Raising Sugar Cane

About the Book

This book is about the life of a little boy born during WW II raised on a sugarcane plantation in Southern Louisiana. These were hard times for poor folks who had to work very hard to earn meager living wages to support their families. Although money was scarce, living and working on the land allowed you to grow and raise much of your food, which the city people could not do. Generally, one had food or the means to get food if you were inclined to do so by working extra time on the land, provide it was after your normal work day was completed. Some landowners would not allow workers to use their land for gardens. Times were hard, and folks were poor, but most of us did not know we were poor because all of our friends and neighbors had the same things; we had nothing. You made the most of what you did have. It was a simple time when you could grow your own food and make your own toys to entertain yourself and your friends. As a youngster, I had plenty fun times, growing up on the plantation. This book is about some of those times as best as I can recall them. Most of this book is written in the manner that we talked before education came into play. If this story were told with proper English and punctuation, the reader would miss out on the flavor of the times of these happenings.

About the Author

Get ready to raise some cain! Raised on a sugar cane plantation, author Barry Raffray recalls in this rollicking-yet-insightful memoir his upbringing, family’s ancestry, and lessons learned as a boy in South Louisiana. Barry Franklin Anthony Raffray takes us on a colorful tour of the plantation known as Cedar Grove in White Castle, La., giving us several glimpses of daily life from childhood through his joining the U.S. Army after graduation from White Castle High School in 1962. These pages are bursting with lively stories written casually and in first person - except for a few memorable tales handed down by loving family members. Far from a mere autobiography or historical sketch, you’ll feel a special kinship with Barry after each read as he shares his favorite life experience with you!