the home kitchen as ' Long sweetnin'... > > > > On cold winter mornings the delicious thick syrup flowed slowwwllllyyy > > over > > the rim of the syrup jar ..It had beautiful amber bubbles in it and they > > would > > stretch out like a rubber balloon. Folks said kids were as slow as > > Sorghum molasses... Sure tasted good when we mixed molasses and butter on > > our plate, and sopped it up with one of Mama's big flaky > > biscuits...Jeannie T > > > > > > . > > ____________________________________________________________ > > Hate Carrying Pet Food? > > Now you don't have to! Pet sites deliver to your door for free! > > http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4cccfed76d89e595c3m06duc > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > > SOUTHERN-CHAT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > > quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to SOUTHERN-CHAT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Emma, It's good to hear a parent say that their child or children has done work such as your daughter did. I really do think that people would be better off today if they had done a bit of "work" while they were young. That's too bad that you daughter was unable to pick strawberries...especially, since she enjoyed doing it. ~J ----- Original Message ----- From: "Roses" <roses4831@msn.com> To: "southern-chat" <southern-chat@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, October 31, 2010 6:58 AM Subject: Re: [SOUTHERN-CHAT] Making sorghum molasses.... > > My daughter picked strawberries when she was in Jr High School and it > didn't hurt her. But, Oregon decided no kids under 12 yrs old could be in > the fields working and that curtailed a lot of the families from going to > the fields. About that time, we moved to Central Oregon so she couldn't > pick any more. She still talks about working in the fields. > Emma > >> From: AZJen@npgcable.com >> To: southern-chat@rootsweb.com >> Date: Sat, 30 Oct 2010 23:54:19 -0700 >> Subject: Re: [SOUTHERN-CHAT] Making sorghum molasses.... >> >> Jeannie T., >> >> So Sorghum is basically syrup? I have heard of it before, but this is the >> first time I have ever heard of how it was made. That's very interesting. >> In many of your past stories you always seem to mention how the children >> were involved in the growing or picking of crops. Today I don't think >> children would know the first thing when it came to doing what children >> have >> done in the past. It certainly made a child more appreciative of what >> they >> had. Nowadays, it's handed to them & they just expect things. To me, by >> doing all these things, they were stronger individuals when they grew up. >> >> ~Jen in AZ >> >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: <askgranny@juno.com> >> To: <SOUTHERN-CHAT-L@rootsweb.com> >> Sent: Saturday, October 30, 2010 10:30 PM >> Subject: [SOUTHERN-CHAT] Making sorghum molasses.... >> >> >> > >> > This nippy Fall weather reminds me of the good old days when times were >> > hard. >> > When I was growing up folks didn't have a sorghum cooking apparatus, >> > but >> > one traveled around and would set up at one farm or another..You hauled >> > your sorghum to the Mill.....I suppose the farms owner got a small >> > portion of the sorghum...and probably got to run his through first. >> > Wood >> > supplied the heat but I don't know who supplied that. >> > >> > We grew the sorghum like corn, and in the fall cut it down after the >> > men >> > had gone through each row and knocked off all the leaves with a sort of >> > wooden sword. . Then they went back through and cut it all down with a >> > blade on a long handle.....Then it was piled up at the side. I can >> > eremember cutting off sorghum heads when I was real little..maybe 7 >> > years >> > old. It was SO cold I was crying...remember cutting nicks out of my >> > knees >> > with the big Butcher knife Daddy made from a saw blade. >> > >> > The sorghum was loaded onto a wagon ..all straight and nice, and hauled >> > away....We took some of the seed heads to the house to feed the >> > chickens, >> > but I don't remember Daddy saving all the heads for winter. A mule >> > pulled >> > the long handle{sweep } that was attached to the crusher, and an >> > elderly >> > man sat up under that long sweep and fed the cane into the crusher .The >> > juice came out one side and crushed stalks came out the other..Bagasse, >> > I >> > think they call it. The juice is poured into a big flat pan that has a >> > fir burning under it. Men stir the syrup as it cooks till it get >> > thick...Once Daddy was helping a neighbor make up sorghum and he >> > brought >> > home a quart jar of the golden foam that they had skimmed off..... >> > >> > That pan they cook the syrup in has always fascinated me...They keep on >> > adding fresh syrup to it on one end , and it is stirred, stirred , >> > stirred! The heat from the fires burning under it and the men's paddles >> > causes the liquid to thicken and is moved from one end of the 'pan' to >> > another. It is then drained out into glass jugs or jars and sold or >> > used in the home kitchen as ' Long sweetnin'... >> > >> > On cold winter mornings the delicious thick syrup flowed slowwwllllyyy >> > over >> > the rim of the syrup jar ..It had beautiful amber bubbles in it and >> > they >> > would >> > stretch out like a rubber balloon. Folks said kids were as slow as >> > Sorghum molasses... Sure tasted good when we mixed molasses and butter >> > on >> > our plate, and sopped it up with one of Mama's big flaky >> > biscuits...Jeannie T >> > >> > >> > . >> > ____________________________________________________________ >> > Hate Carrying Pet Food? >> > Now you don't have to! Pet sites deliver to your door for free! >> > http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL3141/4cccfed76d89e595c3m06duc >> > >> > ------------------------------- >> > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> > SOUTHERN-CHAT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without >> > the >> > quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> SOUTHERN-CHAT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without >> the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > SOUTHERN-CHAT-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the > quotes in the subject and the body of the message