White’s Mountain Event Set for Sept. 29-Oct. 1

Making sorghum syrup is a process handed down through generations, and White’s Mountain is sharing its history, how it’s done and of course, the sweet taste with the public in a festival that kicks off Thursday, Sept. 29, and goes through Saturday, Oct. 1.

Stripping of the cane field has begun, and a photo session and unloading cane from the fields are set for Sept. 29 at 10 a.m. at White’s Mountain in St. Clair Springs.

On Sept. 30 at 8 a.m., pressing and cooking cane will begin. And on Oct. 1 at 8 a.m., cooking and bottling will be the main event.

It’s a free, public event at White’s Mountain Park, 400 Whites Mountain Lane, Springville.

What’s involved?

The process of making sorghum syrup from a crop which was commonly grown throughout the South during the days of our ancestors, supplied a very important food staple for rural families of this period.

The syrup, with its distinctive flavor and sweetness, was a very popular ingredient for home baked treats and meals. The Sorghum was easily stored, and several jars were procured for later consumption and secured in pantries or root cellars.

As the cane – grown on individual farms – matured, the farmers initiated the syrup making process by stripping the leaves and seed heads from the cane, cutting the mature cane and transporting it to a centrally located mill where the juice was pressed from the cane.

The Sorghum cane juice was collected and poured into a long metal pan or sometimes a large round pan and was carefully and slowly cooked into a golden, delicious syrup. When the syrup reached the desired color and consistency, it was bottled and returned to the cane owner minus the processing fee, which went to the mill operator as payment for making the syrup.

The finished product became popular throughout the South for its distinctive flavor and became a very desirable addition to ancestral as well as modern day pantries and recipes.

The traditional process of making syrup (sorghum) from home grown cane is performed each September at White’s Mountain Park.