Maple Syrup

...now browsing by category

Posts related to Maple Syrup and our sugaring operation

 

Dave is in Winter Wonderland

Monday, January 19th, 2009

We have had a very snowy weekend, the bitter cold has left us and that creates Dave’s favorite weather.  We received about a foot of snow since yesterday so he’s happy as a clam outside and playing working with his snow blower.   He’s just funny about snow, he LOVES it.  I must say this particular snow storm left us with an absolutely beautiful scene outside.  All the trees are beautifully covered with a few inches of snow, the pines particularly are bogged down with snow.  The pines make the mountain sides really spectacular right now.  Maybe later when we are out and about I’ll take some photos and upload them here.

Yesterday we did some work in the maple sugar shack putting up trim along the inside walls and started to make a platform where the tank of sap will sit in order to drip sap into the evaporator while its boiling.  I’ll take pictures of the whole process when it is sugaring season, right now we’re just doing all the prep work.  Today, with Dave’s dad’s help, we’re hanging some of the tubing that runs between trees and collects the sap.  We won’t actually be tapping the trees for several more weeks.  The temperatures must get below freezing at night, but to 40+ during the day so that the sap will run in the trees.  There is a short window of about 6-8 weeks during which you can collect sap to make syrup and we’ll be entering that time period about the end of February.  In the meantime, we’ve got tons of work to do in order to tap 250+ trees.

Our Saturdays These Days

Monday, January 5th, 2009

Most Saturdays from now through the start of the maple sugaring season (in about six weeks) are going to be filled with working in the woods getting ready.  This Saturday we hung three long sections of wire through the woods.  The tubing which will connect the tapped trees to our sap collection sights will hang from this wire so that it doesn’t sag.  The wire is pretty permanent so it was nice to get that almost completely finshed in one Saturday.

I did discover that I absolutely must acquire boots.  Wearing tennis shoes into the snowy woods for hours can cause feet to get wet and really cold.  Actually, we both need to acquire good functional boots for the sugaring season.  While at the JCPenny outlet the other day, I looked for functional boots, but all they had were those high heeled, non-sensical things some gals call boots.  Personally, I’d fall flat on my fanny if I ever tried wearing something like that in snow and/or ice.

Next Saturday we have to cut, load, unload and stack a bunch more firewood that is needed to heat the sap in the evaporator.  And we’ll probably hang some tubing from the wire lines we’ve hung.  I’m not a huge help during all this, but I can help some since I am still feeling pretty great.

Behind on Blogging

Thursday, December 18th, 2008

Okay, so I took a little time off from blogging.  At first, it was on purpose because I was busy putting together a surprise 40th birthday party for my dear hubbie.  Well, then I just got generally behind and I’ve got lots to blog about too.  But, today isn’t the day to get caught up, maybe tomorrow because we are supposed to get 10+ inches of snow and I might take part of the day to blog a bunch of stuff.

In the meantime, Dave updated the photos link over to your right (Our Photo Gallery).  He’d gotten stuck at August for a long time, but now it is up-to-date through December.

Today, I must get to the grocery store so I don’t have to go out at all tomorrow during the snowstorm.  Not that I have issues driving in snow, I just believe that the fewer cars there are on the roads the faster and more safely snow can be removed by the plow guys.  And since I’m a lucky stay-at-homer…that’s where I will remain tomorrow!  Oh, and Dave might come home early tomorrow so he doesn’t have to drive through the worst of it in the afternoon!!!  Yeah!

Also today, I need to hit the butcher shop, post office and bank.  I’ve got to get my family’s Christmas presents in the mail today so they will hopefully get them before Christmas.  And I finally finished my Christmas cards last night.  I really was wondering if I was even going to get to them this year, but I did.  I cheated on a huge percentage of them and purchased cards.  I’ve been trying to make most of my Christmas cards for the last few years, but there is always a percentage of folks that end up getting purchased cards from me.  And I was totally lame about not writing much in the cards too and didn’t even bother putting together a newsletter of any sort.  So a whole bunch of people are going to get a card that says:  Love, Dave, Andrea & baby due 7/27/09.  Rather rude to surprise baby news on extended relations & old friends like that, but my excuse is that I’ve been tired.

Well, I hope the sonogram picture below is fixed for everyone now.  My beloved computer guy hubbie knew what I did wrong and why it wasn’t showing up for folks that use Internet Exploder.  I’m telling you, if you use Microsoft’s Internet Explorer try Firefox instead.  Dave made me a convert.  Maybe I’ll put a link here for Firefox tomorrow, it’s free and way easier to use.

