Emily Beach
Contributor
On Tuesday, Nov. 15, the first graders from Lafayette Elementary School went on a field trip to the home of Stanley and Jeanette Ash (Sandy Bass’s parents) for a true fall tradition for Lafayette County. When they got there, sugarcane had already gone through the grinding process and the fresh juice was boiling. After Jeanette taught them all about how sugarcane grows, as well as how it is harvested, the children were able to walk through the cookhouse to see the beginning of the syrup making process. She also talked to the students about the uses of sugarcane and why it is such an important commodity, since we all love sugar!
When the syrup had cooked to just the right temperature, the students were able to go back through the cookhouse and receive a popsicle stick with polecat on the end. The polecat is the residue that forms around the rim of the kettle. Although the students were apprehensive about trying it, most of them loved the delicious sugary candy on that stick! As they were tasting their polecat, they were also able to see the bottling process of the syrup. The Ashes have their own labels and take great pride in the work that goes into producing each bottle of syrup.
The students were able to have lunch in the Ashes barn, then went back over to the cookhouse area to see how the cane goes through the press that squeezes out its juice. Kimberly Fletcher got the job of putting the cane through the press, and the kids were able to watch the juiceless leftovers come out on the other side. They were then able to have a taste of the pure cane juice, which is used to make the syrup.
At the end of the day, it was time for dessert. The kids were given large jars full of cream, and their teachers explained to them, after they all took a turn shaking it, the cream would turn into butter. Little did the students know Jeanette was inside baking everyone a biscuit so they could have a hot buttered treat covered in the fresh, sweet cane syrup that had just been made. The kids enjoyed a biscuit and juice to finish out such an eventful and fun day!