by johnah on November 10, 2020
Toddy Palm Tree Info – Learn About Growing Toddy Palms
The name “Toddy” comes from the Latin word “toddus”, which means “to drink”. The term was used to refer to alcoholic beverages such as wine or beer, but it could also mean any kind of fermented beverage. In fact, the ancient Greeks called toddies a “wine of the gods.” Today we use the term to refer to any type of alcohol.
Palm trees are native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia and South America. They grow up to 10 feet tall with slender branches that hang over a flat trunk. Their leaves are oval shaped and greenish yellow at the tips; they turn brown near their base and eventually drop off completely.
These palms produce two fruits: a hard seed pod (called a turdulus) that contains small seeds, and an edible fleshy pod (palmae).
Palm trees have been cultivated for centuries. However, there were no commercially viable varieties until the late 1800’s when Dutch settlers introduced sugarcane into Florida. Sugar cane requires a certain amount of sunlight to thrive, so farmers planted palms along roadsides and other open areas where they could get light all year round.
By 1900, palm plantations covered most of southern Florida and much of the rest of the state.
In the twentieth century, changes in technology led to a boom in the production of juice, which is made by crushing the fleshy center (mesocarp) of the tree’s flower bud. The first major innovation was the creation of a tapper that allowed the tree to be tapped year round. In Florida, most of these taps were installed on properties with large groves; smaller growers could not afford such expensive equipment.
The second major innovation was the invention of a continuous screw-press, which is still used today. This press can extract up to 800 pounds of juice from a single tree in eight hours.
In recent years, there has been a growing demand for fresh fruit juices that are as “natural” as possible. While some groves have embraced this new technology, others are reluctant to make any changes to their methods. Large groves often purchase their trees from nurseries; in such cases, the nurseries are responsible for installing tappers on each tree.
Smaller groves are usually established by people who want to grow fruit on their personal property. They must then hire a company to tap their trees and haul away the juice.
In recent years, as the demand for fresh fruit juice has grown, some growers have attempted to plant new groves in southern states such as Georgia and Alabama. They often need to hire tappers and haulers, but since they are in competition with established groves, the wages are much lower. In fact, many small growers go out of business before they even begin harvesting their first crop.
The next time you enjoy a refreshing glass of orange juice or a cup of lemonade, take a moment to think about the thousands of trees that give their lives so you can stay healthy and hydrated!
Fascinating Fact:
A medium-sized citrus tree can produce up to 100 pounds of oranges and lemons a year, but it must be tapped every six weeks for that to happen!
Solutions to the Puzzle
Across
3. A large bell at a campsite (8)
Add an “M” to the word “CAMP.”
8. A garment worn while sleeping (4)
Add an “R” to the word “SLEEP.”
12. A large, flat fish (5)
Flat fish are actually not very flat; they are actually shaped like this:
Add an “M” to the word “FISH.”
14. An awkward or clumsy person (5)
Add an “S” to the word “CLUMSY.”
17. A small bird (4)
Add an “I” to the word “BIRD.”
20. A horizontal beam (4)
Add an “A” to the word “BEAM.”
23. A large North American cat, commonly depicted as a cartoon character (6)
Add “TA” to the alphabet, then add an “S” to that.
24. An elongated brick (5, 3)
Add an “O” to the word “BRICK.”
26. An expression of praise (4)
Add an “E” to the word “PRAISE.”
Down
1. A cut of pork (5)
Add an “N” to the word “PORK.”
2. A type of fabric (4)
Add an “O” to the word “WOOL.”
4. How a blind person might ask for donations (5, 5)
“AN OPEN CAN” is an open can of food or money, so add “OPEN” to the word “CAN.”
5. One end of a saw (4)
Add an “M” to the word “SOW.”
6. A flexible tube that pumps water (7)
Replace the letter “W” with a “(t)”.
7. South-southeast (6)
Add an “A” to the word “SOUTH.”
8. A tall piece of furniture with storage space (4, 3)
Rearrange the letters in the word “CABINET” so that they read “NITBA.”
9. An address (3, 3)
Replace the letter “O” with a “(t).”
10. A cut of beef (4)
Add an “E” to the word “BEEF.”
11. A small, flat fish (5)
Flat fish are actually not very flat; they are actually shaped like this:
Replace the “AT” with an “(e).”
15. Call out for help (5)
Replace the letter “C” with a “(t).”
16. A sharp, prickly plant (5)
Replace the letter “D” with a “(t).”
18. A hill or mountain (4)
Add an “A” to the word “HILL.”
19. An abrupt decline in events (4)
Replace the letter “C” with a “(t).”
21. A soothing application for sunburn (5)
Add an “N” to the word “APPLICATION.”
22. Not thick (5)
Replace the letter “I” with a “(t).”
25. A weapon that shoots arrows (5)
Add an “A” to the word “ARROW.”
Sources & references used in this article:
Notes on distribution, propagation, and products ofBorassus Palms (Arecaceae) by JF Morton – Economic Botany, 1988 – Springer
Sequential coconut toddy (sap) and nut production (SCTNP) in Laguna Tall variety and hybrid coconuts. by ASA Nancy, MJ Priya – Sustainable Humanosphere, 2020
Coconut neera—a vital health beverage from coconut palms: harvesting, processing and quality analysis by P Siausk, B Binson – Journal of Fine and Applied Arts Khon Kaen University, 2019
The relation of toddy (palm wine) intake to amoebic liver abscess in a predominantly toddy-drinking population: a cross-sectional study by JN Maravilla, SS Magat – Philippine Journal of Crop Science, 1993 – cabdirect.org
Preparation and Characterization of Toddy Palm Wine and Vinegar by M Chinnamma, S Bhasker, M Binitha Hari… – Beverages, 2019 – mdpi.com
Microbiological and biochemical studies on traditional Indian palm wine fermentation by A Kumar Jha, P Jha, M Chaudhary, S Kumar… – Tropical …, 2019 – journals.sagepub.com
Multi-purpose palms in agroforestry: a classification and assessment by NN Khaing – meral.edu.mm
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