Hey Nomads,
Didn't I read somewhere in Baja Sur they grow Sugar Cane? I think Todos Santos did years ago, but are there others?bajajudy - 6-10-2006 at 02:53 PM
Al
Although I have never seen it growing, I have seen it in the grocery stores from time to time. Also in the municipal mercado so my guess is that it
is grown around here.
I guess that is a definite maybe.Bruce R Leech - 6-10-2006 at 04:06 PM
I don't think so. It comes from the mainland. there are no places to proses it here in Baja sur.flyfishinPam - 6-10-2006 at 04:10 PM
Not enough rain or water for sugarcane and the winters are too harsh.bajajudy - 6-10-2006 at 05:10 PM
Well Al is right about Todos Santos...it was their main industry at one time. I am pretty sure that what I have seen was grown locally. It was just
the cane...unprocessed. I will ask around.Al G - 6-10-2006 at 05:46 PM
Thanks Judy!
Its of great interest and was thinking bamboo is a cane without the sugar so maybe if they grow Bamboo maybe they grow Sugar cane.
I think a new industry may come knocking.Osprey - 6-10-2006 at 06:00 PM
Lots of little ranchos in the Lagunas grow sugar cane just for the fun of it, for the kids, for sugar for the table. Grows great in the mountains
around here.Bruce R Leech - 6-10-2006 at 06:51 PM
we get it in the stores here all the time but it is from MexicoDebra - 6-10-2006 at 07:08 PM
Isn't that was it was all about at the "Old Mill"? when I was there in March I swear I could still smell sugar in the walls......yes I know, the
question was about Baja Sur............Al G - 6-10-2006 at 07:11 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Osprey
Lots of little ranchos in the Lagunas grow sugar cane just for the fun of it, for the kids, for sugar for the table. Grows great in the mountains
around here.
If this area produces sugar cane for fun can we think the general area can sustain production? New Resource?
cane
tehag - 6-10-2006 at 08:18 PM
Todos Santos had a big cane pressing sugar plant. It was still there in the early 70s but out of production.
The Old Mill in San Quintin was about wheat, not sugar.Bruce R Leech - 6-10-2006 at 11:32 PM
there is not enough water. that is why thy don't grow it anymore.Osprey - 6-11-2006 at 06:09 AM
There are old relic mills in small villages and ranchos in the southland. Some areas still have tons of water (Santiago por ejemplo). Maybe there's
not much market now that sugar from beets and other sources is so cheap.
I think I remember seeing a Sweet and Low mill (now defunct) in one of the little pueblos (wasn't mule or burro driven, just a little hand crank thing
cause the plants are real small).Don Alley - 6-11-2006 at 06:35 AM
Mexico has been restricting imports of sweeteners, like corn syrup,from the US tp protect its sugar cane industry. Last I heard the issue had been
taken to the World Trade Organization and it looked like Mexico would have to open its markets to the cheaper imported sweeteners. Especially for use
in soft drinks.
It does not look like the sugar cane industry is ripe for any expansion.Osprey - 6-11-2006 at 06:58 AM
So much for the eficacy and/or power of APECAl G - 6-11-2006 at 10:46 AM
My interest is far beyond sweeteners. I wanted to know if there is some capacity and now I will research the possibility of converting cane sugar to
E85 ethanol. If I able to determine how much capacity is enough to interest an ethanol plant it might help Baja.Bruce R Leech - 6-11-2006 at 11:59 AM
then you will need to convince Pemex that they will need to construct a new refinery so they can make the special blend of gasoline that it is mixed
with and to put in more tanks and pumps at all stations. this will be hard to do sense Mexico has no fuel shortage and they are in the business of
selling oil.Al G - 6-11-2006 at 12:32 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Bruce R Leech
then you will need to convince Pemex that they will need to construct a new refinery so they can make the special blend of gasoline that it is mixed
with and to put in more tanks and pumps at all stations. this will be hard to do sense Mexico has no fuel shortage and they are in the business of
selling oil.
Your right Bruce, Mexico has no need for ethanol, but the US is in the middle of expanding infrastructure to produce billions of gallons of ethanol
from corn and admits it will not be able to meet demand and will need to import sugar cane from as far away as Brazil. I wish that I lived in Mulege'
I would plant some cane to see if it would grow. How about you Bruce?comitan - 6-11-2006 at 12:53 PM
Sugar cane, If you take the road from La Paz to Los Planes and pass through at the sharp curve if you look straight ahead ther is an abandoned sugar
cane refinery, the farmers in the area were suppose to start growing sugar cane they built the refinery and then gringo's from the north came in and
went into parnerships with some of the farmers to grow flowers much more lucrative, others grew peppers and shipped north, others grew corn, melons
etc all more money than sugar cane.Bruce R Leech - 6-11-2006 at 01:05 PM
I have grown some sugar cane on my ranch and it dose quite well.comitan - 6-11-2006 at 02:54 PM
Yes.David K - 6-11-2006 at 05:50 PM
The sugar mill of Todos Santos 50 years ago...
(from the Lower California Guidebook)comitan - 6-11-2006 at 06:20 PM
From spending 13 winters at Ensenada Muertos and watching it being built and knowing some of the farmers. I don't know whats there now its been 3
years since I've been out there.
[Edited on 6-12-2006 by comitan]Debra - 6-13-2006 at 02:14 AM
Mr. Baja Encyclopedia (aka DK) is that true? Old Mill was wheat, not sugar? David K - 6-13-2006 at 07:37 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by Debra
Mr. Baja Encyclopedia (aka DK) is that true? Old Mill was wheat, not sugar?
Yes, where did you hear otherwise?
Sugar cane grows best in tropical climates, and San Quintin is hardly that.
The British developed a colony for the wheat/flour production. That included the mill (molino viejo), pier (muelle viejo), and a railroad that was to
go to the U.S. (about 20 miles was constructed).
The wheat crop was depending on seasonal rain, as there was no irrigation system (dry farming). Unfortunately they started at the beginning of a dry
cycle of years so the whole project failed.
The English cemetery overlooking the bay is now surrounded by newer graves...
osoflojo - 6-13-2006 at 12:43 PM
As of two or three years ago there was still cane production in the Miraflores/Santiago area. I dont know what scale it is really on but I have seen
it growing and being stone ground by a burro or horse into paste to make Panocha. The locals said that it was really the burro/horse droppings that
made the Panocha sweet.Debra - 6-15-2006 at 01:34 AM
Thanks for the correction "tehag" and DK.......learn something new every day.
Your right David, the climate there didn't make sense, don't remember where I came up with that......Al G - 6-15-2006 at 06:12 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by David K
The sugar mill of Todos Santos 50 years ago...
(from the Lower California Guidebook)
