Last open house of 2017

This is it—your last chance in 2017 to see us making maple syrup! The buds are starting, the temperature is evening out (less variation means no sap). Join us today from 11-4 for our open house. Follow the process of making maple syrup from tree to tasting. During the open house you can watch the sap being collected and boiled, sample the finished product, see the old-fashioned way of making syrup, and enjoy hot mulled maple cider.

Here are the directions. See you soon! https://hardwicksugarshack.wordpress.com/maplesyrup/

MA Maple Weekend

Massachusetts is celebrating Maple Weekend! Come join the fun during our open house tomorrow, Sunday, March 19 from 11 to 4 pm.  Along with seeing how maple syrup is made, stop by Hartman’s Herb Farm for their pancake breakfast. Call (978) 355-2015 for reservations.

Menu: Maple Glazed Ham, Maple Sage Sausage patties, Eggbake
Herb Roasted Potatoes,Maple French Toast,Maple Glazed Carrots
Maple Mustard Salmon, Maple Glazed Pork Loin
Dessert: Maple Mousse or Apple Crisp (sweetened with Maple Syrup)

Visit from MA Agriculture

Thanks to the team at the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources, who are out visiting Maple Farms in support of MA Maple weekend. We appreciated the visit this morning. Thank you to:

John Lebeaux, Commissioner
Jason Wentworth, Assistant Commissioner
Mary Jordan, Director
Devon Manchester, Program Coordinator.

Plus, thanks to Hardwick Selectman Kelly Allen and John from Hardwick Vineyard & Winery for joining the fun! Come visit Sunday during our open house, after having breakfast at Hartman’s Herb Farm.

Save the Date!

Come for a scrumptious maple brunch at Hartman’s Herb Farm on Sunday, March 19th from 11 am – 2 pm, then come visit us for our Sunday open house (we’re open until 4).

Menu:
Maple Glazed Ham
Maple Sage Sausage patties
Eggbake
Herb Roasted Potatoes
Maple French Toast
Maple Glazed Carrots
Maple Mustard Salmon
Maple Glazed Pork Loin
Dessert: Maple Mousse or Apple Crisp (sweetened with Maple Syrup)

All of the pork is from their own farm raised meat.

Hartman’s Herb Farm
1026 Old Dana Road, Barre, MA 01005
By reservation only. Call (978) 355-2015
$20 per person. Kids 6-12 are $10 and kids 5 and under no charge.

 

 

First Open House in 2017!

Join us this Sunday from 11-4 at our first open house of the 2017 season. Follow the process of making maple syrup from tree to tasting. During the open house you can watch the sap being collected and boiled, sample the finished product, see the old-fashioned way of making syrup, and enjoy hot mulled maple cider.

Here are the directions. See you soon!

 

 

Seminar Today at Hardwick Coop

Today I’m heading down to the Hardwick Farmers Coop to give a seminar on making maple syrup. It starts at 10:30 am. Joe was planning to come, but as it goes with Mother Nature, you’ve got to make hay when the sun is shining…or in this case, make maple syrup when  the sap is flowing!!! I know, I know, it’s ironic that the person who writes and talks about making maple syrup is not really the person who MAKES the maple syrup. I do know a thing or two, though. I’ll give you all I’ve got later today—which is more than enough for successful backyard sugaring.

Cup of Joe

Happy Friday! Wow, this weather is incredible. I took my morning coffee down to the sugar shack, sat on a rock, and watched the sun rise again today—the second time in as many days I took time. I marveled at the fog lifting off the lingering snow as steam came off my coffee. My coffee cooled down; the earth warmed up. Both gave up water to air, changing states.

It’s a massive sap day. Joe and Craig will be boiling down some 2200 gallons into syrup. Busy, busy! It’s very early to be so busy…feels more like March than February.

 

Walking to the Sun

This Thursday morning marked the beginning of a warm spell. As Joe collected sap at Moose Brook, I walked up to the top of the hill to watch the sun rise. Yes, I know, hardly a fair division of labor but there you have it. Here are the pictures from that morning glory. Lovely!!

 

The Start of the 2017 Season

Joe started the 2017 maple syrup season earlier than ever, with the first boil in January—and it was a big one! This morning he was up at 3:30 a.m. checking the vacuum pumps, making sure we are capturing all the sap from the warm weather this weekend. Yesterday he and I were at Dana Center in the Quabbin tapping trees. We only have one more small stand of trees to tap and then everything is ready. The sun was shining this morning, the dogs are following us around, and the sap flowing. All is well with mother nature. We’re grateful for this glorious day and the flowing, abundant sap!

 

Happy Easter!

May today be a wonderful family day for you, whether or not you celebrate Easter. The Sugar Shack is officially closed (Joe is finishing the clean-up today), so there is no open house. We’ll see you next year! And remember, you can always buy maple syrup at local stores: Petersham General Store, Clover Hill, Rose 32, Country Gourmet, and Howe’s vegetable stand in Holden and Paxton. You can also order online directly.