Sugar Diary
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Click on any thumbnail photo below to view it larger. Good Friday, March 21, 2008 One last entry for the season. Many of you have asked what a sugar maker does right after the sugarin' is over. For the past week I have washed, scrubbed, rinsed, washed, scrubbed, rinsed and air dried all the equipment used to produce Brooksvale Syrup. Because syrup "picks up" scents and such, no detergents can be used when scrubbing the buckets, washing the filters or rinsing out the large collection tanks. Everything is scoured with pure hot water and elbow grease. So as not to have dishpan hands until next sugarin' season I brought a good pair of rubber gloves from home to ease my task. After everything was cleaned I inventoried what we have, what we need and boxed it up and labeled it all and it's been put in storage for next year. And...yesterday Ranger Vin and I bottled the last of the syrup which made our grand total 7 gallons for our little operation. We thank all of you who purchased our little half-pints to help support the programming FOB provides throughout the year. Have a Sweet (and Blessed) Easter Weekend!
Saturday, March 15, 2008 I'm here...it's taken me a day to recoup. Yesterday I learned once again I can't be in two places at once. Here's a Dick & Jane style primer for you" See Eddie & Kirsten driving around the park in the "gator". See Kirsten pour sap into the buckets. See Eddie pull the taps. See Eddie and Kirsten drive up the hill to the big trees. See Kirsten answer a question posed by a hiker new to the park. See Eddie talk to the hiker and Kirsten talk some more. See Eddie and Kirsten drive back to the Sugar Shack. Hear Eddie say, "Something smells sweet, like popcorn." Hear visitor say, "Something smells like Cotton Candy." See Ranger Vin look at Kirsten and say, "The syrup scorched but I saved the pan." See Kirsten turn as red as her jacket and slump. I experienced my first SUGAR SCORCH! UGH! Lesson Learned: Once the fire is started, a sugar maker needs to stay with the boiling sap! Sugar Scorch happens when a) the temp. goes to high, b) the syrup level goes to low, c) the sugar maker is off collecting and chatting. The good news is that the programs were over, I had already taken off a gallon of GOOD syrup and we were down to our last 15 gallons of sap or so and debating heavily about whether to continue boiling or not. Leaving the sap in the pan over the weekend would cause it to sour now that the temps are warmer so, we were thinking we'd be done. Well, scorching it solved that problem. Now to empty and scrub the pan on Monday. And, I'll admit I was relieved that I didn't do it until the end of the season! Note: Earlier in the season Ranger Vin told me that every sugar maker does this at least once. I didn't say it wouldn't happen to me but of course I was being confident that I'd "never" let "that" happen. He stopped me and said, "It happens." For this year, I am still a Sugar Maker, many years to go before I can even consider calling myself a Sugar Master. Sugaring Season is over at Brooksvale Park for 2008. Have a Sweet Evening! Thursday, March 13, 2008 What a gorgeous day! I was at the Sugar Shack for about 5 hours and had a steady stream of visitors all day. Everyone is getting cabin fever! Toddlers, Moms, Dads, Grandparents, pre-schoolers, bikers, hikers, dog-walkers and even a few QU students came over to play some baseball! Spring Training already? Last night's cold temps froze up the sap so there was none to collect today though it started flowing in the afternoon. Tomorrow we should be able to collect one more time and then pull the taps. Other sugaring friends will be still sugaring for another week or two but our programs are coming to a close and other things need tending to in the park. Speaking of which, have you seen all the great work Eddie's been doing on the barn? Sections are sporting a new overhang, door, wood and trim. A fresh coat of paint is next. It all has to be done in stages but it's looking great. And...the Friends of Brooksvale voted last night to purchase something sorely needed at the park and will be asking for some of you to support this program as well in the future...will give you more of the scoop in a few days... Have a Sweet Evening! Wednesday, March 12, 2008 Sap is still running clear but there are more and more little critters trying to get into it. The snow fleas were first, then those sugar moths and next come the sugar ants... If the trees start to bud...that'll be all she wrote. Tom collected 35 gallons today and I restocked the wood box. Besides many little children with their grandparents and Mommies, I enjoyed visits from West Woods Christian Academy, my friend Barbara who owns the Big Dipper Ice Cream Parlor on Route 69 in Prospect and also a fellow sugar maker. I boiled until about 3pm and drew off almost 3 quarts. Sold a lot today too! Sugaring season is drawing to a close at Brooksvale. If you miss getting to the Sugar Shack before we close it up, Friends of Brooksvale will have a display table at the big earth day celebration at the Hamden Middle School on April 26. If we have any syrup left, we'll have it there to sell. Have a Sweet Evening! Tuesday, March 11, 2008 The sap is POURING out of the trees. Speaking of which, here's one version of a Native American Tale shared with school children. The creator wanted to see how his people were doing so wandered into the fields looking for them