Hello everyone. I saw a photo in a gardening magazine of someone who used one of those large, vintage sugar kettles (to boil down sugar cane) as a water garden container. It looked fantastic. I have been searching on line but with no luck.
Anyone know a source for these things? Thanks!
looking for vintage sugar kettle
YOU MIGHT TRY A FLEA MARKET--
bEARD, Thry contacting Maple sugar farmers, My grand dad uses large kettles for the cooking ,needless to say they are gone, but I like the idea
We have a large black Iron kettle that was used to pop caramel corn in, and now it is covered with a sticky burnt on sugar residue...I also wanted it to use in the garden - but don't know if it can be cleaned...I bet you would find them at flea markets, or ebay perhaps...
You are right, these kettles make a great water garden container and look fantastic, but unfortunately they are becoming VERY expensive even when you CAN find one for sale.
I live in Baton Rouge and grew up on the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, in the heart of the Louisiana sugar cane region. My grandfather was a cane farmer and had many of these kettles. Most are gone, but my mom and her siblings all have managed to hold on to at least one each, and all use them for some type of water garden.
Obviously they are no longer used in modern sugar production and in the last 15-20 years, most of the sugar mills that had dotted this area have closed due to consolidation and the fact that the new modern mills can handle much more cane, and hence fewer of the old "sugar houses" are needed.
The abandoned kettles were quickly snatched up by the antiques folks, and the recent boom in water gardening, coupled with the fact that "dey ain't makin' no more" have made these kettles EXTREMELY prized possessions in south Louisiana in the last 10 years or so, to the extent of causing family squabbles over inheritance.
I've seen the 6-foot diameter ones at antique/flea markets for as much as $3,500.00 each!!!! Way too rich for my blood, nevermind the cost of shipping one of them to Michigan where you live.
I've been "shopping" for one for over a year w/no luck.
FWIW, I have heard about plastic replicas being sold for around $200, but have yet to evaluate any. This might be a better alternative for you.
I'm still looking, so I'll post any new info that I find.
Try www.briansfurniture.com. They have cast iron reproductions for $750 to $1500. They are located in Port Allen, La. Expensive but not as bad as the antique ones.