Old School: Making sorghum is a hot, sticky job

Willis Sexson

It has been several years since the WMAT&MA held an Fall Festival, but when the show first began the first weekend in October Frontier Village would come back to life. One of the biggest attractions we held was cooking sorghum. We would like to share a small article that was written by Connie Henley about our fall festival and one of our late members Mr. Willis Sexson.

Taken from:
Gas Engine Magazine
Sgt. C.H. Henley
September/October 1988

Each fall for the past several years, this club has had a fall get-together and festival, on the first weekend in October at Adrian, MO.

As with all growing clubs, one project has come to the front and is an increasing pleasure to watch and be a part of. Your club could also gain from this one's experience.

The project-sorghum molasses- from the field, to the press, to the boiling vat, to the capped jar on the breakfast table. It returns the club at least $1000 each year and is only limited by the available man and woman power. They sell out before it's ever made!

The Adrian club had a very active member and his wife who had moved into town from their farm, Mr. and Mrs. Willis Sexson.

He offered his old sorghum press from the old farm. The club said 'sure, bring it on.' Willis supervised rebuilding the old press, bearing, etc. and putting it on a base for use. He then built a new boiler vat and his family supervised the cooking off required to make molasses.

This all came about during the past three years.

Last summer, to the sorrow of the club, Willis passed away. His family followed in his footsteps and the sorghum cook-off went off as usual, this past October. Plus, the club made a memorial to Willis and mounted it near the sorghum works.

Well done Adrian!

Making Sorghum molasses is a hot, sticky job

-courtesy WMAT&MA Facebook page