LIQUID GOLD IN THE TREES

It will soon be time to tap the Maple Trees and I couldn't be happier.  Maple syrup by the gallons at our house.  No, we don't tap but have some local friends that produce thick, tasty syrup for a few $.  Maybe not a few dollars but worth every dollar.  A gallon cost anywhere from $48.00 and up.  The small local producers usually charge $48, the big producers more.  The small producers have the best syrup it seems to be thicker .  We use maple syrup for cooking, pancakes, cereal, if it needs sweet it's maple syrup here. 

Late spring they will have a Maple Trail Weekend to visit local producers and watch how maple syrup is made.  It is worth the day to visit them, plus they offer special tasting treats and products for sale :)

One of the farms I grew up on had a Maple Bush and Sugar Shack.  Oh if anything was worth being alone on that farm it was tapping time.  The season varies on when it starts and how long it lasts. No weather channel back then just good old farmers that were pretty darn good at predicting the upcoming weather.  Possibly better than the Weather Channel that has ruined many a good bike trips for us because of predicting storms that never happened!  

I understand how the price is well deserved.  When tapping started my dad was at the Sugar Shack nonstop.  Mom did the milking, feeding and cleaning the barn plus always having a clean house and great food.  I never heard her complain, life was what it was.  After the chores were done, which was well past dark we would go to the Sugar Shack.  The smell was something you never forget, hot steam rising from the cooking sap fired by wood that had been cut and stacked the year before.  Off to the side was a little pan with syrup in it cooking down to a thick not quite spin a hair consistency.  That was "the bomb" in modern terms :)  Mom would take it outside and pour the syrup over some fresh packed snow.  It would turn into a clear taffy type treat.  We would wind some on a fork to eat.  I can not tell you how wonderful it is and some how makes all that sugar intake ok since it is not processed refined white sugar.  At least my theory for my "sugar tooth" 

Some of you may know Lynn Kemp, from Eleven Mile.  Lynn and my parents were friends and his kids went to school with me.  Back when I grew up all the farmers knew and helped another in need, no matter what valley or Run they lived on.  He also worked in the oil fields with my dad.  Farmers usually had a second job.  Lynn still at 90 some years old is a great asset to our area.  His wife Gwen was too. Lynn called the maple taffy "Jack's Wax" pertaining to the giant from Jack in the Bean Stalk story I believe.  That is a neat thought considering it is the color of wax when poured on the snow.

So as the days get longer, the sun warms and shines bright and the nights stay below 32 the sap will be running.  Another spring favorite, leeks will start to do their thing but that will be a whole new blah, blah, blah on one of my future posts.

My 17 yr old grandson came over this morning, YES he wanted to boil some syrup and Dick filled a big bowl with snow for us.  Once Kent had enough taffy we boiled the remaining syrup down to the hard crack stage and made maple sugar ♥  My 3 kids loved it but 3 little hands reaching in became quite a challenge to make enough at one time.  Nothing like the years our house was filled with noise ♥

This maple syrup came from J, M,& S. Maple Products.  Again some wiil remember Mike Simons, we grew up as neighbors on the Horse Run Rd where Mike still lives.  Mike and his family do a great job with the syrup!  Unfortunately one memory when I think of the Simons family farm is their big mean dog named George.  I had to call to tell them I was riding by on my bike so they could tie George up.. One day one of the boys didn't do their job.  I still have the scar on my right calf from George, he was quick coming out of that bush by their garage.

Here is the link to the hamburger roll recipe I made yesterday, they are delicious and yes easy to make. 
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/homemade-hamburger-buns/