working the soil and planting the crops and couldn't find them. He looked near the river to see if they were fishing for their evening meal and didn't find them there either. Where were his people? He entered the forest and walked into the Sugar Bush and that is where he found them. Men, women, children, grandmothers and grandfathers were all laying on their backs under the limbs of the Sugar Maple trees. With their mouths wide open they were drinking the Maple Syrup pouring out from cuts in the limbs. The creator asked, "Why aren't you out plowing your fields and planting your crops to grow the food you'll need for your tribe and why aren't you catching the fish you'll need to feed your families?" His people answered between guzzles, waving their hands impatiently, "Go away, leave us alone, can't you see we're busy enjoying this sweet syrup?" The creator got angry, "You have become a lazy people, this is not good," he bellowed. He stomped down to the river with a huge bucket and came back and stood near the sugar bush and with all his might threw the water up, over and onto the trees in the sugar bush. The people all jumped up sputtering and soaked to the skin. He said to his people, now that he had their attention, "You have become lazy sluggards and that is not good. From now on what comes out of the Sugar Maple tree will not be Maple Syrup but instead Maple Sap - - - and, you will have to cut wood and boil the sap and work long hours for many days and weeks to turn it into the syrup you so love." I had many, many visitors today to the sugar shack in between morning and afternoon programs, and...sold quite a bit of syrup. Cold start to the day but warmer at least in the sun by early afternoon. Another week of sap perhaps? We'll see. Have a Sweet Evening! Monday, March 10, 2008 Sorry, I'm running a little late here. So much to catch up on at home after being at the park for 7 hours boiling the sap. School kids are still coming, this time a group from The Sound School in New Haven. More groups are still coming through the end of the week. It felt like Old Man Winter was visiting the park this morning as the temps
were about 32 degrees when I got there and I barely got the sugar shack to 45 by
the time I left. It was warm in the sun but quite chilly in the
shade. But...PERFECT weather for good sap flow! Another 25 gallons
were collected today by Tom and I drew off about 3 quarts of almost ready
syrup. We keep it refrigerated by the way until we're ready to do the
final filtering and bottling. Forgot to tell you all that I read an article the other day about how Native Americans and the early American Settlers would also drink the sap of the Sugar Maple tree in the spring, they called it simply Maple Water. Eddie split more wood today so I'm all set for the next few days. Now to get some sleep! Have a Sweet Evening! Saturday, March 8, 2008 Today was a day of contrasts. Though we had to cancel the public sessions due to the bad weather, I went to the sugar shack to boil the sap we'd collected yesterday. There were breaks in between raindrops and people came to the park in droves. Many of our visitors are regulars to the park hailing from Hamden and towns such as New Haven, Cheshire, Bethany and North Haven but I also I had visitors from Massachusetts, Germany and Switzerland! My girls Kay and Tina and friend Sarah came along with me to volunteer again today. They love to take care of the bunnies with Steve and then entertained little ones by telling them all the animals names (which they've christened them with on their own) and even earned $3 from one man who was so thrilled to have his son entertained for an hour before naptime! My oldest daughter Amy brought her boss Chris from Taco Bell, to learn all about Maple Sugaring. Each visitor today pretty much got one on one lessons and I was more than honored to share the story with them. The 3 girls collected sap on their own by wheeling the VT Wagon along to each bucket and pouring it into 5 gallon storage containers. They collected 35 gallons! Most of this was done in one of the heaviest downpours of the day. It's amazing how when friends get together to "work" the work seems more like play! Remember, syrup is on sale when the sugar shack is open. This week I know I'll be there M, T, & W from 8:30-1:30 give or take. Email me if you want to double check first. I check in before I leave each morning. (No wireless network at the sugar shack - yet!) Have a Sweet Evening! Friday, March 7, 2008 Wow! What a day. Seems like everyone was getting out to the park to enjoy the warm sunshine while it lasted. I chatted with visitor after visitor and kept boiling sap on top of it. One special little guy (age 4) named Benjamin brought me twigs for my fire then told me I was beautiful! What a boost for a sugar maker in a soot-smudged sweatshirt, CT Syrup Producer's baseball cap and muddy boots! Syrup is for sale now too on a first-come, first-served basis with a limit of 2 per customer. We only sell 1/2 pint bottles (that's 8oz.) for $7 each which all goes right back into programming at the park. You can always email info@brooksvale.org to find out when the sugar shack will be open. Steve collected 35 gallons yesterday and another 23 today. I'll be boiling all day tomorrow I'm sure. I drew off close to a gallon of "almost ready" syrup today after students from North Branford Intermediate School came to visit. I forgot to mention yesterday that Eddie also hung up 2 new weather resistant brochure