Visit U.S. Sugar in Clewiston, Florida
Ever reach for a bag of sugar and imagine what far-off place it originated? Maybe Hawaii, there’s certainly sugar produced there, or an island halfway across the globe. But it may surprise you to learn that much of the pure cane sugar we use to bake and sweeten our tea comes from just two states away.
I got the opportunity recently to visit the U.S. Sugar operations in Clewiston, Florida, and it was extraordinary to see—from the ground up—how sugar is produced. The fun part is, so can you. Agrotourism is a hot travel trend and producers, like U.S. Sugar, are jumping at the chance to welcome the public to the farm.
If you’re a traveler who likes to learn something while experiencing a new place, then a day trip to U.S. Sugar is for you. What can you experience while visiting the farm? More than you might think.
An Actual Mountain of U.S. Sugar
A quick ride through the manufacturing campus ends at the ultimate warehouse. Sugar, once granulated, is stored as a mountain, in a building. It’s astonishing how large it is in person and, yes, photos are permitted. Much of this sugar, after refining, gets bagged for grocery stores.
If you’re unfamiliar with U.S. Sugar, it’s likely because most of their retail sugar becomes your store’s private label. The rest of the crop is sold to American food makers like Kraft, M&M Mars, and General Mills.
Ride the Ultimate Vintage Train
For nearly a century, U.S. Sugar has transported cane, from its fields, by train to its manufacturing facility. In 2016, one of the company’s original steam locomotives, No.148, was reacquired and fully restored.
It’s the crown jewel of the Sugar Express and is scheduled throughout the year for passenger rides, so plan accordingly to get aboard. Cabins have comfortable seating, air conditioning, and bathrooms. Another option is a wonderful open-air rail car, named Miami Locks. Plan for a two-to-three-hour excursion.
Waves of Sugar Cane Fields
South Central Florida offers its own brand of rugged beauty. The region is a playground for birds of the upper Everglades region, and riding the Sugar Express can provide glimpses of Great Blue Herons, Osprey, Snowy Egrets and more.
The sugar cane is lush, with upright stalks and fronds of pointy leaves. It sways and assimilates breath as it bows and bends. It moves in stark contrast to the farm, which is orderly and peppered with workers and equipment bustling with the business of the day.
Lighting Stuff on Fire
It’s the thing everyone wants to know. In a field of mature sugar cane, the stalk is comprised of nearly 80% water. It is lit on fire to burn the foliage away leaving the stalks to be safely harvested. The farm is a checkerboard of 40-acre fields, each abutted by a dirt road and a freshwater canal. A full-time team employs specialized trucks and fire trailers to accomplish this feat. It’s worth noting that you’re not guaranteed to see a cane burn, but the train travels through hundreds of acres so chances are you’ll see these experts in action.
Beyond the fun and downright nostalgia of a farm visit, the technology employed to achieve the level of sustainability that U.S. Sugar has reached is fascinating. Let’s start with this, the sugar they produce is sustainably grown. Can you imagine lighting herbicides or pesticides on fire? That wouldn’t be good for the environment. This makes sugar cane an ideal crop to grow bio-dynamically and it grows rapidly when cultivated with care and ready access to sunshine and water. I could prattle on about the farm’s renewable practices, so if you want to learn more, hop on over to their delightfully nerdy website www.ussugar.org.
My visit to the farm was memorable and I catch myself recounting facts about sugar and agriculture from my visit. It’s remarkable how the American South produces finished consumables, and I came away with a newfound appreciation for the folks who love to work the land season after season, to “raise cane” as they say, and make our backyard barbecues and pot-luck suppers this season just a bit sweeter.
Outside of U.S. Sugar
South Central Florida makes a great trip, especially if you’re planning to visit Disney or Universal. Clewiston is just a few hours south of Orlando, and Lake Okeechobee is its own draw as the upper boundary of the Everglades.
It’s the second-largest freshwater lake in the country and is a legendary destination for big-mouth bass. There’s an old-school marina for dinner on the porch and comfortable condos to rent for a stay. Don’t miss grabbing a drink at the Everglades Lounge at The Clewiston Inn to see the incredible wildlife mural behind the bar by J. Clinton Shepherd.
