Preserving Your HarvestPreserving Your Harvest(Making Molasses(Making Molasses

and Canning Apples)and Canning Apples)

Zack HolcombZack Holcomb

Appalachian HistoryAppalachian History

December 2006December 2006

MolassesMolasses

Hundreds of years ago, molasses was used to Hundreds of years ago, molasses was used to sweeten foodsweeten food

Sugar was expensive, so farmers grew their Sugar was expensive, so farmers grew their own sweetener–molassesown sweetener–molasses

Farmers were more self-sufficient with Farmers were more self-sufficient with something they grew themselves–sorghum something they grew themselves–sorghum cane cropcane crop

Molasses making was a skill that not everyone Molasses making was a skill that not everyone possessedpossessed

MolassesMolasses

Molasses has become more scarce, because Molasses has become more scarce, because sugar is more available and cheapsugar is more available and cheap

Another reason for scarcity is the tremendous Another reason for scarcity is the tremendous amount of labor involved in making molassesamount of labor involved in making molasses

Nowadays, molasses making has become more Nowadays, molasses making has become more of a novelty than a necessity with modern of a novelty than a necessity with modern shoppingshopping

MolassesMolasses

Work for making molasses begins in early Work for making molasses begins in early May by planting BB-sized sorghum molasses May by planting BB-sized sorghum molasses seedsseeds

A few weeks later, the ground is plowed to A few weeks later, the ground is plowed to remove weeds and loosen dirtremove weeds and loosen dirt

Then the plants have to be thinned with a Then the plants have to be thinned with a broad hoe–one plant to every 6 to 8 inchesbroad hoe–one plant to every 6 to 8 inches

MolassesMolasses

A cane stalk in the field ready for harvestA cane stalk in the field ready for harvest

MolassesMolasses

Leaves must be stripped from the cane stalk Leaves must be stripped from the cane stalk while it’s still standing in the fieldwhile it’s still standing in the field

MolassesMolasses

The seed pods (tops) are cut off, and the stalks The seed pods (tops) are cut off, and the stalks are taken to the millare taken to the mill

MolassesMolasses

In the early days, power to operate mills was In the early days, power to operate mills was provided by mules or horsesprovided by mules or horses

The animals were harnessed to a pole that The animals were harnessed to a pole that turned the millturned the mill

Tractors are used todayTractors are used today Pulleys are attached to the engines to turn the Pulleys are attached to the engines to turn the

belt to power the various devicesbelt to power the various devices

MolassesMolasses

The rollers squeeze the juice from the stalkThe rollers squeeze the juice from the stalk

MolassesMolasses

The juice from the cane stalks is piped into the The juice from the cane stalks is piped into the boiler pan and strained through clean cheese boiler pan and strained through clean cheese clothcloth

MolassesMolasses

The discarded cane strips are piled up for The discarded cane strips are piled up for disposaldisposal

MolassesMolasses

This is the cooking locationThis is the cooking location

MolassesMolasses

Once the juice is strained, a fire is built Once the juice is strained, a fire is built underneathunderneath

to begin to begin

the cookingthe cooking This requiresThis requires

a lot ofa lot of

manpowermanpower

MolassesMolasses

The juice must maintain a boiling temperature The juice must maintain a boiling temperature for about six hours to make the liquid a thick, for about six hours to make the liquid a thick, golden-brown syrupgolden-brown syrup

MolassesMolasses

The juice must be constantly skimmed to remove The juice must be constantly skimmed to remove residueresidue

MolassesMolasses

The pan is removed from the fire when The pan is removed from the fire when molasses is donemolasses is done

MolassesMolasses

The cooked molasses was strained into a large The cooked molasses was strained into a large potpot

MolassesMolasses

The molasses is now ready to be dispensed The molasses is now ready to be dispensed into glass jarsinto glass jars

MolassesMolasses My favorite part was “sopping the pan”My favorite part was “sopping the pan” Any remaining residue was cleaned overnight Any remaining residue was cleaned overnight

by bees (honey bees and yellow jackets)by bees (honey bees and yellow jackets)

ApplesApples

In the not too distant past, drying, salting and In the not too distant past, drying, salting and live storage were the only ways for preserving live storage were the only ways for preserving produceproduce

