While we could have continued and possibly gotten the 1L/tap goal, we decided our sanity was more important. Also, the trees use that sap to help prepare for the summer and fall ahead so all the more reason to finish up early and let them have what they need. This year we were still using snow shoes to get around the bush to un-tap. That was a first for us. Even with a foot and a bit of snow left in the bush the taps were still very high up. The snow is mostly gone. Small remnants of pushed piles are all that is left…nice for the occasional last snow ball on the warmer days that we’ve had.
With our minds well rested we can now turn to the garden and other spring tasks like firewood, and fence reconstruction! The snow was hard on everything this year. It seems like all our equipment broke down, and our infrastructure took a beating too. Nobody wants to see cows on the road although it can be amusing, it’s no joke. So on top of wrangling loose cows, Mike has planted the first round of lettuce and spinach. Today it is raining a lot, so we’ll hold off on planting anything else until the farm dries up a bit.
This time of year really is so precious. The days are longer and warmer and the Eastern Peepers have started their chorus at dusk. Mosquitoes and black flies have yet to make their full appearance and the spring ephemerals are starting to bloom on the forest floor. White Trillium, Trout Lilies, and Carolina Spring Beauties are the first few of the bunch to bloom. In a few short weeks we’ll be enjoying the scents of lilacs, and enjoying the view of the forest floor carpeted in whites, yellows, pinks and green all the while cursing the bugs. The ominous ‘they’ have predicted a hot and dry summer for us again this year, and if it’s anything like last year we’ll have a good growing season. Hot, dry, but good for the plants that can handle it with additional watering.
Anyway, it’s going to be a busy year, so our blog posts will be more sporadic. We will try to keep everyone posted about what’s happening though. We do plan to be at the Hilton Beach Farmers Market again this season, so we hope to see some new and familiar faces there starting in June.
Here’s to a lovely rest of spring, and a great summer ahead!
-J