boxes on both Kiosks at the park donated by The Friends of Brooksvale Park as well as one indoors at the Veterans' Memorial Building. They will hold Trail Maps, FOB Brochures, etc. Thanks Eddie and FOB and to you the members who support the park in so many ways. Have a Sweet Evening! Thursday, March 6, 2008 We boiled the sap (on the stove), measured Brix (measure of density) with the hydrometer, poured syrup into the bottler (big square thing with burner underneath), brought to temp (180), filled 1/2 pint custom bottles, twisted on caps to seal and VOILA - Brooksvale Syrup! I am so proud of the group effort and can't wait to make more tomorrow! In between all of this, while waiting for stuff to boil (once again!) I made a pot of coffee and homemade waffles for breakfast/lunch. It was an honor to serve one to Hamden P&R Director Frank Rizzuti who stopped by to take care of some park business. I'll confess...we had to use syrup from out of state since "our" syrup was not done yet. You want a little "Waffle Lore"? You have no choice really...anyway, sorry but hope you enjoy it. I have a Scandinavian heritage and Waffles (or as they say Vaffler) are not eaten for breakfast but as a snack or afternoon sweet to have with a cup of coffee. On top of the waffle is NOT maple syrup but Strawberry (Jordbær) Jam and a sprinkle of powdered sugar. Remember...no sugar maple trees in Norway or Sweden. So, when you're out shopping in Norway, instead of getting a "Cinnabon" you buy a Waffle and cup of coffee and sit at an outdoor cafe and enjoy! Before I forget, thank-you to Eddie for filling up the woodbox without being asked. Thank-you to Steve for collecting today so I could go home after washing up a zillion sticky, syrupy, messy pans, tools and other supplies! Thank-you to Ranger Vinny for his patience in showing me what to do and remember, Vinny - AVOID STACK BURN! The syrup will be sold this Saturday, March 8 at the public sugaring sessions at 10am and 1pm as well as the sugar shack (when open) while supplies last, at the price of $7.00 per 1/2 pint (8oz bottle). ALL proceeds go to the Friends of Brooksvale Park which in turn supports the Maple Sugaring Program each spring and other great programming at the park. Have a Sweet Evening!
Here's a bird's eye view of the sugar shack. Can you see the four beautiful sugar maples in the background with a birch in between? Wednesday, March 5, 2008 What a great day for boiling! Temps were up, rain stopped and the sun actually peeked out for a bit. I made just about a gallon of syrup with the sap we collected yesterday. The buckets will be full again tomorrow so there's still more boiling to do. Much of what I've been doing this year is learning the art of sugaring and I'll have to say that observing for a few years, reading books and asking advice is nothing like actually doing it yourself. There are so many good resources out there and they are all invaluable but...as Ranger Vin and I discussed the other day, "You can do it by the book" and the rest you just figure out by doing. Sort of like baking. You may remember your Grandma's Apple Cobbler and even have her handwritten recipe but when you make it, yours will taste just a tad different than hers. Tomorrow we do some bottling...I'm praying it's going to turn out alright! Will keep you posted. Have a Sweet Evening!
It's already an awesome sap run this week as you can by the photos I took this morning. It was not just dripping, but pouring! Tuesday, March 4, 2008 Almost 40 degrees when I got to the sugar shack, bright sunshine and sap overflowing buckets. Got the fire going and my boss Ranger Vin came into check on me. We were pondering why I was getting some smoking from between the evaporator and the arch (firebox) and came up with a few ideas. I turned the pan after cleaning it to draw off form the other valve which helps prevent niter build up. Maybe it doesn't sit the same way? There is also some minimal warping starting on the bottom of the pan which is normal after continual burning and years of use so some smoke could be leaking out that way. The 3rd possibility may be as simple as when the fire is really, really hot the smoke is less and after I open it to add wood there is more. Hmmm...will keep an eye on this. After fussing around a bit, reminding ourselves this is a "transitional" year for our program, we both agreed we were doing the best we could "by the book" and sifting all the advice we've been given, we're doing the best we can. The kids from New Haven were treated to a full program and warm, though muddy weather. They really loved the ice cream treat! After the program Tom collected the sap and while I pumped it into the collection tank he reset some loose taps. It really is nice to have a team effort. I often think of the farmers who did this on their own or with their families to supplement their income just to make ends meet and I truly realize how blessed we are to be doing it for the educational aspect and pure fun of it! Okay, so maybe I'm the one having the most fun but, you know what I mean. I had many visitors to my home away from home today and many toddlers who were out enjoying the sunshine and getting exercise before the rain was to hit. It's a beautiful park and I'm glad so many are discovering it at such a young age. Looks like the school visiting tomorrow will get rained out but I'll be there boiling and getting ready to have some to sell on Saturday. Time to get rest while I can. Have a Sweet Evening!
