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[<eureka AT hctc.net>]

That's what we're trying to come up with, a source for 
sugar. We've already established my maple won't make syrup 
because we don't have enough cold weather to make it run. 
I like the idea of keeping bees, but I was very allergic 
to them as a kid, although an adult allergy test says I'm 
not allergic to them anymore. It's probably too cold and 
arid here for sugar cane. We've grown beets with some 
success except the pill bugs like them too. Soil is so 
rocky and they are kind of deformed so sugar might be a 
better use for them. I have no idea how to get sugar out 
of beets but I suppose it's a boiling down process. Has 
anyone made sugar from beets?

One thing we can grow is agave, and agave nectar is now 
being sold as a syrup here. I'm not too keen on how it 
tastes on anything, it has an after taste. They are 
perennial, and large, and, um, very pointy. I suppose I 
could get those going for cooking sugar and make tequila 
too!

--Sage
Way Out in Texas

On Sat, 1 Nov 2008 12:10:34 -0400
 Lynn Wigglesworth <lynnw1366 AT hotmail.com> wrote:
> This reminds me again of how many different natural 
> sweeteners there 
> are. I've made maple syrup and sugar; that's something 
> that anyone can 
> do on any scale. I like maple sugar in almost everything 
> except coffee.
>
> Lynn Wigglesworth
> Tioga County, PA
>
> eureka AT hctc.net wrote:
> > Wow, what great memories of molasses making you and Don 
> > both have from growing up. Guess I always thought the 
> > seeds were used not the plant stalk, but it does make 
> > sense that's where the sugars would be stored. Sounds 
> > like 
> > I would not have a way to make the molasses if I grew 
> > it...I don't have horses or a press of any sort...
> >
> > --Sage
> >
> >
> >
> > On Sat, 01 Nov 2008 01:35:19 -0400
> >   SJC  wrote:
> > > > > We have a rogue sorghum plant that comes up in our 
> > > > > garden 
> > > > > every year. Has anyone ever grown it and made their own 
> > > > > molasses?
> > > > >
> > > > >     
> > > Where I grew up (west central IN) making molasses was a 
> > > community 
> > > activity like butchering or threshing or shelling 
> > > peas.....
> > >
> > > Basically the process was to macerate the plants (mules 
> > > operated big 
> > > rollers), press the macerated plants (mules again, big 
> > > press), then boil 
> > > down the sap in large flat pans over wood fires (kids to 
> > > tend), very 
> > > carefully, until enough water is out of it that it won't 
> > > spoil.  I don't 
> > > know how they tested for that, but know that was the 
> > > critical part that 
> > > one old fellow in our neighborhood was in charge of. 
> > > Couldn't quit 
> > > until Elmer said it was done.
> > >
> > > Then we filled all the crocks and jugs everybody had 
> > > brought, had a 
> > > giant feed, spent the rest of the day visiting.  Go home 
> > > to chore.  Bed 
> > > late.
> > >
> > > SusanJane, in Maine
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