Plantation Crops

Plantation Crops. Grown for Profit and Sustenance. Cash crops, like sea island cotton, indigo, and sugar cane, made a profit for the owner. Other crops, like potatoes, okra, and yams, fed the families of both owners and slaves., Sea island cotton was highly prized because of its long, strong, and silky fibers, which produced cloth of exceptional quality. It thrived in the salty environment of the sea islands., Originating in the West Indies, sea island cotton differed from upland, or short-staple, cotton in several ways. The smooth black seeds were removed by hand because the luxurious fibers would be ruined by a cotton gin. Sea island cotton plants grew to over six feet tall and continued to bloom and produce cotton well into December., Okra, African in origin, followed the slave trade to this side of the Atlantic Ocean. Commonly grown in plantation garden plots, it was used in a variety of dishes, including gumbo. Okra continues to be a part of American culture., Sugar cane was processed into cane syrup, molasses, and brown sugar. It was both consumed here and grown for profit., Indigo was an important cash crop but very labor intensive. Slaves processed the leaves and stems, eventually producing a deep blue dye. High in demand, cakes of indigo dye were sold and shipped up north and overseas bringing wealth to the owner., Potatoes were a staple of plantation life. They were easy to grow, nutritious, and filling. Slave cooks used potatoes in a variety of food and items, including stew, biscuits, and chowder.