Monday, April 22, 2019
A Little More Maple Syrup
Just to show you that any size farm can make a little maple syrup, I'm going to share a few photos of three other operations. We didn't go back to these this year because we knew they were not wheelchair friendly (picture the average farm yard). But they're all good examples of families making a little maple syrup without a big investment.
The first has a small sugar shack and woodshed. They gather sap in pails in their woodlot, and bring it home for boiling. In 2016 it was a bright sunny day when we visited.
They have a very small evaporator where the steam simply vents through the raised roof, and the smoke through a stovepipe you can't see because it's hidden by the rising steam.
But their farm is mainly a sheep farm, with 1000 ewes. They market the lamb in their farm store, where they also sell the syrup.
They have a pack of 15 Maremma sheepdogs who live with the sheep full-time to protect them from Coyotes.
Another family just boils the syrup in pans over a firebox, in an old garage.
I could watch the fire for some time; there's lots of wood to keep it going.
Their 13 year old son has a small herd of 10 sheep to be responsible for - great learning for a young teenager.
They also have a few hardy Highland cattle, which we love seeing.
The last family has a similar firebox and pans for boiling the sap, but just do it outside. This is a non-farm family, a family who lives in the country and makes syrup for their own use.
This is the only place that we saw the sap being gathered in buckets. It's expensive, but it's far better for you then sugar or honey, so enjoy it!
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Great shots! I love maple syrup.
ReplyDeleteThis spring I only saw one place where they were gathering sap in buckets, even a lot of the hobby syrup makers have begun using tubing -- a lot more efficient, but not as picturesque.
ReplyDeleteThere's someone on Texada Island near us who makes syrup from broad leaf maples that grow here. They sell at the farmer's market and a few shops in town. - Margy
ReplyDeleteThose Highland cattle are dramatic and exotic.
ReplyDeleteIt is rare to see the Highland cattle.
ReplyDeleteThe differences in all those operations is vast, as would be the outlay for all the equipment. Yes, expensive, but SO delicious.I like the buckets and the outdoor process.Imagine that aroma as you stood around tending the fire.
ReplyDeleteWe went to the sugar shack this year. They had an open house. It was pouring rain!
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the dogs living with the sheep!
ReplyDeleteYum! I also love maple syrup, and seeing how these small operations work is fun. Thanks! :-)
ReplyDeleteI so loved seeing these...I would love to sit and watch the fire. What is amazing to me though is to think of having 1000 sheep...I know, nothing to do with maple syrup but so glad you included that tidbit!
ReplyDeleteSadly , we see very little maple syrup in the west.
ReplyDeleteA fascinating glimpse into this small-scale operation. Oh, that someone would invent the equivalent of rubber boots for wheelchairs.
ReplyDeleteAnother fun day exploring the countryside making maple syrup sure is a fun hobby for some people.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that it doesn't take a big farm operation to make maple syrup.
ReplyDeleteI think someone needs to trim the Highland cattles bangs. :)
Highland cattle never have a bad hair day, huh.
ReplyDeleteInteresting how it all gets made at different levels. We had sugar maples at one of homes. The previous owner tapped them and made a small quantity of syrup.
ReplyDeleteoh I love the highland cattle we see alot of them and sheep here.
ReplyDelete