SPECIAL HAPPENING

Cane grinding-Syrup making

If you grow cane we can make your syrup for you. Call us at 850-638-8243 for more information.

PURE CANE SYRUP

Up at daylight and re-clean the kettle. We did it yesterday evening but it always needs a redo before putting the cane juice in. Our kettle is well over a hundred years old. It was the property of Mr. Billy Boy and Verna Neal who lived near Dellwood, Florida. I purchased it from Mrs. Verna in 1986. We have made syrup off and on since then.

The Maphis family made syrup in the Dellwood area from around 1910 until 1956. I remember the piles of crushed cane stalks and mom and dad drawing the syrup off in gallon jugs when it was finished. All the family would be involved along with the neighbors. It is still like that today at our farm.

I look up shortly after daylight and here comes Raymond with his horse Dorcas who will pull the lever on the cane mill.

Dorcas is twenty years old but well up to the task. She works for about an hour to crush enough cane stalks to fill the 100 gallon kettle.

Once it is full the fire is lit and we skim and wait for the juice to come to a boil.

The juice will be boiling by the time the ladies have breakfast cooked.

They cook it over the chimney using the excess heat created from the boiling of the juice. Biscuits, sausage and fresh syrup are hard to beat.

After a short break to eat breakfast, we get back to skimming the juice.

This process will continue until the juice has been reduced to syrup. We know that we have syrup when it sheets from the dipper about 1to 2 inches wide. We check this to be sure with a sugar hydrometer. Mom and Dad did not have one of these. When we are sure the syrup is ready, it is dipped out of the kettle and strained into a stainless steel container.

From it, we will put it in jars and seal them.

The days work yields about one gallon of syrup for each 10 galloons of juice.

Syrup making is a simple process that takes all day. Done right it can be a great day visiting with family, friends and visitors.

Live Christmas Tree Care

We invite you to bring the family anytime we are open and tag your choose and cut tree and ask any questions you have about its care. The trees we have are different in many aspects. You can elect to have a trimmed or untrimmed tree. You may want your tree painted or unpainted. We can also supply you with a stand specifically designed for your tree. You may want to have a potted tree that you can plant outside to remember that special Christmas by or maybe a special loved one.