Normally we start tapping trees around the 10th of March and follow the Maple Syrup season for a good month to six weeks pulling in 5-6 batches. This year, we heard that some folks were tapping out here mid-January! William decided to wait until last week as it just seemed too unbelievable! Our first batch of 420 gallons of sap (about 10 gallons of syrup) is about to be finished and bottled...and tastes great! If you've read my maple reports in the past, you'll recall that our last batch of the season we call "Salad Syrup" because it makes incredible salad dressing, but its flavor would be odd on a waffle. Late season syrup starts to taste a bit savory.
The smell coming off the sap is something to behold. Lots of folks comment to the effect, "That smell should be bottled!" It's intoxicating and makes hanging out in the sugar shack quite alluring to most...some say an aphrodisiac! When it's cold outside, standing near the fire and taking in the scent of maple is one of life's best gifts!
There was a green blush to the tops of the trees last week and today temps are in the single digits, so how long this maple season lasts remains a complete mystery. It's most likely that the run will begin again tomorrow as warmer temps return, and we could well be cooking again this weekend. Feel free to pop your head in the sugar shack if you stop by. It's muddy when temps are warm, so plan accordingly.
ADULT DAY CAMPS
There are a couple of spaces available for the March 9th Memoir Camp Click this link for more info. Don't be shy! Come to make friends, come with a friend, or wrangle a sibling as it's all about family and our place in community. Our last camp was fantastic...and what makes it so very wonderful is that BREAKFAST & LUNCH are included! Plus, it's never too late in life to 1) Make new friends and 2) Start writing about it!
Happy Leap Year tomorrow and Happy Birthday to any of you who celebrate every FOUR years!
As always, I am sending lots of LOVE your way!
Sarah
We started a couple weeks ago; had a nice first run, bigger second run after a cold snap, and now I'm cooking down the last batch...I think we'll get close to last year's record harvest. The buds are swelling on the trees, and we're pivoting on to other tasks & clean up...but it's been wonderful to have such good weather for fetching the sap & outside boiling. Sweetness abounds!