I think this is a cool photo from today. Click on it for a larger view. It's the sap that is thawing dripping into the bucket that partially froze overnight. The new sap is so warm, it's actually creating a hole in the old "sap ice". If you look closely, you'll actually see the drip of sap coming out the end of the spile. Monday, March 3, 2008 What a difference a weekend makes. Freezing cold on Friday where Old Man Winter was hanging onto February like a cat to a mouse's tail! Today I arrived at the park and the sugar shack was already 38 degrees. The first thing I had to do was get the syrup waiting to be processed into the refrigerator so it would not be in temperatures above 40 degrees! While at the Veterans' Memorial Building Ranger Vin suggested we clean the storage tank, rinsing it well with warm water. It was pretty sour smelling! Amazing how quickly the bacteria can grow. By the time Eddie and I got back down the hill to collect sap, the temperature had risen to 45 and as you know, it didn't end there today. We collected about 25 gallons aided by Tom who finished up for me while I cleaned the pan. I swept up the wood mess while the sap pumped from the gator into the nice clean tank. Eddie had split wood before I even got there so I filled the wood box to the brim. All is ready for tomorrow morning when a group of high school students from New Haven come to visit for the first time and classes every day after that through Saturday's public program. Have a Sweet Evening! Friday, February 29, 2008 I'm sorry I delayed in telling you how Friday went but I scooted out of my sugar shack quickly after the classes were done to enjoy a weekend away in Boston. Friday was a COLD one, again! Only 12 degrees in the sugar shack when I got there and it didn't go much past 25 by noon when I closed up. The kids, once again were troopers and it was a joy to visit with them. The sun was out and that certainly took out the bite of winter a bit. A young boy named Jared and his father visiting from NJ and staying with family in Cheshire visited me before the students arrived. I was helping Eddie feed and water the bunnies and give them new straw for their nest boxes to help them keep warm. Jared and his Dad visited the animals then came back to visit me at the sugar shack. He said, "I'm into science" after asking me about 10 different, very good questions. Did I mention he was about 4 or 5 years old? He loved the steam and the smell of the syrup which was getting close to drawing off. I gave him a "Welcome to Our Sugarhouse" coloring book and he was anxious to get back "home" to start on it. His father promised that when he's a bit older they'll visit in time for the Sugaring Open House so Jared can learn even more. Before I left for the weekend I was able to draw off almost 3 quarts of the sweet stuff! The sap was frozen in the buckets, snow was on it's way and so I cleaned out the evaporator "flushing" it with water and letting the niter or sugar sand (mineral deposits) settle to the bottom over the weekend. If too much niter builds up it can start to scorch and give an "off-flavor" to the syrup. Have a Sweet Evening! Thursday, February 28, 2008 Brrr...winter's back! Only 26 degrees when I arrived at the sugar shack today. It was so cold even the logs for the fire wanted to stay all snuggled up together in the wood box. With a little coaxing, a lot of paper and a few matches I finally got a spark and a flame. Today was a change of pace for me as I filled in for Tom teaching the outdoor portion of the program and Steve managed the sugar shack. A large group from 3 different schools, Westwoods, Dunbar Hill and Bear Path came to the park bundled up from head to toe. Fortunately for all of us it was a sunny day and we stopped from time to time to soak up the warmth and...got to talk about photosynthesis at the same time! We pretended we were trees putting our faces to the sun to soak up some of that warmth. At lunchtime, to warm up some more I made a fresh pot of coffee for my buddy Eddie and I. After lunch, we held a class for the Hamden Homeschoolers. Each time I learned a bit more as I taught them and was surprised at how much I remembered from 5th grade science and 9th grade earth science. Here's a tidbit you can share with a friend and show off your new knowledge of sugarin'. A gallon of water weighs 8 pounds. Do you know how much a "proper gallon" of syrup weighs? Remember, the sap went from being 2% sugar and 98% water to 35% water and 65% sugar. Sugar is more dense than water, therefore heavier. Give up? A gallon of syrup weighs 11 lbs., or should if I made it right! Tomorrow, last day of a very busy week, sap is frozen, we'll see what's brewing (or boiling) in the morning. Have a Sweet Evening! Wednesday, February 27, 2008 Spring is coming...really, it is! The sugar maples are telling us so. The temperature at 8:15 at the park was 38 degrees so as soon as I got the fire going in the sugar shack I hi-jacked Eddie and we went collecting. 