Pure maple syrup is a delightful ingredient. It’s versatile and imparts great flavor to all baked goods. Once my goal was to bake my way through most of the recipes featured in my maple syrup cookbooks. My two favorite books are NH Maple Recipes and Simply Maple from the Ontario Maple Producers. The notes I left in the margins show I made a good effort. Naturally the breads, bars, cookies, and muffins earned starred reviews. I leave a date by each recipe to show if it's a recipe I’ve made recently. To boost my chances for future success, I record comments about the ingredients or if the baking time in the oven was accurate. According to my notes, maple...
I often think Christmas trees are green with envy because they take center stage just one time per year while sugar maples play leading roles twice; at fall foliage and again during sugaring. The sugar maples on display by our driveway, at field’s edge, and along the stonewalls is a true natural wonder. During this time of year maple trees are a joy to behold. Later this winter, we’re not so carefree as we walk through stands of maples. When the new year arrives with snow and cold winds, we’re spurred on through the woods with a clear sense of purpose. Downed limbs are lifted off tubing lines, tubing installations are checked for tautness, and drop lines are replaced or...
Each year the NH Farm Bureau Young Farmers Committee organizes a breakfast event for NH policy makers and young leaders in agriculture. This event encourages communication and discussion on key topics the state is facing with regard to agriculture. On Wednesday May 16, we were proud to host this annual event. The morning began with a breakfast featuring many locally produced goods (and our own maple syrup of course). Introductions and remarks from the Young Farmers Committee were followed by good discussion on a variety of topics including how farmers work with landowners, tax policy regarding agriculture barn structures, maple syrup labeling changes being proposed by the FDA, and a host of other topics. Special recognition was given to the...
Each year when the Christmas parties fade behind us and a new calendar year arrives, our attention at the farm focuses in on two primary things: the arrival of baby lambs and a new sugaring season. This year has been no different and as we enter the final days of February a lot has transpired in the first two months of 2018. Almost all of our expecting mother sheep have given birth to this year’s baby lambs, many of which are now multiple weeks old. These lambs spend their days exploring the barnyard and testing their running and jumping skills in small herds of youthful exuberance. A select few of this group will get to meet all of the farm’s...
