The journal. (Caldwell, Ohio) 1934-1961, 1959-09-17
Sorghum Mill
Continued from page one

Continued from page one
the worker.
Once it is considered "done"
in the finishing vat, the hot boil
ing juice, which has since been
transformed into thick syrup,
is permitted to enter the cool
ing vat. Here it is permitted to
remain for a short period of time.
From the cooling vat the GUS
toners jugs are filled with the
molasses that has been primed
from the sugar cane.
Today's operation is quite
different from years past, ac-
cording to the master sorghum
maker Of Gem.
Normally, the season opens
with the ripening of the sugar
cane in the late summer. This
year Mr.. Ball opened operations
on Tuesday and expects to con-
tinue making sorghum until the
middle of October of early fall.
During this time the Gem
plant will process about 1000
gallons. According to Mr.. Ball,
back when practically every
farmer in the area raised a
couple acres of sugar cane, the
season would extend itself well
into the month of November.
Normally with a good season,
5000 gallons would be considered
a good run.
When asked about the number
of customers the mill would
serve this year, Mr.. Ball re-
marked that it would be difficult
to say, since customers come
from far and near. This is be-
cause so few mills are now
operating.
For instance, on Saturday, Roy
Miller, of GAINESVILLE, formerly
of Fulda, had a "batch" made
up. Miller's supply of sugar cane
realized for him % gallons of
the finished molasses.
In recent years the largest
single customer of the Gem mill
is the Mt. Ephraim Methodist
church. Every year for the past
few summers, members combine
their efforts to raise several
acres of sugar cane and then, sell
the sorghum as means Of pro-
viding additional revenue for the
church. Last year the church
group had nearly 200 gallons
which they successfully sold to
the public.
A normal "batch" amounts tc
four or five gallons. Usually two
hours are required to complete
the days initial run. Subsequ.
ent patches take about one-hal1
hour after the coal-fired furnaces
have heated the metal vats. Dur
ing an eight-hour day, the Gem
mill can process conveniently
so gallons.
Replacing the .old-time, now
discarded .horse-drawn grinding
mill, Mr.. Ball stepped up pro
duction in his operation by in
stalling a four horsepower ga:
engine which does an excellent
| job in separating the juice from
| the sugar cane.
| Occasionally the Gem molasse:
maker will add his artistic toucf
to improve his product. During
the final stages when heating
the molasses to a hot boil, Bal
will add squares of butter.
| When asked what the purpose
of this was he replied, well
| just in case the person eating
the molasses cannot afford but
| ter, see to it that he has both.
i Seriously speaking, Mr.. Bal
remarked that the butter has
definite purpose in making goot
molasses. During the final heat
ing stages it helps in breaking
down the size of the bubbles
thus allowing each segment O
the Juice to be fully and properly
filtered.
Ball remains congenial in hi
every day task. He explains tt
his customers some of the fine
points in caring for the molasse
after it is made. A word of thu
wise and his experience taugh
him that a jug containing >;
small amount Of water at tn
time it is filled, will spoil th'
molaSSes.
To avoid any such misfortune
to his customers, Mr.. Ball prio
to filling jugs always expose
them to the sun for thorougl