Back in history, town residents elected pound keepers and fence viewers to keep animals from running at large. Evidently residents who lost animals must have known that they should check the book of strays to figure out where there animal might have gone.
Maple season is upon us! We will be welcoming visitors to the sugarhouse this year with a few changes to ensure everyone’s health and safety: The statewide mask mandate is still in effect, and we’ll ask you to wear one at all times on the farm property. Pay attention to signage when you arrive because we may establish one-way traffic through the sugarhouse, and limit the number of families inside at one time. There will be some new displays and demos to watch and explore while you wait. We won’t be offering syrup samples this year but will have plenty of small items for you to purchase and try on your drive home from the farm. The sugarhouse will be...
Pure maple syrup is a delightful ingredient. It’s versatile and imparts great flavor to all baked goods. Once my goal was to bake my way through most of the recipes featured in my maple syrup cookbooks. My two favorite books are NH Maple Recipes and Simply Maple from the Ontario Maple Producers. The notes I left in the margins show I made a good effort. Naturally the breads, bars, cookies, and muffins earned starred reviews. I leave a date by each recipe to show if it's a recipe I’ve made recently. To boost my chances for future success, I record comments about the ingredients or if the baking time in the oven was accurate. According to my notes, maple...
I often think Christmas trees are green with envy because they take center stage just one time per year while sugar maples play leading roles twice; at fall foliage and again during sugaring. The sugar maples on display by our driveway, at field’s edge, and along the stonewalls is a true natural wonder. During this time of year maple trees are a joy to behold. Later this winter, we’re not so carefree as we walk through stands of maples. When the new year arrives with snow and cold winds, we’re spurred on through the woods with a clear sense of purpose. Downed limbs are lifted off tubing lines, tubing installations are checked for tautness, and drop lines are replaced or...
