Sugarcane burning and cutting season has begun in South Louisiana. For the next few weeks, our skies will be smoky and our roads muddy (when we get rain). I just want to remind everyone to be careful if you are driving on country roads as visibility is sometimes reduced near burning/cutting site, the roads can be slippery, and we have to share the roads with the slow moving cane trucks.

Farmers burn the sugarcane before cutting it because it reduces transportation and processing costs. The burning removes much of the leafy material around the cane, including the tops, that produces little to no sugar.

The sugarcane industry in Louisiana is the oldest and most historic in the country. Sugarcane was brought here in 1751 by the Jesuit priests and by 1795, granulated sugar was produced on a commercial scale by Etienne deBore at Audubon Park in New Orleans.

Today, some 30,000+ people are employed by the sugarcane industry in Louisiana and approximately 450,000 acres in 25 of our 64 parishes are used for its production.

If you are looking for sugarcane farmland in Acadiana, send me an email. I might just be able to help!

Originally Posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

Tonight is the last edition of Rhythms on the River at the Town Square in River Ranch for this fall season. Tonight’s entertainment will be provided by Chee Weez, a group from New Orleans that plays the favorite classics from Rock to Pop, to hiphop.

To be honest, I am not familiar with Chee Weez but they sure look like a fun bunch and I’m intrigued so I will definitely try to make it tonight. It looks like it will be a beautiful day, too!

I might even go early and take a few pictures in the neighborhood, something I do on a regular basis. I love the look and feel of River Ranch and the colors and different styles of its residences. Below are some of the townhouses found near the Town Square in River Ranch.

Thinking about moving to Lafayette and considering River Ranch? There are currently 23 single family homes for sale in River Ranch ranging from about $370,000 to $1,400,000 and several condos and townhomes. You can view all of the available properties in River Ranch here. And by the way, this link is refreshed every night so it is always up to date!

Have a question about River Ranch or a different neighborhood? You can email me here.

Originally Posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

We just listed this awesome property at 13509 Plantation Pl, just south of Abbeville near Mouton Cove (70510). This home has been totally redone after hurricane Rita from top to bottom, it has been elevated 2 feet above the minimum elevation, and it has top of the line hurricane shutters on all doors and windows. It is move-in ready and has so much to offer…

The home, which would also make a great camp for people who hunt down south in Vermilion parish, features 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, large living, dinning area and great kitchen with lots of cabinets and built-in wine cooler.

 

The home sits on a corner lot (0.6 acre) and is surrounded by woods. From the porch or the patio, you cannot see any neighbors.

And as a bonus, a hot tub next to the house (also elevated) where you can relax after a long day at work or hunting.

There is also a large shed/workshop on the property and to top it all, the owners are leaving all the kitchen appliances and are offering a one-year home warranty!

At $125,000, this property IS a very good buy. Love it? Click here to view more pictures and information about 13509 Plantation pl in Abbeville or Email me your questions.

Originally Posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

I just pulled up home sales for the month of October expecting a slow down as is usually the case this time of year. Well, there is no slowing down. Our market here in Acadiana and Lafayette parish is still rocking with October home sales beating those of September and August!

Home sales remained very strong in October in Acadiana with only 6 less sales than September. In Lafayette parish, October was the 4th best month this year, behind April, May, and July. Amazing! And because some numbers are usually late getting in, I’m thinking that October will actually beat May, making it the 3rd best month this year.

If we compare home sales in Lafayette parish from last year to those of this year, we can clearly see that we are experiencing a very strong real estate market this year. Home sales in October were up more than 50% from October sales last year.

Overall for Acadiana in 2012, residential sales are up 18% over last year. Interest rates are still very low and there are great homes and investment properties available in our Lafayette area.

What are you waiting for?

Originally Posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News

The holidays are right around the corner and soon we’ll start attending parties and family events. If you are looking for something different to bake this year, you might want to try making dominos.

This is a recipe has been in my family forever. In New Brunswick, where my mother is from, we call it “Domino” and it can be found is just about every bakery in the southeastern part of the province (my mother is from Shédiac). In Quebec, where I grew up, we call it “Nanaimo” (nah-nah-e-moe) and it is considered a traditional Canadian dessert.

When I married and started to attend events in my adopted Cajun family here in Louisiana, I brought dominos with me and they immediately were a big hit.

1 – Melt together:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup cacao
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

2 – Add

• 1 egg
• 2 cups graham crumbs
• 1 cup coconut
• 1/2 cup nuts (walnuts or pecans work very well)

3 – Put everything in a 9X9 cake pan and press it down a bit.

4 – The Cream: beat together

• 1/4 cup butter (soft or melted)
• 2 tablespoons vanilla pudding mix (just the powder)
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 2 cups powdered sugar

5 – Spread your cream on first layer and place in fridge while you work on the top. Having the creamy layer chilled will help when it’s time to spread the chocolate on top.

6 – Melt together

• 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoon butter
• Spread over the other layers. If the chocolate is a little thick, add a little milk while you are melting it down.

Put it back in the fridge, at least long enough for the top layer to solidify and then just cut in squares and serve.

Voilà!

Just for fun, I sometimes use pistachio or strawberry pudding mix instead of vanilla. It adds color and a different flavor to the squares. I even added some creme de menthe (green) one year with pistachio pudding. It was really good but I wouldn’t recommended it if you are making it for children.

If you try it, let me know how it turns out!

Originally Posted at: Lafayette Real Estate News