41 gallons later I pumped it into one of the storage tanks you can see just inside the door to the sugar shack in the sketch above. The big yellow school bus headed up the hill and Spring Glen students, teachers and a few parents enjoyed learning about Maple Sugaring. I was too close to syrup when they were having their ice cream treat...dang it! Better time it better next time. Today, while waiting for the sap to boil I read some more about the details that go into sugarin' and realized very quickly what a sugaring friend told me, "If you ask a dozen different sugar masters how to do it, you'll get a dozen different opinions." The basic few steps are the same but it's amazing how much is left to taste, smell and just "knowing in your gut" it's ready. There is something to be said for the old-timers handing down the skills to the next generation and so on and so forth. Though I don't have that luxury in my family, I do have many who have been so helpful and willing to share the tricks of the trade with me. There's nothing like experience and I don't have a claim to that yet but I promise I'm working on it as hard as I can. Have a Sweet Evening! Tuesday, February 26, 2008 Very exciting news today - - - I hit the my first 5-gallon mark! And then I ran out of sap. Bummer! Anyway...the trees were thawing when I left so I'm guessing we'll have plenty tomorrow. Praying the rain stops or the field trips are cancelled for the day. Quite a few visitors today with many interesting questions. One little girl wanted to know if I fed the bunnies nearby the maple syrup I made. I assured her that though they would probably enjoy the syrup, it would not be best for their tummies. My daughter is feeling so much better today after 24 hours of antibiotics. I stayed up coughing all night, trying to sleep more upright in the recliner and have a touch of laryngitis. Seems like she and I have been sharing germs this winter! I have to say that being in the warm steam environment of the sugar shack did wonders for me though, very therapeutic. My buddy Eddie was out with some back issues so it was lonely around the barn, I was thankful for the visitors who stopped by. Hoping everyone will be back up to speed for the rest of the week. Working on a small sketch for a children's book idea now, will start #3 of The Brooksvale Series soon. Mulling some ideas over in my head. Have a Sweet Evening! Monday, February 25, 2008 No sap. Everything's frozen. Amazing how quickly I got hooked on this thing and I WANT to be making syrup! Tom and Eddie checked later in the day and emailed to say they only got about 5 gallons. Kids came through for the program and I helped with the ice cream treat at the end. My daughter has a sore throat so I took her to the Doc. Yes to strep. It's going around town. Too bad a dose of fresh, warm syrup couldn't cure strep, huh? Have a Sweet Evening! Sunday, February 24, 2008 Went over to the park today to check on the buckets. A few families were having a blast sledding on the hill above the ball fields. Some others came back from the hill past the pond looking quite tired. The sun was shining gloriously and the laughter floated across the snow. It's so nice to see the park being used year-round. There was ice in the bucket just starting to thaw so it looks like the trees are just starting to warm up after Friday's storm. Tomorrow should be a good sap day and school children come again. I've got a bit of a cough, hoping I'm not catching what my daughter has, she's been running a fever, so I think I'll get comfy near the fire and watch some NASCAR and gear up for a busy week ahead. Have a Sweet Evening! Friday, February 22, 2008 Major snow storm, frozen sap, cancelled a weekend trip to Boston, one child home with sore throat and fever, made homemade caramel corn, yum...(next is Maple Pecan Caramel Corn perhaps), so...after supper, I finished the latest sketch as seen as above. Enjoy and... Have a Sweet Evening! Wednesday - February 20, 2008 Great boiling day. Just not a great day to collect sap. With temperatures hovering around 30 all day, the sap was frozen solid. Many visitors stopped by and two times a few were able to watch me draw off the syrup.. The smell was awesome! It is fun as I tell people the story of maple sugaring how we all realize just how awesome it is. It's simple but yet it's not. You have a tree, get some warmer temps which cause the sap to start flowing up from below to feed the tree, and in between we tap a little bit of it, not harming the tree and then add the simple procedure of boiling and "lo and behold" - Maple Syrup. As Tom talks during the sugaring tours, he asks "Where do you think the brown color comes from?" and "Do you think we add brown coloring?" and then finally one of the kids or adults guess that the sugar changes color as it cooks. Sometimes they'll ask if we burn it. I tell them I try not to! So far so good. Okay, gotta go now...I have three little ones tonight for a sleepover and games like "Mouse Trap" and "Candy Land" are on the docket as well as making some popcorn really soon. The freeze is on and with snow expected we probably won't get more sap this weekend. I'll be back as soon as the action starts up again. And yes, I've been working on a new sketch! Have a Sweet Evening! Tuesday - February 19, 2008
