My molasses culinary adventure in fall 2020 with Mr. Doug Harrell!
Edit to this post… I went on a seek and find mission on facebook to see if I could find information on my friend and his family. I found a post Mr. Doug was able to make yesterday 9/29/24…. perhaps the last one for a while due to immense destruction up on his mountain. Join me in prayer for them and everybody in such dire circumstances. Roads are out and may be weeks before any sort of access is available for more updates up there!
(UPDATE: 10/8… Mr. Doug called! I was so happy to hear from him. A lot of trees down all around the farm… tree fell on house and molasses making building down. Most roads around with small private bridges into towns are down… and likely will not have power for 5-6 months… but they have a whole house generator. Helicopters flying overhead bringing supplies to community… said they still need prayers… so keep it up!)
It has been a while since this trip, perhaps my favorite of all culinary adventures. This morning, as I see Hurricane Helene making her way up through the gulf into southern states with potential of visiting western North Carolina, memories of this adventure popped into my head. You see, back in September of 2020 when I was preparing to head up to Harrell Hill Farm in Bakersville, Hurricane Laura had passed through the area just days before… a worrisome storm as it could have wreaked havoc on the sorghum crop just at harvest time.
With that on my mind, and a note on my “to do” list to call and catch up with Mr. Doug, I did just that this morning. And realized too, although my story was featured in Carolina Country Magazine fall 2021, how is it that I’ve never put this wonderful culinary adventure on my blog?
As always I had such a lovely chat with him… who will be 81 next week! He always enjoys hearing from me and always invites me back too! A trip I hope to repeat again one of these days. And one you might consider one fall too. Mr. Doug and his family love sharing the making of sorghum molasses with others.
As I told him he’s been on my mind and seeing the reports this morning of Helene possibly heading that way, I just had to take a few minutes to check in… as thoughts of Laura 4 years ago are still fresh in my mind. Mr. Doug told me they have done one harvest and molasses making, and planned to do the other this Friday but have to postpone a bit due to this worrisome storm moving through… “but you’re always welcome to come back up here Wendy and get some molasses.” Y’all… the best molasses EVER! (NOTE: This was the day Helene came to town… so no molasses were made.)
I’ll just let y’all go and read all about my excursion here… a feature story back in September 2021 in Carolina Country Magazine! If you ever want an enjoyable, tasty and educational adventure with some salt-of-the-earth folks, reach out to Mr. Doug before fall and make a plan to visit! He would just love having you…
And if you need a place to stay, I recommend this bed and breakfast in Spruce Pine… The Richmond Inn Bed and Breakfast… where I was truly doted over. I told no one, but I was SOOO sick driving up… thought I had covid and shouldn’t go, but but tested twice the couple of days before before hitting the road and fortunately, I did not have it… just a miserable old stomach bug. When I arrived, I didn’t even have strength to tote my bags up the steps, so Innkeeper Maggie took to my room and got me in place. I called a local restaurant (yikes, can’t remember the name!) to see if they could deliver a bland meal for me (just some mac and cheese)… they don’t typically do that, but did for me and I was SO grateful! THAT is small town customer service!
The next morning before I headed over to the farm, Maggie asked me what I felt like eating with my funky stomach and fixed me a special breakfast… just some soft scrambled eggs and dry toast for my woozy tummy… just what I needed!
I was SO worried about being out remotely on a farm… with strangers, making molasses and having diarrhea! Which, fortunately, due to immense praying (for the first time ever to ‘be constipated’… LOL), I didn’t need to use the porta-potty there once!
I just can’t say enough good things about this whole trip! And surely hope to do it again one day. Till then, I share with you and hope you get a little taste of this magnificent day for me! Don’t miss all my pictures down below.
I’m so ready for the next culinary adventure… where should that be?
This culinary adventure published in Carolina Country Magazine September 2021 (may be used with credit or link to my blog here or WendyPerry.com)
Photography by Wendy Perry
Carolina Country Magazine Contributing Recipes Editor
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