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Get to Know Sorghum
We’ve been growing sorghum in the Garden at Blackberry Farm for a few years now, but you may not have noticed it among the vegetables and flowers that bloom with brighter colors and catch the eye. Sorghum is a versatile crop that can be used to aid your garden or used in the kitchen.
Last year, some of our sorghum was used for popping – think popcorn, but it’s sorghum instead of corn kernels. The rest was turned into cover crop. Sorghum works great as a cover crop, helping to protect the soil during the harsher temperatures of the Winter months.
There are different types of sorghum, and each variety is often suited for a particular usage. However, sorghum can widely be used as a grain, sort of like rice, and blended down to create a flour-like consistency. This flour can then be used in substitute for store-bought flour, and it contains rich phenolic compounds similar to those in vegetables – like tomatoes, kale and other dark leafy greens. Sorghum is also known to potentially help reduce forms of inflammation and is high in protein, fiber, b vitamins and micronutrients.
In the South, sorghum is commonly made into a syrup by combining it with pressed cane and juice blended down in an open fire pan. Similar to molasses but with its own unique flavor, sorghum syrup is a great alternative to refined sugar because of the natural nutrients it contains. Fun fact: In Tennessee, sorghum grows with more success than natural sugar cane, which has allowed the South to develop a long and beloved history with this plant.
Though timing can be tricky when attempting to harvest this nutrient-packed crop, our team is excited to continue growing it at Blackberry Farm to strengthen our own connection with the crop and enjoy its benefits. And who knows, you may be able to try Blackberry’s own sorghum syrup one day. The Garden team has plans to experiment with it!