Sorghum molasses seed

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  • April 5, 2011 at 11:53 pm #42599
    tsigmon
    Participant

    I’m looking for some sorghum seed to to make molasses. I have been told that in my particular area I should plant a varity called Dale but Im willing to try any varity if I can get. As of now I can’t find seed anywhere locally.
    This is a new venture for me so I don’t really know how much to plant. All of the advice I’ve gotten so far is that I need 1/2 -3/4 of an acre to get me started. Can anyone point me in the right direction to find seed or does anyone have seed to sell? Any advice on planting, growing, or cooking wuld be greatly appreiciated.

    Tim

    April 6, 2011 at 12:56 am #66635
    dominiquer60
    Moderator

    Tim,
    I don’t know anything about sorghum for molasses, however I did see what seems to be a few good varieties in the Bakers Creek Seed catalog this morning. You can find them at http://www.rareseeds.com
    They have small quantities in the catalog but it doesn’t hurt to ask for larger discounted quantities.

    Good Luck,
    Erika

    April 6, 2011 at 2:21 am #66645
    Mac
    Participant

    Tim:
    Where are you located at, exactly? My family has raised “soggrums” for years. We usually raise Blue Ribbon or Rox Orange. The Blue Ribbon makes more juice in our kind of ground, or so we think. The Rox Orange is better for fodder than ‘lasses, or, again, so we think. We’re located in Arkansas, by the way. I’ll try to help you with any questions that you have, but I don’t usually make the stuff. I just feed the mill or drive the team.
    Mac

    April 6, 2011 at 4:28 am #66634
    near horse
    Participant

    Hi Tim,

    You might contact Tiller’s International in Scotts, MI about seed sources. If I recall, they did (and maybe still do) a sorghum pressing with cane I always thought they’d grown and harvested themselves.

    Isn’t it amazing how seed for certain plants/crops that were so common a generation or so back are so hard to find now days? I found that when looking for flax seed used for growing flax for linen as opposed to oil or seed.

    Keep looking because there’s always someone out there who has conserved the seed – just got to find ’em.

    April 6, 2011 at 8:53 pm #66630
    tsigmon
    Participant

    Thanks for all of the replies and help. I’m in Union , SC which is in the central piedmont part of the state. I have checked with several of the rare seed and seed conservatories but to tell you the truth, they seem more interested in making money. I have no problem with a free market economy, but most of these folks are getting $0.5 – $1/ gram for sorghum seed. That comes out to $227 to $454/POUND .Too much for me. I found a variety called West…. something from Nixa Hardware in Nixa MO for $3/ pound plus shipping .

    Just got two phone calls since trying to post. Cooks Feed And Seed in Gaffney SC has “Della” a Dale backcross for $54/ 25 lbs bag and a call from near Rockingham that said a feed&seed near him usually has Dale and Sugar Drip for $3-$4/ lb. I hope the one near Rockingham pans out ’cause Dale is the variety I have been advised to use in this area by several old past molasses makers. If not i”ll try the Della for the price. Thanks again for the help and I’ll let ya’ll know when and where I get seed.

    Tim

    April 6, 2011 at 10:04 pm #66639
    Mike Rock
    Participant

    Gristmillers@gristmillers.com
    >>> http://lists.gristmillers.com/mailman/listinfo/gristmillers

    Syrupmakers@syrupmakers.net
    http://lists.syrupmakers.net/mailman/listinfo/syrupmakers

    If these two lists don’t keep you in trouble nothing will.

    Ask on Gristmillers for seed and stand back!~ Many folks will share seed for postage alone.

    A wealth of knowledge and these guys are devoted to making sure it stays in the world, not in the grave.

    Most respectfully,
    Mike Rock

    April 6, 2011 at 10:15 pm #66640
    Mike Rock
    Participant

    Growing Organic Sorghum for Syrup
    Sweet sorghum is a high-value crop that grows well in Kentucky and has very few … sorghum on June 6th, using an Earthway row seeder fitted with a ‘radish’ …
    organic.kysu.edu/Sorghum.shtml – Cached – Similar

    http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/sorghumsyrup.html

    nssppa.org/Sorghum_Production.html

    There….that ought’a keep you occupied for a bit!!

    Those are the folks that know the most. Morris Bitzer passed on last year.
    He sold me my first seeds and spent time walking me through the whole process.
    He loved to teach.

    Mike

    April 7, 2011 at 10:24 am #66631
    tsigmon
    Participant

    Got 2 calls yesterday afternoon about sorghum seed. Cooks farm Supply in Gaffney has “Della”, a “Dale” cross for $54/25lb bag. Another fella is checking at his local feed and seed near Rockingham, NC . He says they normally carry Dale and Sugar Drip for $3-$4/ lb if you don’t want a whole bag.

    I had checked the rare seed and seed conservatories and found seed but boy were they expensive. Anywhere from 50 seeds for $3 plus shipping onup to $4 dollars per 7 grams . At the gram price that comes out to about $260/lb. I think they are wanting to conserve a little more than seed

    I’m in the central piedmont of SC for those who asked . Thanks for all the help and replies and I’ll let ya’ll know as things progress.

    Tim

    April 8, 2011 at 1:53 am #66641
    Smalltown
    Participant

    We grew our first crop of Sorghum cane last year and made Syrup. Planted about 2ac. of M81e (sounds like an anti-tank gun or something I know) that I ordered from Mississipi State University. http://msucares.com/crops/sorghum/descriptions.html

    Their seeds are open pollinated (non GMO) and the folks I talked with were very helpfull. I think it cost me $50 to plant the 2 acres. We planted the M81e because it has a thicker base and therefore won’t lodge (blow over, which ruins the crop) as easily. We planted the second week of June and it was ready by early Oct…

    Here are some pics of us making syrup…http://barnhousenews.blogspot.com/2011/03/sorghum.html

    Sorghum is fun 😀 and we plan to plant more this year.

    April 8, 2011 at 2:14 am #66638
    Tim Harrigan
    Participant

    Nice harvest festival. Great website. Thanks for the music.

    April 8, 2011 at 10:52 am #66632
    tsigmon
    Participant

    Smalltown, do you have contact information or order form for Mississippi State?

    Tim

    April 8, 2011 at 10:53 am #66633
    tsigmon
    Participant

    Smalltown, do you have contact information or order form for Mississippi State to get seed?

    Tim

    April 8, 2011 at 12:33 pm #66642
    Smalltown
    Participant

    Try this link… http://msucares.com/crops/seed/order/sweet_sorghum2.pdf
    The number is (662) 325-2390. If you call them they could probably tell you which variety is best for your area or at least the merits of each type.

    April 8, 2011 at 12:37 pm #66643
    Smalltown
    Participant

    @Tim Harrigan 26196 wrote:

    Nice harvest festival. Great website. Thanks for the music.

    Thanks! It was a lot of fun with Friends and Family and a few folks who just saw us and stopped by.

    April 13, 2011 at 5:59 am #66636
    OldKat
    Participant

    Yes, really nice pictures and I am sitting here listening to your play list when I should be asleep!

    Just curious, Smalltown, what state are you in? Don’t see any mention of it on your blog.

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