In the sugarhouse, as Historical Interpreter Allison explained the science and wonder of maple sugaring to visiting school children, I caught up with Farmer Jim for the latest sap report. There's not much to report. Freezing temperatures have prevented much more sap from being collected. Jim hopes for a big collecting weekend with the expected warmer weather. As spring starts to advance, the worry is that the clear running sap will quickly go murky as buds and then leaves begin to form on the trees.
The children helped Farmer Jim load firewood into the Leader evaporator. (Farmer Jim loaded, the kids delivered the firewood.) They also whittled their own tree taps out of the best available local material: staghorn sumac wood.
The children helped Farmer Jim load firewood into the Leader evaporator. (Farmer Jim loaded, the kids delivered the firewood.) They also whittled their own tree taps out of the best available local material: staghorn sumac wood.
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