Windswept Maples Farm

Production update

windsweptmaples — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 01:35:32 +0000

Ideal sugaring weather helped us make a significant amount of syrup this weekend. After several freezing nights last week, a warm stretch began Thursday night and launched the biggest run of sap we have had thus far in 2011. Boiling for at least seven hours each day we produced 135, 115, and 110 gallons on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday respectively. Friday and Saturday’s syrup was virtually all grade A light amber, and Sunday we made mostly medium amber. The weekend production pushed our season total up and over 500 gallons. Our goal when we began the season was 2000 gallons, so we are currently more than a quarter of the way there. Stay tuned as we seek our 2000th gallon in 2011.

Filed under: 2011, Syrup Production

Maple Weekend: March 19th & 20th

windsweptmaples — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 07:30:42 +0000

Join us for New Hampshire Maple Weekend, March 19th and 20th. Our farm and sugarhouse will be open to the public Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Each year in March we take pride in giving tours and answering questions about the maple sugaring process. This year we will offer free samples of pure maple syrup and maple cream. Visitors will get to see the syrup production process in action, and have a chance to visit with our cows, sheep, and baby lambs. We hope you and your family can join us for this special weekend event.

For directions to our farm, please click here.

Filed under: 2011, Maple Weekend

Production update: 200 gallons

windsweptmaples — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 04:00:40 +0000

While the weather hasn’t been warm enough for a big sap run this week, we were able to boil tonight for a few hours. Our work this evening amounted to 59 gallons of grade A medium amber. This puts our season total up to 200 gallons.

Filed under: 2011, Syrup Production

First Boil of 2011

windsweptmaples — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 15:24:50 +0000

The boiling season started in a big way today. After a weekend of rain and warm weather, the trees started their first significant sap run of the season. Sap was collected from each of our four sugaring orchards and we started boiling late in the afternoon. We had enough sap to boil for several hours and finished the night with over seventy five gallons of pure maple syrup. As a general rule, syrup made at the start of a season is lighter in color than syrup made later in the season. This held true Sunday night, as all but the first few gallons were a beautiful medium amber. After a late start to the 2011 season we were excited to begin boiling. It appears that the approaching weather is favorable and we are looking forward to strong production in the next few weeks.

Filed under: Syrup Production

All the trees are tapped

windsweptmaples — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 15:15:06 +0000

Tree tapping for the 2011 season at Windswept Maples Farm was completed today. This year’s total number of taps is 6070, which is an increase of approximately 600 taps from the previous season. At our farm, the majority of maple trees have only a single tap per tree, which means around 5900 trees are actually in production. Studies have shown that for trees on a vacuum system, increasing the number of taps on a tree does not result in a significant increase in sap yield. Therefore, to maintain yields while minimizing tree damage, we generally will only drill one 5/16 inch hole in a tree under 24 inches in diameter.

With all the trees tapped, and good sugaring weather in the immediate forecast, we’re expecting a good start to the season this coming week. Stay tuned for updates on production, and information about the process of making pure maple syrup in New Hampshire.

Filed under: Tree Tapping