Stats (per in-game day): ~ 20+ Sugar canes
Dig a whole 5 blocks wide and 2 blocks deep.
2. Add Blocks Surrounding the hole and leaving a 1 block strip behind the hole.
3. On one of the top corners of the hole, add water.
4. On the opposite corner, increase the holes width by 2 blocks.
5. On the bottom corner of the hole, where you just increased the size, add 2 chests.
6. On the bottom of the rest of the hole, add hoppers connecting to the chest.
7. Add 5 pistons on top of each block behind the gap.
8. Add 1 solid block behind each piston.
8. On top of the blocks you just placed, put redstone dust and on top of the pistons add an observer with the face facing the water.
8. Now, add your sugar canes behind the water and heighten the side walls by 1 solid block.
8. When the sugar cane reaches its max height (3 blocks) the observers will detect it and send a signal to the pistons which break the sugar cane and push it into the hopper that leads to the chest.