[Syrupmakers] Ozark, AL Syrup Meeting a Success

[DBACrownhoney at aol.com]

Man I wish I could have come.
 
JT
 
 
 
In a message dated 1/12/2008 8:38:13 P.M. Central Standard Time,  
rharrison922 at yahoo.com writes:

    About 50 to 60 syrup enthusiasts met at Ozark  today(January 12, 2008) 
for discussion of syrupmaking and syrup taste testing.  Most people there were 
syrupmakers. One man from Shelby, AL is exporting syrup  to Japan--as he says, 
"at a profit" ! Another man from Ohio wanted 100 pints  labeled and ready for 
resale.... These are 2 of the highlights of the  meeting.
    The award for the best sorghum syrup(4 entries--I  thought there would be 
more) went to David White of Blountstown. I had tasted  his sorghum syrup 
before and felt that he had the cleanest tasting sorghum  syrup that I had ever 
tasted. The syrup tasters confirmed that  today by voting his syrup the best in 
a "blind" taste test. No one knew whose  syrup they were tasting--it only had 
a number on it.
    The best tasting sugarcane syrup(of about 16  entries) award went to 
Richard Harrison--who submitted a light-colored  syrup made from # 8 Cold Hardy 
sugarcane(from Quincy Experiment Station) which  he grew on unirrigated ground 
which went unfertilized this past season as  well--due to drought severity. 
(the syrup was actually cooked by Tommy Duggar  in Bristol on an 80 gallon 
kettle. Tommy has cooked syrup for 20 years. So  credit is deserved to Tommy.)
    Willard Smith presented a lecture and discussion on  syrupmaking. Clyde 
Smith presented a short lecture, discussion and had printed  information on 
sorghum syrupmaking in Alabama and other printed info,  too.
    David White gave some information about propane  burners and a discussion.
    We had 1 member who reported that his syrup never  crystallizes. We want 
to learn his secret. He had a very interesting method  for determining when to 
take up the syrup which he learned from his father :  he drops a drop of 
syrup into a glass of water and if it reaches the bottom  without dissolving, it's 
syrup....never heard this one before.
    Marshall Griggs(SSA member) and Thomas  Agee(extension agent) were our 
hosts for the meeting and they did a great  job. It was our first SSA meeting of 
this type.
    Another similar syrup meeting is scheduled for  Thursday night(January 
17,2008) in Marianna, FL at the Extension office  at 6:30 p.m.CST. Everyone is 
invited to come and taste syrups.
                                               Richard Harrison, vice 
president, SSA


 
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