I picked up the phone and my sister told me I needed to get in the car right now if I wanted to make it on time to the sugar bush with her. I darted to the clock in the kitchen, surveyed the kids and the house to see if we were presentable. Where was the farm? Oh, an hour and a half away. When did it start? Ah, just over an hour from then. Well, I thought to myself, we've done crazier things. I gathered the kiddos and scrambled to the sugar bush. After all, maple syrup time only comes once a year :)
peeking at the sap
Farmer James explains how they extract the sap from the sugar maples.
wagon ride
sap lines (some running 5,000 feet!)
old fashioned way of drilling holes in the trees
Meg gives the drill a try.
A hydrometer measures the sugar level in the sap.
After making a hole and setting the spile, we hang the pail.
Molly finds a friend...
...with beautiful eyes.
Evaporator machine: water boils off, sap turns to syrup.
ordering the age of spiles
Caleb attempts to make a hole for the spile.
Oliver helps.
grading the colour and density of the syrup
testing the maple syrup... mmm!
enjoying some outdoor time
Little legs get a break from a long-legged cousin :)
1 comment:
Yippee for such a fun Mom! Sometimes those last minute field trips really are the best! Good for you to be game to do it Heather! I would *love* to visit a maple syrup farm...but, they are not to be found around here. :)
Love to you!
Camille
Post a Comment