Preparing for Sugarin'

There is no time of year when the Sugarmaker is not thinking about how to be getting ready for sugarin', but now the calendar reads it is no longer "next" year ... the time is now!

So, before the ground is too deep with snow and there are still temperatures above freezing, the woods work is in full swing. Since last sugarin' the seasons have changed and brought ice at times and winds ... limbs and trees have fallen in the sugarwoods – some on top of tubing or at least close enough to trees and tubing so they need to be removed for access. And although they are cute, squirrels are a real enemy of the sugarmaker – they chew the plastic tubing, creating holes where sap will squirt out instead of running down the mainline to the tanks. All these holes and breaks from tree limbs, mean a section of tubing needs to be replaced, fittings adjusted, line tensions kept tight.

We head for the woods in warm gloves and long johns; the one good thing is no black flies or mosquitos! Anyway, Christmas vacation from school doesn't necessarily mean vacation from woods work – "Family" is the central word in our name and the more the merrier. This week it was grandson Andrew helping pull the tubing tight after hauling limbs and cutting logs.