The Last Sugar Mill

Located at the geographic heart of the Valley Isle, the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. sugar mill rests at Puunene in central Maui.  The HC&S plant processes plants from 37,000 acres of commercially harvested sugarcane.

Maui is nearing the end of an era, a time once rich with plantation life and pineapple and sugar production.  The only way to save the sugar jobs of 800 Maui residents may mean to halt sugar production altogether.  It was recently announced that sugarcane operations may transform into biomass production for use as alternative bio-fuels.

I love the brown sugar produced here.  The turbinado is served in coffeehouses and restaurants all over Maui as an alternative to the processed white stuff.  I'd hate to see it go.

Here are a series of shots of the sugar mill taken this morning during sunrise.

Across the Fields

Old Man Crane

The Intersection

Lights Still On

Smokestack

For the full story on future HC&S operations, please visit: http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/530285.html?nav=10