Some helpers were with me today. They served ice cream to the school group and helped feed the bunnies in the barnyard. Thanks Kay and Sarah! Someone told me today that they missed reading the Sugar Diary. That was so sweet! Thank-you. Remember the freezing cold of the weekend? Well that makes the sap freeze in the trees so none of it comes out of the spiles to fill our buckets. Sugarmakers get to take this bit of downtime to see their families, attend to other chores or work their regular jobs. I dragged my husband along to visit yet another sugarmaker's lair...this time to my friend Clark Hurlburt's in nearby Bethany. Some people have a Sugar Bush (that's a grouping of Sugar Maples) and say, "Oh, how pretty!" Other's like Clark see the same sugar bush and say, "Oh, how pretty" then say, "Hey, let's make syrup!" And still others such as myself, don't have a sugar bush so they volunteer where the sweet stuff flows and find themselves working in a sugar house. How cool is that? On Monday, I spent some time catching up on things at home and also with 2 of my four children still in high school while they are home on winter break. My college age daughter is living home this semester so we all enjoyed French Toast with you guessed it, Maple Syrup. Don't worry, I left the park in good hands over the 3 day weekend. Freezing nights and days nearing 40 is just perfect for sugarin'. Tom collected 30 gallons or so and Steve boiled. Today when I arrive at 8:00 a.m., within an hour or so I'd brought the sap up to temp. and drew off my first quart of the day. The sap is flowing fast and bugs and moths are starting to find it! We filter from bucket to tank, from tank to reservoir, from evaporator to storage container, and then again when finishing and bottling. I collected another 38 gallons of sap and stocked up the wood box in the sugar shack. Today's visiting group were 3rd grade children and parents from Wintergreen Magnet School in Hamden who planned a special winter break field trip. Many visitors came to the sugar shack today as kids had the week off. Each adult had a different question, each child told me what their favorite food to have Maple Syrup on was. The sap runs and waiteth for none. Have a Sweet Evening! Friday - February 15, 2008
Here's a photo from today, can you guess what it is? One of the things I probably haven't told you about sugaring is that sometimes there is downtime after collecting the sap, pouring it in the evaporator and waiting for it to come to the correct temperature to draw off. Since I don't clean spoons, strainers and other equipment until I'm done for the day and I have to do that in the Veterans' Memorial Building (not next to the Sugar Shack), sometimes I sketch while passing the time. If I'm not sharing the story of sugaring with those who stop by of course! Anyway, I did a sketch of the barn this week and finished today. Believe it or not, this Sugar Maker has a B.S. degree in Art Education. I hope you enjoy it, it's on the "Members" page . I'll be having some prints and note cards made up soon and they'll be available for sale with a portion of the proceeds donated to Friends of Brooksvale Park. I'll keep you posted. Now, back to sugaring. 2 different schools visited the park today and enjoyed much milder weather. Helen St. school students and a class from Bethany Community School visited for the first time. They were the first of the school groups to actually get to see the syrup being drawn off from the evaporator. Carrie Gazda of Hamden's Park & Recreation filled in for Tom this afternoon and did a wonderful job. It's so great to work with so many caring and knowledgeable people. The sap wasn't flowing very much today but I got another 2 quarts or so before I had to quit boiling by mid-afternoon. It's New England where the weather changes daily! I'm sure the sap will re-visit the park in a day or two. Until then... Have a sweet evening! Thursday - February 14, 2008 First and foremost Happy Valentine's Day to all! Whether or not you have a sweetheart, spread the love, it'll make our world a better place and put a smile on your face!
Here are photos from today. Just click on the thumbnail for a larger view. Today was a great day for sugar making! With the fire going, steam rising and icicles dripping off the barn, the big yellow school bus drove up the hill into the park and another day began. One student asked if I was warm and I told him that if 40 degrees is warm, then yes, I am. Having been skiing on many cold winter days I know how to layer and stay toasty. When I arrived Eddie had already collected the sap we had and re-hung the buckets, all but one. Amazing how you can miss a tree but he counted, I counted and then decided I just had to walk to each one and find it which I did. The wind was really whipping so I went around later in the day and straightened a few and even found one that had come clear off it's hook and re-hung it. I don't want to lose any of that precious sap! Thanks to Eddie too for putting a handle on the "A-Frame" sign that we set out along the canal line as Maple Sugaring is being done. It's a surprise for Tom who mentioned it last week as he carried the awkward bulky thing. Shhh... Got an email from a friend of mine who also makes Maple Syrup, Clark Hurlburt of Hamden. He said he made his first gallon of syrup and the weather should be great this week for sap the to flow well. I made close to a gallon yesterday as well and will start boiling another batch today. I find myself going "online" nightly to learn more about sugar making and how best to do it at our small operation. I think this sugar thing is addictive! My friend and fellow sugarmaker