Here in New England, it's maple sugaring season again -- days above freezing (um, sometimes) and nights below freezing. Our friends at Jon Parks Tractor in Lancaster, who service our tractors and other equipment, also make maple syrup each spring. This year they asked if they could tap our sugar maples to add to their annual harvest, and of course we said yes. We'll also get some delicious maple syrup from the deal! Alayne and I took these photos this past weekend of some of the trees they've tapped here at the farm. (Click on photos for a larger image.)
In the view above, this is looking south with Mount Washington looming high and white in the background. Here's a close-up taken from the pasture beyond:
Here are a couple of other trees in this north view, with the farm buildings in the background:
Maple sugaring is not something we have the time or skills to do, so we are delighted that the Parks family is able to put our sugar maples to good use like this. As to why it's still called maple sugaring, read this bit of history.
---
Shelter Challenge Contest -- Please Vote for the Farm!
The latest Shelter Challenge started Monday, January 7 and ends on April 28. Grand prize in this round is $10,000, $3,000 for second place and $1,000 for third place, plus $1,000 for weekly winners and $1,000 for state winners. There are also other categories ... please see the Shelter Challenge website for details.
*** You will find us listed as Rolling Dog Farm. The state is NH for New Hampshire. ***
Please remember, you can vote every day ... consider bookmarking the voting page to make it easy.
We just won $1,000 as a weekly winner in the current contest, and thousands more in the previous contests. The Shelter Challenge really does bring in a lot of money for the animals here!
You can vote in the Shelter Challenge here.
Thank you for your votes!
What a wonderful use for more of your natural resources! And renewable too. Yummy.
Posted by: Anne in FL | April 04, 2013 at 03:05 PM
Wonderful posting! In addition to the home you provide for the animals, you provide us with the beautiful N.E. scenery and fascinating information related to a rural life. We get to share vicariously in this life.
Posted by: Janet | April 04, 2013 at 02:56 PM
I'm so glad they use buckets, & not the plastic tubing!
Posted by: Martie Crone | April 04, 2013 at 08:39 AM
What a "sweet" deal!
Hugs all around,
ginger
Posted by: ginger | April 04, 2013 at 02:40 AM
Oh, fresh maple syrup! Yum! Very nice of you all to let your friends use your trees and it's very nice of them to supply you with all that deliciousness. A win-win for all.
I just love the scenery in the pictures you take. You must love waking up to all that beauty every day!
Posted by: Ann | April 04, 2013 at 01:22 AM
Beautiful countryside....Thanks for sharing - enjoy the syrup!
Posted by: Leila K. - Western Wash. | April 03, 2013 at 08:48 PM
So interesting.......
Posted by: Shirley * James/Portland, OR | April 03, 2013 at 08:06 PM
That's great that you have some sugar maples. I love maple syrup and maple sugar, and I've watched it being made outside over an open fire at maple festivals. Someday I hope to have my own trees. Enjoy your syrup when it is ready!
Posted by: Tonya Allen | April 03, 2013 at 07:00 PM
Maple syrup and Mt Washington. Both wonderful.
I grew up in maple syrup country (northeastern Ohio). I have been addicted to it since I was a kid in the 1940s.There is nothing quite like good maple syrup. Northeastern Ohio, produced excellent syrup. I continued buying Ohio syrup when I moved away from Ohio, but have run out of my original suppliers, one quit because of high fuel prices on the mid 1970s and the other because age caught up with them. I have found I can get reasonable syrup through Costco but...
Mt Washington. An exciting mountain. In the early 1960s my husband and I were hiking the Appalachian Trail and stayed overnight in the Lake of the Clouds hut before going on up to the top of Mt. Washington. What fun! So enjoy the syrup for me and enjoy the views of Mt Washington!
Posted by: Phyllis Snow | April 03, 2013 at 02:48 PM
That's great that you have all those sugar maples! My brother has them on his property (here in Upstate NY)and a couple years ago gave me a gallon to simmer down myself - well the house was a humidified sugarland for about 14 hours, smelled delicious, but I think I got a whole half pint at the end. Still a neat experience!
Posted by: Katy | April 03, 2013 at 01:22 PM