Hello everyone,
Snow, snow and more snow. It has snowed almost everyday for the last ten days and it is still snowing! Hard to think about gardening while you are shoveling snow!
The one bonus: the ski trails are beautiful at our house. I am getting much better, as a novice skier, hills are my nemesis. The last three times out, I did not fall once. And yes, I did go down hills! I guess the other bonus is the gorgeous sight that meets the eyes every morning as the day dawns. Monochromatic is the best way to describe it. Everything is white.
I read in the local paper that maple syrup season may start early because of the warm daytime temperatures. With all of the new snow, I don't think that will be happening. Mike and Ian are ready to get out there and tap our few trees. We generally make about three gallons of our own. It is a smalltime operation. We tap about 10-15 trees the old fashioned way with metal taps and metal pails that have covers on them.
Our land was a sugar bush back in the day. When we purchased it, there was an old log boiling house. It had not been used in decades and was rotting into the ground. Mike tore it down and used the tin roofing to cover wood piles that dot our forest. It is amazing to know that the trees we tap were the same ones tapped 50 years ago. There are some old beauties growing close to our house. If trees could talk, they would have amazing stories to tell.
After the sap is gathered for the day, Mike builds a fire outside to start the boiling process. He has a large metal pan that is placed over the flames. As the sap boils, more is added to the pan. After several hours of boiling, the sap gets closer to syrup. We bring the pan inside and place it on the gas burner to finish off. There are scientific tools used to determine when it is syrup. We use a less perfect method. Sometimes we get syrup that is a bit watery, other times a little thick, occasionally it is just right. You may already know, it takes 30 or more gallons of sap to get one gallon of syrup. And you wondered why maple syrup is soooo expensive!
We have written the contract for the CSA and the list of veggies that will be available during the season. I will be sending those by email to the folks who have already indicated they will be signing up for the 2010 season. Please fill them out and send them back to us.
Enjoy the snow and remember, fresh veggies will be on your table before you know it.
Take care all,
Maria
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
mid-winter
Hello Everyone,
Last Saturday many friends (too many to count, but I am guessing around 60) made their way down Bonno Rd to our home for a celebration of Mid-Winter. Some were celebrating their love of the season, others were feeling grateful that it is half over.
When we woke up it was seventeen degrees below zero. Mike went to run the Colton ten-miler. It had warmed up to fifteen below by the time he left at 7:45.
I made two big pots of soup, squash and bean. Everyone that walked down the driveway carried their skis, sleds and food. Our table was groaning from the load of delicious contributions. Several varieties of cookies fought for space with the rice pudding and mac and cheese to name just a few dishes.
There was plenty of outside activity. Despite our warning of too little snow, "suicide hill" was a popular destination. It is a hill down the side of a cliff, beside our house. The big dip and then bump in the middle provide a jarring ride. Ian discovered that by a certain age your tail bone does not appreciate the rocky (literally) ride down. The younger crowd didn't have a problem.
Mike has cleared the ski trails this year. We have several small loops through the woods. Our land abuts the State Forest on two sides. We consider those acres ours, as well, during ski season. Two years ago, we had a significant storm blow through our forest. It broke many trees in half and uprooted others directly into our trail system. Some of the trees were humongous; they were to big to get your arms around.
On Saturday, several folks snapped on their skis or snowshoes and wandered through the forest. It was great to see so many people outside having fun.
The house felt pretty warm from the cook stove going full blast to get the soup and hot chocolate warm and from all of the body heat generated by our guests. We actually let the big wood stove burn down to ash.
Conversations were swirling around me as I stirred and ladled soup and hot chocolate. Two guests got their hands into the dishpan to wash the bowls that were piling up on the side of the sink. One was Mike's mom, Bonnie; we can't keep her out of our sink, when there are dirty dishes around.
At one point I looked into our shop, which is the entry into our house, it looked like a boot and coat factory had exploded. I don't know how everyone managed to find the items they came with. As everyone was leaving, I was running down the driveway in my Berks and t-shirt holding up items left behind. In the end, I only had three things to return to their owners.
What a great time! This was our third annual Mid-Winter gathering. We are looking forward to our fourth.
It is hard to believe that Mike, Ian and Bill will be starting our plants in another month or so. We will also be seeking out more share-holders for the CSA. For those of you all ready signed up, we will be sending out a mailing soon letting you know about payment options as well as a veggie preference list. I will try to personalize each of our shares this year, so you get more of what you like and less of what you don't.
Maple season is next. Stay tuned...
Take care all,
Maria
Last Saturday many friends (too many to count, but I am guessing around 60) made their way down Bonno Rd to our home for a celebration of Mid-Winter. Some were celebrating their love of the season, others were feeling grateful that it is half over.
When we woke up it was seventeen degrees below zero. Mike went to run the Colton ten-miler. It had warmed up to fifteen below by the time he left at 7:45.
I made two big pots of soup, squash and bean. Everyone that walked down the driveway carried their skis, sleds and food. Our table was groaning from the load of delicious contributions. Several varieties of cookies fought for space with the rice pudding and mac and cheese to name just a few dishes.
There was plenty of outside activity. Despite our warning of too little snow, "suicide hill" was a popular destination. It is a hill down the side of a cliff, beside our house. The big dip and then bump in the middle provide a jarring ride. Ian discovered that by a certain age your tail bone does not appreciate the rocky (literally) ride down. The younger crowd didn't have a problem.
Mike has cleared the ski trails this year. We have several small loops through the woods. Our land abuts the State Forest on two sides. We consider those acres ours, as well, during ski season. Two years ago, we had a significant storm blow through our forest. It broke many trees in half and uprooted others directly into our trail system. Some of the trees were humongous; they were to big to get your arms around.
On Saturday, several folks snapped on their skis or snowshoes and wandered through the forest. It was great to see so many people outside having fun.
The house felt pretty warm from the cook stove going full blast to get the soup and hot chocolate warm and from all of the body heat generated by our guests. We actually let the big wood stove burn down to ash.
Conversations were swirling around me as I stirred and ladled soup and hot chocolate. Two guests got their hands into the dishpan to wash the bowls that were piling up on the side of the sink. One was Mike's mom, Bonnie; we can't keep her out of our sink, when there are dirty dishes around.
At one point I looked into our shop, which is the entry into our house, it looked like a boot and coat factory had exploded. I don't know how everyone managed to find the items they came with. As everyone was leaving, I was running down the driveway in my Berks and t-shirt holding up items left behind. In the end, I only had three things to return to their owners.
What a great time! This was our third annual Mid-Winter gathering. We are looking forward to our fourth.
It is hard to believe that Mike, Ian and Bill will be starting our plants in another month or so. We will also be seeking out more share-holders for the CSA. For those of you all ready signed up, we will be sending out a mailing soon letting you know about payment options as well as a veggie preference list. I will try to personalize each of our shares this year, so you get more of what you like and less of what you don't.
Maple season is next. Stay tuned...
Take care all,
Maria
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