In the 1790’s, Nicholas Appert discovered that In the 1790’s, Nicholas Appert discovered that heating food in sealed glass bottles prevents heating food in sealed glass bottles prevents the food from deterioration; this became the food from deterioration; this became known as canningknown as canning

ApplesApples Canning became widespread in the middle Canning became widespread in the middle

1800’s, but nobody understood why it worked1800’s, but nobody understood why it worked Louis Pasteur discovered that bacteria caused Louis Pasteur discovered that bacteria caused

most food spoilagemost food spoilage He discovered that heating food in a closed He discovered that heating food in a closed

container killed bacteria and kept other container killed bacteria and kept other bacteria from getting inbacteria from getting in

This discovery sped up the canning process This discovery sped up the canning process and led to many new canning methodsand led to many new canning methods

ApplesApples

I learned to can apples at a workshop at the I learned to can apples at a workshop at the SW Virginia Museum. SW Virginia Museum.

First, you First, you

must wash,must wash,

peel, andpeel, and

core thecore the

apples.apples.

ApplesApples

To prevent discoloration, ascorbic acid is To prevent discoloration, ascorbic acid is added to the wateradded to the water

ApplesApples

The sliced apples are placed in a large The sliced apples are placed in a large saucepan to be cooked in a light syrupsaucepan to be cooked in a light syrup

ApplesApples

The apples are The apples are boiled for five boiled for five minutes in the minutes in the syrup, sugar, and syrup, sugar, and water solution (this water solution (this is called a “hot is called a “hot pack” because we pack” because we are precooking the are precooking the fruit)fruit)

ApplesApples

Wash jars and lids thoroughly in hot soapy Wash jars and lids thoroughly in hot soapy waterwater

ApplesApples

After the apples have cooked, we fill clean jars After the apples have cooked, we fill clean jars with apple slices and syrup, leaving a ½ inch with apple slices and syrup, leaving a ½ inch

headspaceheadspace

ApplesApples

The jars are placed in The jars are placed in a boiling-water a boiling-water canner that has a canner that has a wire rack inside for wire rack inside for placementplacement

ApplesApples

There should be 2 inches of water above the There should be 2 inches of water above the tops of the jarstops of the jars

ApplesApples After processing time is complete, remove the After processing time is complete, remove the

jars with tongs and allow it to cool and sealjars with tongs and allow it to cool and seal

As the jars As the jars

cooled, we cooled, we

listened for a listened for a

“ “plink,” which plink,” which

means the jar means the jar

sealedsealed

ApplesApples

Here is my finished productHere is my finished product

ApplesApples

Canning must be carried out with scrupulous care if Canning must be carried out with scrupulous care if bacterial contamination and spoilage are to be bacterial contamination and spoilage are to be avoidedavoided

Most types of spoilage cause only minor illnessesMost types of spoilage cause only minor illnesses Botulism, however, is extremely dangerous and often Botulism, however, is extremely dangerous and often

fatalfatal This form of food poisoning is caused by toxins This form of food poisoning is caused by toxins

produced by germs that multiply in the right produced by germs that multiply in the right environmentenvironment

ApplesApples

Be sure to use the correct time, temperature, Be sure to use the correct time, temperature, and method of processing (because the spores and method of processing (because the spores that cause botulism are killed only at that cause botulism are killed only at temperatures well above boiling)temperatures well above boiling)

Always take safety precautions and discard if Always take safety precautions and discard if food is discolored, has a foul odor, or a leaky food is discolored, has a foul odor, or a leaky rimrim

It pays to be careful when canning foodIt pays to be careful when canning food

Other Preserved FoodsOther Preserved Foods

Apple ButterPickled Corn

SourcesSources http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.orghttp://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org

SoEasyToPreserve.comSoEasyToPreserve.com

Canning workshop at SW Virginia withCanning workshop at SW Virginia with Susan Herndon and Paxton AllgyerSusan Herndon and Paxton Allgyer

Reader’s Digest – “Back to Basics”Reader’s Digest – “Back to Basics”

Doug Jones (Local molasses maker and farmer)Doug Jones (Local molasses maker and farmer)

Mary Rhoton (Grandmother)Mary Rhoton (Grandmother)

Charlie Morris (Local Farmer)Charlie Morris (Local Farmer)