This is my dear sweet neighbor when I lived on St. Kitts, W. I. Sarah Hodge age 14. Never had a doll to play with. Always caring for baby brothers and sisters. Pregnant by the neighbor boy at age 13. Abandoned by the neighbor boy long before their baby arrived. Every Thursday is "Well baby clinic day." It's the only organized, free social activity on the island besides church. Every girl needs to have a baby so she can enjoy the camaraderie of other girls once a week, otherwise she works all day at home with mother, grandmother and young siblings and takes care of them with no relief in sight. Having her own baby gives her advantages like not always having to take care of the other family members who don't have to behave well for her. It's an interesting culture.




"Sulfured molasses is made from young green sugar cane and is treated with sulfur dioxide, which acts as a preservative, during the sugar extraction process. Unsulfured molasses is made from mature sugar cane and does not require treatment with sulfur during the extraction process. There are three grades of molasses, Mild or first molasses, Dark or second molasses, and Black strap. These grades may be sulfured or unsulfured.

To make molasses, which is pure sugar cane juice, the sugar cane plant is harvested and stripped of its leaves. Its juice is extracted from the canes, usually by crushing or mashing. The juice is boiled to concentrate which promotes the crystallization of the sugar. The results of this first boiling and removal of sugar crystal is first molasses, which has the highest sugar content because comparatively little sugar has been extracted from the juice. Second molasses is created from a second boiling and sugar extraction, and has a slight bitter tinge to its taste.

The third boiling of the sugar syrup gives black strap molasses. The majority of sucrose from the original juice has been crystallized but black strap molasses is still mostly sugar by calories; however, unlike refined sugars, it contains significant amounts of vitamins and minerals. Black strap molasses is a source of calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron. One tablespoon provides up to 20 percent of the daily value of each of those nutrients. Black strap is often sold as a health supplement, as well as being used in the manufacture of cattle feed, and for other industrial uses.