Mule-drawn cane mill back at festival
Published 4:00 am Thursday, October 29, 2015
Todd owns and operates Todd’s Syrup Farm and Country Store in Headland but he’s a
hometown boy. He grew up in the Hamilton Crossroads community and was educated in the Brundidge schools.
“I went to school on the old water tank hill until the new school was built on South Main Street so, I am a hometown boy,” Todd said. “I look forward to the Peanut Butter Festival every year. I get to see folks I haven’t seen in a long time and to be a part of a great festival.”
The Todd family has been making syrup for the communities they called home since 1835.
“That’s six generations of syrup making,” Todd said. “Our family helped settle South Georgia and Alabama around the time Alabama became a state.”
Over the years and through the generations, the Todds have perfected the art of syrup making and it all starts with growing the best sugar cane.
“We kind of feel like we make the best cane syrup anywhere around,” Todd said. “Good cane syrup starts with the cane and we’ll be grinding our cane at the Peanut Butter Festival with a mule-drawn mill. Don Renfroe’s mule will be doing the work and we’ll have cane juice for sampling and for selling.”
And, of course, Todd will have plenty of his cane syrup for sale. And, what makes him especially proud to be selling his syrup in his hometown is that it’s made and bottled right in Brundidge at Southern Classic Foods.
Todd will also have other specialty homemade products that he sells at his Country Store in Headland.
“We’ll have the things that we make right on the farm — jams, jellies, relishes and sweet, crispy pickles made from my grandmother’s recipe,” he said.
And Todd will have his barbecue sauce that took three top honors at the State of Texas Barbecue Cook-off in April, after having participating in the Oktoberfest in Dothan.
Todd’s cane mill will be just one of the old-time demonstrations that will be highlighted at the 24th Peanut Butter Festival. Other demonstrations will include corn shucking, blacksmithing, spinning, quilting, pottery making, straw broom making, churning, corn shuck doll making, woodcarving and basket making.
The Peanut Butter Festival will kickoff at 9 a.m. Saturday on the grounds of the historic Bass House. The festival will feature entertainment, arts and crafts, a Peanut Butter Recipe Contest and the Nutter Butter Parade.