We left Orange, Tx before 8:00 am this morning. Arrived at Avery Island at about 11:30, temps at about 55 but sunny. We visited the Tabasco Pepper Sauce Factory.. (we can't get enough manufacturing info.,,)
after a brief video we got a tour of the plant..
they bottle about 700,000 a day.. looks like its going to be a long day....
fishing with hot peppers here in LA!
Also on Avery Island is Jungle Gardens..
Avery Island’s most spectacular feature was developed by the late Edward Avery McIlhenny, known as "Monsieur Ned" by his French speaking friends and associates. Much of the world knows about TABASCO® Pepper Sauce, made for over 125 years on Avery Island, Louisiana. Not as many people know that Avery Island is actually a salt dome that extends some eight miles beneath the earth's surface. Or that the protruding "island" part of the formation is home to the world's most beautiful sanctuaries for the preservation and study of flora and fauna.
It was on Avery Island, where salt and pepper meet, that Edward McIlhenny helped save the snowy egret from extinction. In 1895 when the bird was being hunted for its plummage, McIlhenny built an aviary on Avery Island and captured and raised eight wild egrets. After they had raised their hatches and were ready to migrate, McIlhenny freed them. The egrets returned the next spring and every spring since. The egrets and herons return by the thousands to the rookery now called "Bird City". Not surprisingly, Jungle Gardens is a birder's paradise, home to hundreds of species of resident and migratory birds.
McIlhenny did much more to ensure that feature generations had an ideal spot to enjoy and study the beauties of nature and to observe plants and flowers from around the world in his 200 acre Jungle Gardens. The gardens are home to a large collection of camellias. Thousands of plants represent some 600 varieties, including imports from Japan and France, as well as varieties that McIlhenny developed on Avery Island. You will see acres upon acres of bright azalea flowers that carpet the landscape in the spring. Massive live oak trees are prevalent throughout the gardens, along with brilliant wildflowers and groves of evergreens. The Chinese Garden contains a Buddha sculpture dating back to 1000 A.D.
And then there is the wildlife. White tailed deer know they have little to fear and much to eat here. Rabbits hop across the roads before visitor's cars while alligators prowl the lagoon and Bayou Petit Anse. Armadillos, possum, squirrels, nutris, raccoons, bobcats and other wildlife may also be glimpsed as you walk on the grounds.
our rental car... not a Lexus but it gets us where we need to go...
bird island,,
lunch at Duffy's 50's Diner... shrimp po boy..
had to go to one more Factory tour...
The Conrad Rice Mill is the oldest rice mill in America. It is also one of the leading tourist attractions in this area of the Bayou Teche. In 1981, the Mill was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
P.A. Conrad founded the Conrad Rice Mill and Planting Company in 1912. He would cut the rice by hand and let it sun-dry on the levees before putting the rice in the threshers. The rice was poured into 100-pound bags and taken to the mill. At that time, the mill operated only three to four months out of the year. Conrad would sell his rice from inventory, waiting for the next crop to harvest.
Conrad was an astute businessman, steadily growing his business to the point where he no longer grew enough rice to meet demands. Buying grain from the other growers in the area supplemented his own crop. To satisfy his customers requests, he also began to sell the rice in smaller sized bags. In the 1950's, "KONRIKO" was trademarked as an acronym for "CONRAD RICE COMPANY."
A few years afterwards, P.A. Conrad retired and left the business to his three sons: Phillip, Julian, and Allen. Phillip, the oldest, died at a very early age leaving the two remaining brothers to carry on the family business. After many years of operating the mill, the brothers were at a retirement age and eventually only three New Iberia grocery stores remained as customers.
In 1975 Mike Davis, a former teacher and farmer, bought the mill from the Conrad brothers. Within 10 days of the purchase, the mill was back up and running after laying dormant for two years. Davis quipped, "I would mill for a day or two, then I'd get on the road and peddle the rice."
The original part of the mill was built in 1914 and received additions in 1917 and 1930. This is significant because it is a rare surviving example of a factory using a belt-drive power transmission. Davis has made many changes and improvements to the mill since 1975 and shows no signs of stopping any time soon.
how rice is processed!
of coure both places had company stores.. we did not purchase one thing in either!! lots of stuff to choose from but we were strong!
we finally checked into our hotel. we think we are the only customers! no other cars in the lot.. almost like some of our camping experiences..
after a brief rest we headed to the casino. 20 miles away. it was a pretty new place, lots of slots and tables. not too many people and no pay off... very tight... donated money to the tribe!
appetizer and beer at Chili's before coming back to the hotel. got stuck in the elevator for about 10 minutes..
If you are in the area, Avery Island is a good place to see. the Tabasco Co tour is Mon-Thur but the company store is open every day..
