Maple Sugaring!!

A sure sign that spring is on it's way! On Saturday, Philip, the boys and I went to Allen Brothers to grab breakfast since Philip had some extra time with Steven working. We got food and went up over Hartley Hill in Saxtons River to check out the Beefalo and Belted Galloway herds up there. Philip mentioned to me that he had been craving sap, and we pointed out some buckets to the boys and started to explain the sugaring process. On the way home we passed the Major Farm and saw that our vet, Stephen Major was in his sugar house boiling, so we stopped by. The boys got to see it all! Stephen showed us the buckets and taps, the sap line and tanks, the boiler, the woodfire, and all the wood it takes. Garrett and Sawyer had a blast helping Stephen and Daddy prepare the wood. Sawyer was a little upset when Seamus the Golden Retriever took his stick though. They worked it out. Seamus quickly found another one that was just as interesting and moved on. We got to taste sap, Daddy drank 2 hole cups full!! We tasted the syrup when it was quite done, and then again when it was all done! YUM!! We watched as Stephen filtered the finished syrup and then Garrett helped him to grade it. FANCY!!! yay! While we were waiting for the syrup to finish up, we went sledding on the little hill next to the sugarhouse. Boy was that FUN! We headed home when all was said and done, and two tuckered up little boys curled up on the couch with a movie. It was so much fun!!! Thanks Stephen!