Between teaching jobs, I am helping my pa with his maple syrup business. Last year was the first year I was around for it and I illustrated a small zine about the process. This year I am way more hands on! In fact I can see it annoys my pa and Dennis for me to have the camera or my pens in my hand when I am in the sugar shack. There is lots to do and I need both hands to do it well.
We have been cleaning. Doing inventory. Sorting. We have been pulling the lines up from under the snow and moving limbs and branches from on top of them.
It's been pretty cold with temperatures in the teens so the tress have had at least 2 weeks of deep sleep. (Last year was much warmer and more stressful for both the sugar masters and the trees). The forecast is calling for warmer temperatures by next week and we plan to be ready to tap the trees right away. If we are late, the season is shorter... once the sap runs, the trees start to bud, and when that happens, the sap turns bitter and the window is closed.
Right now I am sorting parts. It seems an endless job, but a needed one, to be an efficient "sugar master".
#syrupseason #homefarmmaple #maplesyrup #familyfarm #sweetness
No comments:
Post a Comment