A volunteer at the cane grinding event , pouring the crushed cane sugar juice into a boiling vat to be cooked into cane syrup .
The GMA ’ s staff benefit as much from the community spirit as the other participants . Boone fondly looks back on past cane grindings across his 11 years at GMA , appreciating the event became such a good opportunity to reconnect with people he rarely saw or hadn ’ t seen in a while .
As an annual celebration at the museum for almost 30 years , nearly as long as the museum has been open , cane grinding has become as much a part of the Tifton community and culture today as it did in its heyday – something the event looks to continue in the years to come .
Cane grinding “ is one of the events and demonstrations that really brings people together ,” Boone said . “ It always has , I think it will continue to do so and it does the same for us .” TS
SEPTEMBER 2022 | TiftonScene 9