When to Tap the Trees?

This season is starting-off with some 'quirky' temps forecasted the next few days for how early we are in the year. We've opted to 'wait it out' and 'not tap yet.'  We may miss a few days of activity by waiting, but we're waiting for two reasons: 1) if you tap too early, the end result can be a shorter season because the trees may heal-up before the season is finished and 2) if we tap now and begin cooking, it looks like a cold spell is right around the corner which means we'd have to drain the pan to avoid damage by a hard freeze.  So.....stay tuned!

Thanks for loving our syrup!

We are officially SOLD OUT of product for the year.  We thank our syrup-loving customers and hope to see you back next year.  We typically have our new season's syrup in bottles ready-for-sale by May 1.

Syrup is running low......

We will be at the Monticello Farmers Market on Thursday, 9/15, 3:30-6:30 and tentatively on 9/22 (pending supply).
We will be at the Buffalo Farmers Market on Saturday, 9/17 8-Noon and tentatively on 9/24 (pending supply).
We will be at the Maple Grove Farmers Market on Thursday, 9/15, 3-7 and Thursday, October 6, 3-6  and tentatively October 20 (pending supply).
Thanks for your patronage at our markets this Summer!

Bottled and Ready to Go....

We got this year's syrup in bottles over the weekend, and finished clean-up.  We ended the season with just under 200 gallons of finished syrup (last year was 206), and are pleased considering the strange bump of warmth in March that had us wondering if there'd even be a maple season.  Take some time this Summer and visit a local Farmers market to check out the locally grown produce, etc.  We'll have presence at Buffalo, Monticello, and Maple Grove markets.

This is our 'bottling station.'  The syrup runs from the back stainless pan through a filter press into the front stainless pan, which has a spigot at each corner for filling bottles. We had three bottlers for most of the weekend (1 had to step away to take the photo).

Darn. Too cold again today

No collecting today, therefore no cooking tonight. Bummer.

Trees gone wild......buckets overflowing!

April fools!  Either it didn't freeze last night, or the day is just shy of being warm-enough for the trees to turn-on. We will not be collecting today and will not be cooking at the Shak tonight.

Will the trees run today?

Good question.  We haven't collected since Tuesday because the nights have been warm this week. TheWeatherChannel and Accuweather said it DID freeze last night, but there wasn't any frost this morning so we're not sure what today will hold. We'll update later today.