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Howard's built a life around a variety of businesses: He's president of a phone company that's been in his family since 1928. About 12 years ago, he built the USA Stadium, which was for several years the training site of the U.S. Olympic baseball team. He also owns a restaurant, a rodeo arena and is deep into historical preservation.
The molasses business started innocently enough.
"I bought a mill from a retired farmer in Oakland, Miss.," he recalled. "I thought I'd show my kids how we used to make molasses."
"I didn't ask how many acres he planted," Howard said. "I had this old equipment piling up, an old mill that was pulled by a mule ... I wasn't in any big hurry." As time went on, the farmer began to pester a bit. "That sorghum's starting to head," he'd say. "You'd better be getting that mill up and going." Howard began to sense some urgency. "I finally asked him: 'How much sorghum did you plant?'" The answer? Fifteen acres.
"Well, as a boy, I had helped my uncle strip cane and haul it in, and that was about as hot a work as you can find," Howard said. "It was sounding like I had more cane than I wanted to get out there and strip."
Howard consulted with the county agent and professors from the University of Tennessee. They were enthusiastic about a revival of the sorghum business. After testing his cane, they told Howard he could expect a harvest of 150 gallons an acre. He backed off.
"I really didn't want but 25 or 30 gallons," he said. "I really didn't want that big a job." But when he heard that he could sell molasses at $10 a gallon, he eyed the project in a new light.
"Maybe I'd better rethink this deal," he said.
Hidden costs began to come out of the woodwork.