Brian Atwood in the northern part of the state, emailed me a lot of encouragement last night and led me to a wonderful piece that was extremely helpful. He is a member of the Maple Syrup Producers Association of CT (as is Clark and Brooksvale Park) who assist sugarmakers in the state with education and advice about the craft. Their website is: www.ctmaple.org The best part of the day again was meeting and chatting with the people who stop by to ask questions. A former teacher and her son, a homeschool group who will go through the program in a week or two and my buddy Jeremy the Ranger's son who visits daily. He and his friend eagerly accepted heart shaped sugar cookies I'd baked and brought in to share. Time for this sugarmaker to sleep. Have a sweet evening! Wednesday - February 13, 2008 Bummer! Field trips to the park were cancelled today due to the crazy weather. Good news is that since the temps are going up the sap will start flowing again. Should be collecting and boiling tomorrow. I enjoyed the time off today by making maple sugar candy. The first batch came out okay but a little too hard (I stirred too long after taking it off the heat), the second batch came out great! You need a candy thermometer for this and I bought a brand new one. Did you know that you have to get the syrup up to 242 degrees F!? I plan on selling them at the public sugar day on March 8 to those who dare. Okay, you can trust me, the counter was clean, the cats no where to be seen, all pans washed in hot water and I wore rubber gloves when handling the candies. I have also made fudge and chewy maple taffy in the past but I don't want to get ahead of myself, we'll see what I can get accomplished in between making the syrup and taking care of my family in the next couple of weeks. Did you know that today, February 13 was inventor A.C. Gilbert's birthday? If you don't know much about this famous New Haven inventor or haven't seen the Holiday Train Shows (featuring antique trains he designed and his company built) at the nearby Eli Whitney Museum, check out their website and get on board this fall. www.eliwhitney.org Tuesday - February 12, 2008 My birthday, no classes coming, frozen sap, no work today. I'm enjoying a whole pot of coffee, in a warm house with a fire in the hearth and a bathroom nearby! Did you know that today, February 12 was our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln's birthday? Have a sweet evening! Monday - February 9, 2008 Brrrr...was it cold today! Barely 14 degrees when I arrived and the sap in the pan, the buckets, and in the collecting tanks was frozen. With Eddie hustling to get me some newly split wood, the fire was soon blazing and the with heat from the fire and pure "magic", I made some syrup today! Okay, so maybe not magic but sometimes what happens and how it happens, just happens. I'm learning the scientific part from patient friends at MSPAC (Maple Syrup Producer's Association of CT) and of course Ranger Vin. The syrup's not quite done yet, there's some filtering still to come before final bottling but...it was sweet smelling and a beautiful caramel color. The intrepid students, teachers and parent chaperones from West Woods School braved the cold to learn about sugaring and went back to school rosy-cheeked and sweetened by the experience I hope! Steve collected frozen sap buckets to thaw indoors and later he and Tom split MORE wood! I am so thankful for them and mostly, that I am not splitting all that wood even with the fancy machine they sometimes use. Though it looks kind of cool so maybe I'll try it just once, sometime. I'm celebrating a birthday tomorrow so I won't be sugarin'. I'll be back on Wednesday though and maybe with some more photos too since you're all enjoying them so much. Have a Sweet Evening! Friday - February 8, 2008
Here are photos from today. Just click on the thumbnail for a larger view. I'm settled in by a fire I didn't have to stoke all day, starting to feel sleepy and thinking about my first week of sugaring. Really, it's such a joy to chat with the variety of folk who stop by and ask questions and all the while I could smell the sap turning sweeter while watching the wispy light snow come down looking like frosting on the barn. The Sugar Shack was really steaming before the first students even arrived. I told one visitor who called to me in the mist that it was my Norwegian Facial Treatment. If my sugaring skills don't pan out (oh, my...what a great pun!) then I guess I could open my own business, The Sugar Shack Day Spa - Featuring Steam Facials. I collected about 15 gallons of sap on my own in 5 gallon buckets (around 40lbs - heavy!) and before I headed home Ranger Vin helped me collect the rest. Not as much this time around, cooler temps are coming. As always, the kids were great and today they even got the math question right! This field trip is so important in a day and age where funds are tight and schools keep the kids closer to home base. To learn how the syrup on their French Toast Sticks or Pancakes gets from tree to table...what can I say? There's no better way! I'll be back on Monday. Stay safe in the snow Saturday and Sunday and as always, Have a Sweet Evening! Thursday - February 7, 2008 Here are more photos from today and a longer diary entry. Just click on the thumbnail for a larger view.
