Sugar Refinery

On Tuesday, we went with the 3rd graders to a sugar refinery.  We got to taste the sugar during all four stages of refining-directly from the cane, liquid, powdered and solid.  The kids liked sucking the sugar from the cane.  That was fine.  They didn't like the liquid at all (squeezed directly into a cup). The powdered sugar looked like brown sugar, but it sure didn't taste like it.  The crystalized candy sugar was a little better.  Enjoy the pictures below.

These oxen pulled the beam that made the press work.

Here are the students sucking on the sugar cane that was cut for them.

Our students found out how hard it is to move the beam.

This is what remained after the liquid is removed.  This is the brown sugar cane.  The liquid left over is what is hardened into candy.