No Schedule and Suffering For It

Thursday, September 25th, 2008

With our maple syrup business getting more and more busy, I am really starting to see the results of not having a set schedule for my days.  Since I do several Farmer’s Markets throughout the week on different days & times, I need to implement a schedule that accommodates.

Today I’m especially feeling the lack of a schedule because I’ve got errands Dave needs me to run, maple business that must be accomplished, a farmer’s market and we both need to eat dinner this evening and we need clothes to wear tomorrow.  Hmmm…gotta spread the load better than I have been doing lately.  My schedule is “feast or famine”, hardly anything on one day and screaming busy another.

Speaking of screamin’ busy…gotta go and get ready to leave.  But today while it is slow at the market, I think I’ll be working on some thoughts for a schedule of sorts.

Been Gone From Blogging World

Wednesday, August 27th, 2008

I’ve been a bit busy with Farmer’s Markets, helping Dave make syrup sales and fertility stuff. While speaking to one of my sister-in-laws recently she said (because she’s also dealing with infertility) that it is okay for fertility to become an encompassing mission/passion for a time. We’ve got this short window in time to have children so use it wisely. So I’m letting myself think about it often and not getting to wrapped up in much else.

This cycle I started a low dose of clomid and a low dose of synthroid and reduced the glucophage. I am praying like anything that ye olde ovaries decide to start popping out viable eggs soon!

I’m just going to stomp my online feet for a moment… this infertility business just isn’t fair. It really, really stinks. And I hate it. I hate even having to be in a position where I have to contemplate the possibility of not having children. I’m thankful for the fact that there is hope, but I’m sad/mad about that too because it is kind of makes me feel pathetic.

Oh well, I guess everyone’s lives have hurdles and everyone’s hurdles are different. Too bad there isn’t a “life’s hurdles” market, but I guess all the easy to jump ones would sell first since no one ever wants the ones that are hard to jump.

First Night Away from Dave

Thursday, August 7th, 2008

Since we’ve been married, we’ve never spent a night away from each other.  This morning I am traveling with my mother-in-law to NYC to baby-sit my nephew while my brother-in-law & sister-in-law go away for their anniversary.   Dave & I have been married now almost 21 months and never a night apart.  I’m only going to be gone over night so we can still say we’ve never had a day apart since I’ll see him tomorrow evening.  But it is going to be strange sleeping alone.

Thankfully, my cat, Bailey, who is not known for being kind to others has actually gotten to a point with Dave that he’ll tolerate him.  Bailey will even let Dave pet him, albeit briefly!  (This is a huge improvement in personality!!)  So I’m not too worried about Bailey eating him without me here.

I made enchiladas for Dave and his father to eat tonight since the gals will be gone.

I’m going to miss today’s farmer’s market.  I kind of enjoy seeing how much extra income I can bring in for us so I’m actually kind of bummed I can’t attend today.  But I did line up at least one sale for today.  Before I go to my mother-in-law’s to pick her up, I’ll drop syrup off at the market for my neighbor to sell for me.  She’s really nice!

My Day

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

Well, this morning I’ve got an appointment with the CNM (certified nurse midwife) I see for all things reproductively related. We’re going to have the clomid talk since the glucophage I’ve been taking (which makes me sick as anything) for ovulation regulation has not worked one bit. I’ve also had recommended to me NaPro Technology and Fertilaid recently. Because of my age and the fact that we are talking about time clipping by, I’m going to ask to do a round or two of clomid first. I’d love to go a more natural route, but time is an issue in my case.

After that appointment, I need to come home and pack more maple syrup for the Farmer’s Markets. We’ve been selling syrup pretty well the last few weeks and the last 10 gallons we packed is almost gone. So Dave brought in another 10 gallons last evening for me to process (heat and package in smaller containers). We’ve been getting more sales on the realmaplesyrup.com website as well. So things are good in the syrup world.

If I have time later I might find a few recipes that use maple syrup for things other than pancakes/waffles. Dave and I talked about having a handout available at our table with recipes for people. We’re also talking about adding a pancake mix from a New England based company to augment out sales. And I’m also going to put together a couple of gift baskets full of maple and maple related products.

