Down On The Farm
Making Molasses


Above: Carol Brings a Load of Cane From the Field

 A few years ago Ned Hearl and cousin Bud Hearl were discussing interesting things they might do now that both were retired from their jobs and the subject of making molasses came up. Ned, never having lived on the farm, was intrigued by the idea and having land and farming equipment decided to pursue it further..
Bud remembered his father, Joe Hearl, had grown cane and made many gallons of molasses when he was a boy living at the old Hearl home place in Childress Hollow but, of course, he knew very little about the process, but neither of them let their lack of knowledge deter them.
Before spring came, Ned located an old cane mill and brought it home. It looked like a pile of junk but soon he and Bud had figured out what was needed to rebuild it. Ned had white oak timbers sawed to restock it and soon it looked better than when new!
A local metal shop built a stainless steel boiling pan for processing the cane juice and a furnace was soon constructed and a processing shed built. Everything could be done out of the weather, except growing and harvesting the sorghum cane.
Spring planting time came and Bud and Ned planted and cultivated the cane crop.
A pump was installed in a spring on the farm and water piped to the processing shed. Ned experimented with winches to lift the large pan from the fire, everything was ready when the time came to make the first batch of molasses..


Above: Bud Feeds the Cane Stalks Through the Mill

Left: The back side of the newly reconstructed cane mill, note the fine workmanship done by Ned and Bud. Ned worked as an electronic engineer and Bud spent many years as a machinist  building ships and submarines. Restocking a cane mill was not a part of their former occupations, however they managed to do it and it performed very well when the Farmall tractor started the rollers turning! Soon enough cane juice was squeezed out to fill the pan and a fire was built in the furnace. Steam began rising, they were making molasses!
Soon several of the neighbors came to help and give advice, it is a continuous operation and everyone took turns skimming the foam off.


Ned Takes a Break for Refreshment and wonders if this batch will ever be finished!
 


The Younger Folks Look on as a Neighbor Takes a Turn


Mr. Anderson had made Molasses before and was a great help, constantly skimming the foam from the, steaming, boiling juice.

Right: After about eight hours of boiling and skimming, the molasses is ready to be put in the jars and everyone goes home with a sample to try with hot buttered biscuits next morning!


Growing Sorghum Cane and Making Molasses is Hard Work but Everyone  Enjoyed the Finished Product!

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Louise, left, peers into the steaming pan as she joins in the skimming process. She was an old hand at molasses making and could hardly wait to make a molasses stack cake.