• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Biscuits & Burlap logo

  • Home
  • Browse Recipes
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Browse Recipes
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Southern Classics » Cane Grinding 2014

    Published: Jun 2, 2015 · Modified: Sep 16, 2021 by Pam

    Cane Grinding 2014

    Thanks for sharing!

    0 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Yummly
    • Email

    Murphy Farms in Jennings, Florida is the site of an annual event that our family is a part of. Mildred Murphy is the matriarch of the family and is my (Pam’s) aunt. My mother, who passed away last March, was her sister. Our trip to Hamilton County, Florida (just south of the Florida/Georgia state line) began with a visit to the local library, where a rocking chair had been donated in my mother’s memory. Between Sara and me is my sister-in-law, Carol Gornto.

    IMG_0024

    From there it was on to the farm, for a day of food, fellowship with family and friends, skeet shooting, rides through the beautiful farm country in a “party wagon”, and all the preparation that goes into making Murphy Farms Cane Syrup.

    This is the view from out in front of my Aunt Mildred’s house and a shot of her house. My Daddy always called this “God’s Country”. I guess you can see why. I know I can.

    IMG_0153
    IMG_0156
    IMG_0206

    I wish Sara or I could take credit for this awesome wreath, but it was a gift to my cousin Jimmy’s wife, Debbie. It hangs on one of the doors of the “Pack House” which is the center of activities for the Cane Grinding. It is far too small, however, to house the 100+ people at the farm for the day.

    IMG_0157

    The Pack House was originally used to process tobacco, which was the main crop on the farm for many years. A good many family members plus seasonal workers would string the tobacco onto sticks for drying in a separate barn, and the Pack House is also where the tobacco would be removed from the sticks for packing into burlap sacks and transporting to the auction house. It had fallen into disrepair after other crops took over at the farm. A few years ago it was decided that the Pack House should be revived and restored and is used now as a gathering place.

    IMG_0160
    IMG_0181

    The first step in the process of making the syrup is the actual grinding of the sugar cane. In the old days the mill was operated by mule power. All Cane Grinding “newbies” like to take a turn feeding the cane into the mill.

    IMG_0226

    The juice gets transferred into a large copper vat, appropriately named the “syrup kettle”, which is located in a shed on the back of the Pack House, appropriately named the “syrup shed”. We’re a creative bunch. The syrup then gets cooked for several hours and must have constant stirring. When it gets close to being ready to bottle, a candy forms at the edge of the kettle. It gets scraped off with bits of cane and is a pre-syrup treat called “pole cat”. Don’t ask me where that name comes from. Sara and her friend, Anthony partake of a little pole cat.

    IMG_0210

    The syrup is then ladeled through a cheesecloth filter into a tub fitted with a spigot for bottling.

    IMG_0215
    IMG_0214
    IMG_0221

    This year’s label features my mother’s four living siblings, Mildred, Durwood, Etheridge and Shirley.

    About the time the warm syrup is bottled hot biscuits appear (by magic, right Brenda?) and it’s time for biscuits and syrup, no matter how recently you finished eating that huge meal of barbeque and creamed corn, dozens of other vegetables and desserts galore!

    This is my cousin Jimmy Murphy, cleaning out the syrup kettle. Check out his nifty T shirt!

    IMG_0219
    IMG_0220

    Throughout the afternoon there is skeet shooting over the field behind the packhouse. Sara takes a “shot” herself!

    IMG_0176
    IMG_0172


    A favorite activity of the younger set is a ride through the farm country in the “party wagon”. This year there had been a lot of rain and those country roads were a bit bumpy.

    IMG_0188

    IMG_0193 IMG_0196 Yes sir, Daddy, you were right. This is God’s country.

    Check out Aunt Mildred’s Foolproof Brownies right here.

    If you happened upon this post from the early days of Biscuits and Burlap bless your heart.

    An updated post of the Cane Grinding 2016 is now on-line.

    Wow, you found an old post! Did you know we’re a food blog now?

    Check out some of our favorite Southern recipes below!

    • country fried steak, potatoes and beans
      Country Fried Steak
    • stack of 3 biscuits with pimento cheese
      Pimento Cheese Biscuits
    • chewie recipe on a rack
      Charleston Chewies
    • Southern Fried Shrimp
    • buttermilk biscuits piled up
      Easy Buttermilk Biscuits
    • shrimp & grits in bowl
      Shrimp and Grits
    • slice of pecan pie with whole pie and small pumpkin behind
      Classic Pecan Pie
    • creamed corn overhead in blue pottery bowl
      Old Fashioned Creamed Corn
    • Buttermilk Pie
      Classic Buttermilk Pie

    Categories: Southern Classics Tags: food events

    Reader Interactions

    Tell us what you think! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Hey, y'all!

    Pam and Sara sitting on blanket with picnic.
    Photo cred: Angie Webb Creative

    We’re Pam and Sara, a Southern mother/daughter team on a mission. We’re here to help you keep those precious food memories alive and create new ones, too. 

    Read more-

    Recent Posts

    • Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies with Brown Butter
    • Crustless Breakfast Quiche
    • Southwestern Salad: Entree’ or Side
    • Creamy Gorgonzola Dressing

    Christmas Dishes

    • Key Lime Cookies
    • Brioche French Toast Casserole
    • Vegetable Au Gratin
    • Roasted Carrots and Green Beans

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Us
    • Disclosures and Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact Us
    • Work With Us

    Copyright © 2021 Biscuits & Burlap

    0 shares