It was too warm this week, but the sap ran
Spring weather arrived fast and furious over the past week. We went from mid-winter conditions with plenty of snowpack to nearly 60 degrees, sun, and above freezing nights. All around town, people ask us… how's it going? Not to mention it was town voting day on Tuesday, so we see and chat with everyone in town! Our answer is simple with our fingers crossed - we will let you know at the end of the season. What's that old saying… “The farmer has to be an optimist or he wouldn't still be a farmer.” Typically days above 40 degrees and nights above 32 degrees make us very nervous. Especially this year when we've barely gotten started with the season. Fortunately the snowpack in the woods was deep to start which keeps the roots cold and holds the frost in the ground. Trees won't be tricked into thinking its spring yet. After several days of warmth, the less shady areas melted down and the snowpack disappeared quickly. Our Lempster woods is a wetter, sunnier location. The hills of Wilmot hold on to cold longer. The buds on the trees aren't awake yet, so all we can do is hope plenty of freezing nights are in the forecast from here on out.
Firing the Evaporator - March 10, 2026
Enough about our weather woes… lets talk maple syrup! The sap did run and it ran hard at times. We're approaching 600 gallons with a goal of at least 3,500 gallons. We've been in the sugarhouse every day since Saturday. Special thanks to Aunt Faith for working in the retail shop last weekend while I was at a family ski race with the kids. When not at the sugarhouse, we've been in the woods chasing leaks and checking vacuum levels. Ron has been in the sugarhouse keeping equipment clean and bottling syrup. Van and John have been reliably hauling sap and rattling their bones on the frost heave filled roads. Brendan is at the helm of the evaporator only to then go home and make syrup in his own sugarhouse at night! Tyler and I are chasing our tails between tasks and kids. It definitely takes a village.
Our shelves are now fully stocked with Amber Rich and yes Dark fans… we made Dark Robust plastic jugs this week too! Open Sugarhouse hours continue on Saturday and Sunday, 10am till 4:30pm. You can attend a special snowshoe walk (or maybe mud boots?) and tour with Ausbon Sargent Land Preservation Trust on Sunday afternoon, details here. We've also been thrilled to welcome group visits including kids from Bradford and Sunapee elementary schools and folks from Woodcrest Village Assisted Living.
Our biggest event is during NH Maple Weekend, March 21 & 22, when we host a pancake breakfast and BBQ lunch with Scott Brothers for the fourth year in a row. We highly recommend you pre-purchase tickets for Saturday 3/21 to assure a meal and avoid the line! We can't wait to celebrate all things maple with you.
