Winter Longing
January is at an end and I'm longing for more sunlight. The days are definitely longer, but they're still too short to really have appreciable time after school to be outside and decompress.
We tapped maple trees yesterday on the farm. Our two families were working together in the woods to take advantage of a coming warm streak. The sap will run this week with temperatures forecast in the 40's, but still cold at night. It's not as early as last year which is good, but it's still probably earlier than it should be overall. Climate change is pushing our seasons earlier which means we need to be ready to grow sooner. My body is happy to have some warmer weather but my mind knows that it comes at a cost. Maybe not one we can pay.
My bees are still alive. I took a moment this week to put my ear against the hive. I could hear their hum through the wood - no stethescope needed. They know how to take care of themselves...I just try to give them a place they want to occupy.
There is still a lot of winter yet left. But one can hope.
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A thought from Alan Levine
2024-01-31 13:16:40That’s impressive that you tap. How much do you get? Do you do the whole boiling to make syrup? I got to do that once with a friend in Vermont. Geoff’s home made syrup is amongst the best thing I’ve ever tasted.
A thought from Brian
2024-01-31 13:42:57We put in ~50 each year and it runs for about a month - it really depends on the weather. Last year, I think we finished with 9 gallons of syrup (roughly 350 gallons of raw sap) that are traded through the family for honey or summer produce when we're in season. We do a first boil outside on the wood stove in two large stainless boil pans before finishing inside on the stove in a stock pot to get it to the right temperature. Aside from lugging heavy buckets around to the fireplace, we sit outside and drink our beverages around the fire while the sap reduces down. It's a sweet (ha) gig.