hjon, I started growing it for a couple of reasons. One reason is because it's a trip down memory lane. Growing up in the sixties and seventies we didn't have a lot of store bought candy. Everybody, and I mean everybody was money poor. For our sweets we had apples, sugar cane, grapes, water melons, plums, peaches, and so on.
Another reason is I would like to try my hand at making my own sugar. However, I have recently read that our growing season isn't long or tropical enough for that strain of sugar cane. I will attempt to prove them wrong if I can get me a press around here.
And last but not least, I like eating it :-D