Program co-directors Maurice Bailey (left) and Nik Heynen (right) planting a row of sugarcane. Photo: Rinne Allen

A new crop of purple ribbon sugarcane was planted on Sapelo Island this week. As part of a long-term project being led by the Sapelo Island Cultural and Revitalization Society (SICARS), volunteers from the Cornelia Walker Bailey Program worked with local community members to help plant a total of 3,024 row feet of new sugarcane.

The freshly planted sugarcane stalks came from recently harvested sugarcane that is already growing at the SICARS building in the nearby community of Hog Hammock.  This is a major step in the Sapelo Island Purple Ribbon Sugarcane Project.  There is also a plan to follow the traditional practice of planting red peas, another Sapelo Island heritage crop, on this newly cleared parcel.

Together, we hope that the production and sale of these crops will start to generate revenue for the revitalization of the Hog Hammock community, as well as outside interest in the long-term development of heritage crops on the island.

Tags: Hogg Hummock, purple ribbon sugarcane, Sapelo red peas, SICARS