The sun's starting to really feel warm. It's still beautiful in the greenhouse, our super volunteer Anne is busy seeding the first crops of the year, and outside the birds are definitely out and about.
Nothing's quite blooming yet, but the one very clear sign of impending spring is that sugaring season is in full swing. The smell of the sap being boiled down in the evaporator is one of my favorite things about being at the farm. If the wind is blowing in the right direction you can smell the sweetness in the air as soon as you get out of your car. So, in honor of this annual farm tradition, a few shots of the process of turning that sap into syrup.
This tree is right on the hill leading down to the farmyard- it's a very accessible place to see how we collect the sap.
Once it's collected from the buckets, the sap goes into the evaporator. It's located on the porch of the pond house (the blue building to the left of the nature center).
The evaporator is wood fired- and standing next to it on a cold day feels great!
At this point the sap boils down, creating the steamy plume that makes everything smell so sweet.
After several hours in the evaporator the syrup is brought into the kitchen for finishing. It's strained several times during the process.
Here's Greg carefully checking the temperature of the syrup when it's nearly done.
Now, the syrup is ready to be bottled- and enjoyed. To be frank, I like it so much that I could drink it straight from the jar, but more commonly it's enjoyed as a sweet topping for pancakes etc. Sugar shacks have also come up with a variety of creative uses. There's maple syrup cotton candy, popcorn coated in syrup (think caramel corn), and hot dogs boiled in sap, among others. I'm not shy about admitting a love of syrup candy either- boiled syrup poured over fresh snow, or grated ice- but you better watch out for your fillings. What other maple syrup treats have you tried?
There are a few seats left for our Sap-to-Syrup Farmer's Breakfast next weekend. Call Jennifer at 781-259-2206 if you're interested.
And for those following the ongoing competition of squirrel vs. birdfeeder that squirrel isn't suppose to be able to reach- a shot from the Audubon Shop.
Happy Friday!