My nephew, JB, has been helping me with the Farmer’s Market on Mondays. It is nice to have the company and he’s turning into a good little salesman!

My sister-in-law back in IL e-mailed me new pictures of my gorgeous little nieces! I’ll have to get Dave to put them on here for me since I don’t know how to do that.

Busy Week and Weekend

Monday, July 7th, 2008

Dave and I have been kind of busy lately so I’ve been neglecting the blog and my house…eek! Between Farmer’s Markets, holidays and visiting relatives, it’s been a bit hard to keep up with my housework.

Today from 11-2 I sold maple syrup at the Farmer’s Market here in town. It was our first day for this market so business was a bit slow, but I’m sure it will pick up as the summer goes on. The only blah thing is that I have to be outside for 3 hours in the middle of the day. Thank Heavens this isn’t Illinois so the heat isn’t unbearable, but it was still yucky today and all you guys that know me know that I melt when the temperature goes above 63. I swear I have polar bear in my ancestry cuz heat and me don’t agree with one another.

The rest of today must be spend doing some serious cleaning. I was reading on one of my favorite blogs today about her “two-hour” house pick-up after a holiday weekend. I think I’m going to follow her example, but make up my own version.

1. Take all the laundry to the basement and get a load started. (10 minutes)
2. Unload the dishwasher and reload it. (15 minutes)
3. Wash down all the counter tops, stove top and front of fridge (25 minutes because one of the counter tops has some stuff piled on it)
4. Make the bed (5 minutes)
5. Change the kitty litter (5 minutes)
6. Get another load of laundry started, hang previous load on the clothes line (15 minutes)
7. Clean bathroom sink, toilet, tub and mirror (25 minutes)
8. Vacuum living room and generally straighten that room (20 minutes)

Then after that I need to grate up zucchini for zucchini bread and prep some salmon for dinner tonight. I think we’ll have salmon (preparation method is yet to be determined), fresh fingerling potatoes and green beans, both veggies from this morning’s Farmer’s Market.

Okay, so it’s 2:45PM and Dave comes home around 5:15. I like to have my household chores and dinner started before he comes home so I can spend a few minutes with him when he arrives.

Mountian Laurel Sanctuary

Thursday, June 26th, 2008

Today I needed to drive to Woodstock, CT to buy some containers to package more of our maple syrup for the Farmer’s Markets coming up. On the way back, I stopped at a goat farm in Union and bought some goat cheese…very fresh as the owner had just finished making it! Then I decided to stop at the Mountain Laurel Sanctuary, part of Nipmuck State Forest. The Mountain Laurel is the state’s flower and is in full-bloom right now. A couple of bushes have already spent their flowers, but most are in their prime or still have buds to open.

From afar the Mountain Laurel looks like clumpy flowers all over a bush, but get up close and you can see spectacular little flowers with a unique shape. Most of the flowers in the sanctuary are either pink or white. It is just a beautiful, quiet drive along a mile of dirt forest road. Dave enjoys seeing the Mountain Laurel so many we can both go this weekend.

Today is a long, busy day for Dave at work, he’s got to stay until 8. It is kind of rainy and overcast again today. The temp is okay, but the humidity seems to be rising. There have been so many overcast days this summer, my poor tomatoes just aren’t being given an opportunity to grow.

Farmer’s Markets

Friday, June 13th, 2008

Tomorrow Dave and I begin selling our maple syrup at a couple of the local Farmer’s Markets. Specifically, we’ll be selling at the Somers and Stafford markets this summer. I am hoping and praying for good sales!!

We bought one of those nice canopy tents (tent top without sides). The material for our tablecloth arrived too late yesterday evening for me to make our tablecloth, but I’ll be able to finish it before the next market. I did make a big sign that says 100% Pure Maple Syrup, which will hopefully catch the eye of people and bring them to our tent.

I’ll take photos of our set-up tomorrow and hopefully Dave will be able to upload them. I’m pretty excited about this because if it goes well, it could really help us toward making farming Dave’s eventual full-time gig. That is the long-term goal anyway. Dave would give anything to be able to provide for us as a farmer. (For the Illinois readers, in New England producing maple syrup is very much a farming operation!)

Lately, I’ve been reading so much about how harmful eating processed foods, white sugar and white flour are too my body that the idea of growing lots of our own produce also sounds like a very good idea. So maybe one day in the not so distant future, Dave and I will have enough land to cultivate our own veggies/fruits and produce gobs of maple syrup!