Here are words that strayed into the Blog Editor’s pocket notebook: Eclipse day morning, August 8th, 2024 9am, bluebird Daylilies are 1″ tall. Quiet here after the sugar on snow party yesterday The event seems personal yet all these other people – We are millions. I want to experience the whoosh. What if something goes wrong? 11am, inner excitement, don’t ask me to do any task. I tried to call C. I will walk to her house at 2pm. Third cup of tea Looking up Nebraska Valley as the shadow encroaches. [FC photo] As the moon swallowed the sun: Desaturated light Muddy light Accoutrement (the glass ..read more

Freedle Coty, who grew up roaming this mountainside and learning the ways of its inhabitants, submits these photos and captions. Tracking and the Art of Seeing: The arrival of a 4th major snowstorm to the Northeast since our season began inspired a rewind to mid-winter tapping in the sugar bush. Outside of the important woods crew duties (tap drilling, tubing repair, tree assessment) there is much sign from the ‘natural world’ to observe. Snow acts as wildlife’s version of a Strava map, revealing the forest citizenry and their nocturnal winter activities, in detail if conditions allow. Early F ..read more

Here is a journal entry from rookie crew member Jenn who, on her first day, took the risk of learning to draw syrup off the evaporator. Then she risked writing about it. Jenn writes: *****First time boiling!****** Important things I have already been told leading up to boiling: 1) Keep an eye on sap levels in the upper tank. (Will need to stop stoking fire as we come to the end of the sap supply.) 2) Don’t let the sap boil over. 3) Don’t let sap burn on. Add the roar of the fire and the roar of the boiling sap. So with the maple steam obstructing my view and hot sugar steam filling the air, I ..read more

Prayer flags [LC photo] WEATHER: The current pattern is this: About every 12 days a major snowstorm muffles the land, exciting much chatter, skier traffic, and plow truck sightings. In between storms there are a few sunny days, many drizzly 39-degree days, a few freezing nights, and many just-above-freezing nights. The battle between Sun and Frost drags on; it’s good sugaring weather. The third snowstorm is shaping up for later this week. HOW’S IT RUNNING? Last week we got the second hard, multi-day run of the year. It was less intense than the run following the previous snowstorm. There have ..read more

A Tree is Named Matteo [LC photo] Three people on snowshoes traverse the hillside. Their path approaches then skirts the base of a tree. The leader pauses, caresses the bark with her leather mitt, and kisses it. “This tree needs a name,” says Annie M., second in line. “What do you suggest?” “Matteo,” pipes up Jenn from the rear. “Is that Italian for Matthew? Spanish?” “Both?” “How do you spell it?” “M-a-t-t-e-o.” “How did you choose Matteo?” “I first heard it in Spain and loved it.” “How will we find him again?” “Well, there’s M5 [a Morningside mainline] just a few yards away. And M5 changes d ..read more

Maple Trout Lilli writes: If you’re a coconut lover, you’ll want to make these moist, chewy macaroons all the time, not just for Easter treats.  They have a very subtle, lingering maple flavor that’s sure to satisfy your maple cravings any time of year. INGREDIENTS Yield:  About 18 Macaroons 3 large egg whites (room temp) ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 3/4 cup /151 grams  maple sugar 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil, melted ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract 3 cups unsweetened shredded coconut 2 tablespoons coconut flour 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped Flaky salt, for sprinkling ..read more

Today our friend Jenn Galliott of Woody Point, Newfoundland left the Nebraska Knoll crew to return to Canada. Here are her drawings mingled with journal entries from February tapping days. Lew, Chief of Operations I am told that coffee made from raw maple water is the best.  As I drank my “maple syrup drenched” coffee from a thermos in the middle of large maples, sun beaming over the ridge and snowshoes gripping the bank..I wasn’t sure if anything could taste better… Audrey, Blog Editor The anticipation is there. A few more days and I will find out. Sam This was day two of attaching taps ..read more

Here is a deluge of photos mirroring today’s deluge of sap. All photo credits go to LC, Chief of Operations. Cresting. We caught it in time, opened the drain to the lower tanks, and didn’t lose a drop. All day long, all tanks were close to overflowing. Overnight the run will ease but not shut off. Let’s flip back a few days to the storm that reset winter. Snow blew through the open doors of the cupola. The sun came out and warmed the crowns of the maple trees. Soon the open doors of the cupola served their purpose. Light and delight. Froth and frolic. Mystery photo The bubbles in the center ..read more

HILL REPORT #2: As the nights stay mild and the snow recedes, the maple seeds sprout. [LL photo] Here are notes from the log book: HILL REPORT #1: Where is my hammer? Larry asks. [LL photo] 3/3 Cold rain yesterday dampened run, no freeze last night, sunny morning, then clouded over. Run improved. 3/4 No freeze last night, cloudy, high in 40’s. 3/5 No freeze last night, another cloudy day in 40’s and rainy. 3/6 Broken record, plus constant rain. If only it would snow, feels so much like mid-April. 3/7 Déjà vu all over again! Heavy rains from yesterday have subsided. Sap quantity, sap sugar ..read more

If you live in northern Vermont you know the sun is out for the first time in many days. Oh joy. You know that the needle on the thermometer dropped below 32 degrees for the first time in many days. Oh joy. You murmur, The sap’s gotta be running today, as you open some windows in your house to let the sunshine in and you let yourself out the door to sip coffee with your face to the sun. Oh joy, but then buzz. It’s as though contractions started for real and the baby is coming. Breathe. The trees are breathing but Chief of Operations is not. Adrenaline raises his voice three pitches. Switch t ..read more