Maple syrup, bottled March 2, 2010, for sale in Howell Farm's gift shop.Since last November, Howell Farm's shelves lay bare of its most precious commodity- maple syrup. The last four bottles were sold at Howell Farm's live auction and there has been none for sale since then. This unique Howell Farm product is now back on the shelves with the sugaring season in full steam and the first run of sap collected. The first run syrup is known to be the lightest and sweetest tasting, as the season progresses the syrup will become darker and more "mapley".

The making of maple syrup at Howell Farm is unique in itself. Classes of school children led by farm staff, participate in tapping sugar maple trees in the sugar bush. Howell Farm horses, Jack & Chester pull bobsled loaded with sap.Sap is then gathered by these visiting children and deposited in large milk cans carried by a horse-drawn bobsled. The sap is transported directly to the sugar shack, where rests the evaporator. There the sap is cooked down into almost finished maple syrup, it is finished and bottled in one of Howell Farm's kitchens and then brought to the visitor center for sale. So this product does not leave the farm until you take it home with you!

One of Howell Farm's newest volunteer has wrought wonderful advances behind the scenes. Bob Walker is a dedicated volunteer who has lent his proficient carpentry & mechanical skills to bring about some amazing restoration on farm equipment and furniture. From chairs to hand-tools, disc harrows to sleighs, Mr. Walker has spent many hours in Howell Farm's workshop repairing the numerous broken items that Howell Farm has in their collection of antiques. The disc harrow that Bob is "modeling" above took weeks of intense labor to bring it to its present, almost new, condition.

Howell Farm fared well in the two blizzards just passed. The knee high snow adorns the farm's fences, barns and trees beautifully.

So far the only damage known is a fallen osage orange tree branch. The lower ford bridge is blocked off as a result.