DRIPPING SPRINGS BABBLE: SORGHUM PRESSING AND PROCESSING @ ONION CREEK FARM THIS WEEKEND

SORGHUM PRESSING AND PROCESSING @ ONION CREEK FARM THIS WEEKEND

Onion Creek Farm planted "Honey Drip" Sweet Sorghum this spring. It is an heirloom variety grown by folks in this area in the early 1900s. Back in the day, everyone had a sorghum patch and, when it was ready, neighbors would gather to press the cane and cook it to make their sweetener for the year (sorghum syrup or "molasses").

The first planting at the farm is ready to press and process this weekend and they need help! The projected schedule is crack o' dawn Friday morning (7/17) for stripping leaves off the cane in the field and, on Saturday afternoon (after the Farmers Market), to cut seed tops, cut cane in field, and press in an antique horizontal sorghum press. Finally, on Sunday morning, cook the juice in a huge custom made copper batch pan, skimming constantly, until it turns to syrup. Bottle the syrup. Hot job!

If you are interested in helping and an opportunity to experience an "old way'" that was essential to life in this region, drop us an email at driptips@gmail.com and we'll get it passed along.

Photograph of Honey Drip Sweet Sorghum at Onion Creek Farm by Micah McCain.