Cold Hollow to Canada

Posted on by Jessica Boone

Mushrooms and fungi

I try to learn something new everyday, some days I find a topic that I can learn lots about and its in my backyard! A few weeks ago one of the local foresters called me and asked if I would like to take a hike as part of a survey for the Cold Hollow to Canada Conservation Group.  I needed motivation to start hiking/walking/running again, the weather was beautiful and it started about a mile from my house, I needed to do this!

As it turned out it wasn’t an “official” hike since they’re weren’t enough qualified trackers involved, it was just me and  a fellow landowner Greg.  Greg knows way more about the wildlife and how to track them then I do and I live here full time!  There goal is to monitor 10 species of mammals in the area and find signs of them.  Just a few of them are black bear, fishers, minks, and moose.

 

 

It was a pleasant hike that was about 3 1/2 miles long.  Greg taught me how to look for bear sign on trees – claw and tooth marks and what types of trees they prefer.  We also saw white tail deer sign (which we were not looking for because they are so abundant in the area)

White tail antler rubbing on trees

To learn more about what Cold Hollow to Canada is check out coldhollowtocanada.org

Granulated Maple Sugar

New Product! Pure Vermont Maple Sugar!

Posted on by Jessica Boone

Now offering a new way to get your maple kicks. Maple sugar is a cooked-down version of pure maple syrup which has been boiled and stirred/strained down into a granulated form with minimum moisture content and nothing added. This was the traditional preservation method early settlers used for a sweetener before refrigeration or cane sugar was readily available.…

Maple Candy Bunnies

Maple Sugar Bunny

Posted on by Jessica Boone

Just in time for Easter we are offering a Maple Sugar Bunny! This 4.5 ounce bunny is made from 100% Pure Vermont Delicate Maple Syrup.  Also available are our gift boxes of  smaller bunnies, chicks and butterflies to complete any Easter Basket!  

Chaos, Change and the start of 2017

Posted on by Jessica Boone

It’s the first of January, our thoughts are turning to tapping our sugarbush and the sugar house once again looks like a disaster zone.

The chaos is once again in the sugar house as we begin to improve our operations. The arch is torn apart and the pieces create paths through the sugar house.  This year we bought a new air- tight door and blower for our arch. The arch is a frame that contains the firebox and supports the pans we use to boil sap make syrup.  The new air-tight front will make the boiling more efficient by using less wood, which is a natural and renewable resource for us.

We also bought 2 new front pans ( there are 2 pans on the rig, a smaller front pan and a much larger rear pan).  By having 2 front pans where the sap is the most concentrated while cooking we can switch the pans out and clean one while using the other.

The  change is tapping in January, this is directly tied to the seasonal changes occurring here. When I was young ( I’m talking 25 years ago), we tapped during winter vacation – this is the end of February until the first Wednesday in March ( the day after town meeting which here in Vermont is considered a holiday). Due to weather pattern changes we are tapping up to six weeks earlier and making syrup a month before we use to.  Its change, so far it doesn’t seem to be a huge issue as far as being able to produce maple syrup.  I admit, When we tap in January we’re not fighting with huge amounts of snow, so it goes so much faster and easier.  I can’t view that as a negative.