Alabama Traditional Cane Syrup-Maker Joe Todd

In this wonderful 20 minute video, old-timer Joe Todd shows how he carries on the syrup-making traditions of his father and grandfathers.

Joe and his wife run this small organic operation by themselves and put in a lot of hard days' work to keep the tradition going. He traces his family's syrup-making efforts back to at least 1835 and still has equipment that his grandparents used.

Joe reveals some cane-growing wisdom in the video. He says that cane should be planted in the ground in furrows in October. It will grow roots all winter and get an early start sending up shoots in the Spring, giving it a head start on the growing season.

How to Cook Bok Choy

Regine from AsianGarden2Table explains in detail the simplest way to prepare and cook Bok Choy using only oil and salt. Don't even try to cook Bok Choy at home until you've watched this video!





After you've mastered the simple method above, perhaps you will be ready to add a little flavor to the Bok Choy. In the video below, Regine cooks Bok Choy with peanut oil, red pepper, garlic, and salt. You can't watch this without wanting to try it!




You can purchase fresh Bok Choy at most grocery stores and at many farmer's markets. But it's really easy to grow your own Bok Choy, so you might want to give it a try.

How to Grow Bok Choy from Seeds

You've probably seen Bok Choy in the grocery store and in local farmer's markets, or maybe you've seen it on the menu in Asian restaurants. It has a unique taste and very juicy and crunchy stems and makes an excellent quick stir-fry. I like mine stir-fried in a little sesame oil.

Regine from AsianGarden2Table gives the very best tutorial on how to grow Bok Choy, beginning from seed planting to harvest. She packs a lot of information into this one video. After you watch it, you'll feel like an expert!




If you enjoyed Regine's video on how to grow Bok Choy, you'll also be amazed at her cooking skills as she shows how to harvest, prepare, and cook Bok Choy.

Small Batch Homemade Sugar Cane Syrup the Modern Way

Here's a look at a modern method of making cane syrup at home. The main difference in this method from the old cane mills is the modern stainless steel sugar cane juicing machine.




Unlike the older way of crushing large quantities of cane in a cane mill, in this modern method all of the dirt is washed off the cane before juicing. This results in a cleaner product that requires less filtering.

This method is very doable for the home gardener with a large patch of cane. The juicing machine is not cheap, but if you like to drink fresh cane juice it may well be worth the investment. Also, it could be shared with other gardeners who also have an interest in juicing cane, whether for fresh juice or for syrup-making.

If you'd like to see how they did it in the old days, have a look at this video where some old Florida farmers show how they juice and cook about 60 gallons of cane juice into some fine syrup.

Making Cane Syrup the Old Florida Way

Here's a little culture along with your lesson on making sugar cane syrup the old-fashioned way, from the Florida Cracker Kitchen and Trading Company in Brooksville, Florida. There's quite a renewed interest in carrying on some old traditions, and syrup-making in the southern United States is making a comeback. Enjoy.




In the video they mention a "special law" in Florida that allows them to make and sell cane syrup using the old-fashioned methods without having to get all kinds of permits and inspections and all that. The law can be found in chapter 500 of the Florida Statutes and is referred to as the cottage food law. 

If this looks like too much work, have a look at a more modern method for making cane syrup in smaller batches like you might grow in a home garden.

Choosing the Best Wok for Stir-Fry Cooking

What material should a wok be made of for the best stir-fry results? You might be surprised. Regine from AsianGarden2Table.com offers some expert advice on how to choose a wok:




If you don't have time to watch the short video, her recommendation is to buy a cast-iron wok. For the details, watch the video!

Advantages of a cast-iron wok:

• Good conductor of heat;
• The more you use it the better it gets;
• May be a good source of iron in your diet;
• Performs well on electric and induction stove tops.
• Inexpensive;
• Very durable--can last several lifetimes.

Foxfire Memory: Soil Fertility

Appalachian Mountain Farm Photo credit: National Park Service 

Esco Pitts shared this memory in the Firefox 11 book of farming in Appalachia in the early 1900's:

" We didn't use any fertilizer in those days. The ground was fertile, and it grew good crops--produced well. It won't do it today. This old world is getting older, and erosion has taken off a lot of the good topsoil--put it down in the valley and washed it into the ocean. I don't know why it is, but it's that way. You can go into the mountains and clear up a brand-new ground--cut all the trees, dig up all the stumps, and plant stuff where nothing has ever been planted before--and it won't produce like it used to. We didn't have any insects back then. Nothing to bother anything. You didn't have to spray your apple trees. You didn't have to spray your beans or corn, nothing like that. It all grew and produced good, big, heavy crops." 

--Source: Foxfire 11, page 33.

It's hard to say whether this is really true, or just a case of "the older I get, the better life was..."

But it's nice to know that even people who worked hard every day just to eat still have fond memories of growing up on the farm, and are willing to share them with us.