Reliving the "good ole days"

An old fashioned sorghum harvest and cooking was like a step back in time on Saturday as a large group gathered at the Poor Boy's Garden in Caraway.

Kenny and Barbara Weathers, Leland Dowless, Gary Fletcher and Darrell Anderson are getting ready for the old-fashioned sorghum harvest at the Poor Boy's Garden in Caraway.

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Kenny and Barbara Weathers hosted the event at the Poor Boy's Garden where about one fourth acre of sorghum had been planted about four months ago and was ready for the harvest.

The sorghum mill has been around the Caraway area since 1940. It has been a community mill since 1943. The mill originally came from Orgill Brothers in Memphis. The mill sold for $180 in the 1940's.

Weathers said the Orgill Company started in 1847 and is still in business today.

Billie and Bobbie know how to work the sorghum mill.

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Weathers said it is heavy and had not been used for about 30 years. He soaked it down with cooking oil and got it up and running.

Melton Emery said he was glad to see the sorghum mill up and running. It once belonged to Mr. Bogan who made sorghum for everyone.

"People would bring cane from everywhere to make sorghum," Emery said.

Emery said he got the mill from Carl Bell.

A pair of Belgium horses (Billie and Bobbie) belonging to Carey and Molly Pfeifer of Jonesboro, came to Caraway to work the mill. The horses are used for plow shows, sorghum making and riding.

In addition to making sorghum, everyone enjoyed hot dogs, music, and an old-fashioned day of visiting.

Willie Whitney and Violet Alexander of Manila were among the visitors at the Poor Boy's Garden. They said the mill brought memories of their childhood when their fathers, W.W. Caery and LV. Waddell, made sorghum in the Black Water Community 76 years ago.