Pickett's Autumn Gold Sorghum

In late August through mid-October, Ronnie Pickett rises at 1:00 a.m. to start making sorghum. Like his father and grandfather before him, he takes advantage of the cooler evening air to work in the steamy room that houses the equipment used to extract the juice from the sorghum cane, which was harvested on his farm 18 hours earlier, and then slowly cooks the juice down until it thickens into a sweet syrup called sorghum.

Ronnie and his wife, Janice, operate Pickett's Autumn Gold Sorghum in Sheridan, Indiana. The business was started by Ronnie's grandfather, Robert Warren Pickett, in 1913. Robert was an entrepreneur who manufactured buggy wheels before he got into the apple cider making business and finally settled into the sorghum operation that still exists today. According to Ronnie, the demand for sorghum was especially high in the 1940s and 1950s but he's seen a decline in the popularity of the syrup as consumers have gravitated toward granulated sugar and honey as preferred sweeteners. "The younger generations aren't familiar with the product so they don't know how to use it," Ronnie recently told me as I toured the farm with him and Janice.

In an effort to help people learn how to cook with and use sorghum, his wife Janice wrote and published a cookbook called "SORGHUM COOKBOOK: Bakers Delights". In the publication, she describes its nutritional value (Sorghum contains calcium, potassium, magnesium, and protein.), how to use it in place of honey and sugar in your recipes, and offers a variety of delicious recipes of her own creation including cakes, frostings, breads, candy, puddings, pies, waffles, vegetables, meats, and cookies. Many of the Pickett's customers like to use sorghum in baked beans and BBQ sauces for the rich depth of flavor that it adds to the final dish. Janice favors her cookie recipes but Ronnie is most fond of something he calls Hoosier Mixup-a hearty and healthy combination of peanut butter and sorghum mixed together and eaten on toast, crackers, bread, or his favorite way- with a spoon. He also recommends drizzling a bit of the sweet sorghum over a slice of pumpkin pie. What does sorghum taste like? It's hard to describe sorghum's unique flavor in words but it's stronger than honey and it's sweeter than molasses. Pickett's sorghum is a beautiful, rich, clear amber color and pours easily.    

Ronnie's sons Dale and Michael, along with his grandsons Josh and Levi, work alongside him and are hopeful that they can continue the family business for many more generations. Ronnie encourages those not familiar with sorghum to try it. He doesn't think that the market will ever be as strong as it was when his Dad and Grandfather had the business; but assures me that as long as people keep using sorghum, his family will keep making it. 

You can purchase Pickett's sorghum and Janice's cookbook directly from the Picketts by calling the farm store at 317-758-4331 or sending them an email. Some local retail shops carry the product and Janice can tell you if there's one near you. The sorghum and book are also available at Two Cookin' Sisters in Brookston, Indiana where you can pick them up at the store or order them online.

Pickett's Autumn Gold Sorghum
1061 E 236th Street
Sheridan, IN 46069
Phone: 317-758-4331
www.pickettsorghum.com

Photos: Sorghum cane reaches for the sky on the Pickett Farm
            Harvested sorghum cane