The "work" has begun, if you can call it that. I'm really having too much fun to call it work. Today I poured the first sap into the evaporator and with Eddie's assistance lit the fire. Remember, we're a small operation here at the park so it sort of looks like a small wood stove with a metal baking pan on top. Back to the fire...it's not that I don't know how to light a fire but we found out we had some pretty damp wood so needed to do a little coaxing and finagling of paper, kindling and split wood. I also received some advice from Frank, a carpenter doing some work on the barn. We talked about drafts and flues and air flow and all that jazz. Thanks Frank! Hamden Parks & Recreation Director Frank Rizzuti stopped by and I greeted him with my usual cheerful "Good Morning!" I thank him for being supportive of this great program. By the time Tom came to make certain I was on schedule the swirling steam could be seen from the top of the pan as well as coming out of the stack atop the Sugar Shack. The yellow school bus rumbled into the park and a bit later the kids showed up at my windows with Tom, ready to learn about the "Boiling Off" part of process. And boy do they learn! Indoors with Ranger Vin they learn some Native American legends, how Maple Syrup making has changed through time and the many products made from the sap of the Sugar Maple tree. They go outdoors with Tom to learn about photosynthesis and how to tell a Sugar Maple tree apart from so many others in the forest, collect some sap from a tree in the Sugarbush and finally head down towards the Sugar Shack. Tom - "So, if we take the sap which was 97% water and 3% sugar when we poured it in the evaporator and we need to get to 65% sugar to make syrup, how much water do we need to boil off?" Did the kids really think they were going to get away without a little math? They do get a reward at the end of the program in the form of maple syrup drizzled over a bit of vanilla ice cream. Also said "Hello" to Frank Cooper, Assistant Dir. of Hamden's P&R and remembered back a couple years when he accompanied Vin and I to Northwest Park in Suffield to learn more about sugarin'. Again, thanks to ALL in Hamden who support this fantastic program. After the kids headed back to school, I was joined by Steve Dadonna in the Sugar Shack. Steve is a part-time park person like myself and together we serve the kids the ice cream treat at the end of the program. Steve and I received more patient instruction from Vin in the Fine Art of Sugarin' as it's called. Tomorrow...we should have our first syrup! And...collect more sap. Do you know what some of the fun is that I'm having while at the Sugar Shack? Meeting the people who stop by! They ask questions about how to make syrup and share stories about their experiences at Brooksvale Park or with Maple Sugaring in particular. Maybe soon I'll be like Lucy in the Snoopy comic strip and I can hang out a shingle saying "The Doctor is In" and charge .5 cents. Only kidding. Today some ladies walking their dogs asked what temperature it had to be outside to start the sap flowing (below freezing at night, above freezing during the day) and then Ed, a neighbor from Cheshire dropped by to say Hello and introduced himself, and we chatted about what acquaintances we had in common and then he was off to his sister-in-laws 80th (!) birthday party in Durham. If you see the steam rising, don't hesitate to come by to say "Hi", we're a friendly lot and will try to answer your questions even if we're busy boiling or bottling. Oh...the answer to the math quiz...you can figure it out can't you? Have a Sweet Evening! Wednesday - February 6, 2008 Here are two awesome photos from today. Just click on the thumbnail for a larger view.
The first sap run. What a blast! With our bright yellow rain slickers protecting us from the elements, Park Maintainer, Eddie Colavolpe and I headed for the Sugar Maples at 9am to see what nature had bestowed upon us. The first bucket, on a younger tree was about 2/3 full and we said, "Oh, okay.." But...from there on out it was heavy lifting all the way. Each of the remaining 3-gallon buckets were overflowing with sap. My sap saturated jeans are in the washing machine as I type. Maybe I should wear the rain pants next time? Even if it's not raining from the heavens, it's raining sweet sap from the Sugar Maples. Eddie and I transferred the sap from the portable tank to the one in the Sugar Shack with a cool pump set-up I learned to use and then I thoroughly cleaned the evaporator pan and other equipment. I'm ready to start boiling in the morning. Have a Sweet Evening! Tuesday - February 5, 2008 Today I went to the Sugar Shack and with the help of Scout Joe Hume of Hamden we cleaned out and organized the sugar shack, storing some of the equipment in the barn that we don't need until we're ready to bottle the syrup. A very old mouse trap was still not sprung so I snapped it and decided that the little critters might keep me jumping and warm on the cold mornings until the fires going. I promise...I won't share any of the syrup with them! Under Vin's patient guidance and In between very heavy downpours we got everything in order. Thank you to my dear husband Alan who brought over rain gear for me that I had just gotten him for Christmas. Isn't there a saying, "Possession is 9/10 of the law?" Joe also helped up at the Veteran's Memorial Building as he cut stag horn sumac into small sections for the homemade spiles the students will make when they start arriving this Thursday. Field trips from Hamden and other area schools are scheduled through the end of the month. We readied the room with a variety of hands-on and pictorial displays. As we left, Tom was splitting firewood for me. Thanks Tom! Have a Sweet Evening! Monday - February 4, 2008 The weather was just right so Ranger Vin Lavorgna, Tom Parlapiano and I (Kirsten Walker) tapped the trees today in the middle of a light mist which later turned to sleet and rain. I'm so excited to be a part of the Sugaring Team this year! Vin used the power drill and the little wood curlicues fell to the ground and immediately the sap started to flow. Tom used a hammer to tap in the spiles and I hung the buckets and secured the lids. I stopped to pick up trash near the small parking lot that wasn't even 10 feet from a trash can. Really people! The best part? We stood quietly at each bucket and listened to the glorious sound, drip...drip...drip. Sort of a metallic sound at first as it hits the bottom of the metal buckets. Soon though...the sap will be splashing in and we'll be emptying and boiling! Have a Sweet Evening! |
Friends of Brooksvale Park, Inc. ~
524 Brooksvale Avenue - Hamden, CT 06518 ~ 203-287-2669
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