Catch'in Up

Things are getting back to normal around here so I should have time to write a bit again. We have finally gotten into a more normal weather pattern and haven't had any snow or freezing temperatures for several weeks now. I managed to keep all my transplants in the greenhouse going and have started setting out all the cabbage, broccoli, kohlrabi,and brussels sprouts. All of those can take cooler temperatures as can the onions which we are started on .Potatoes and peas will be on the schedule after that and then the warm weather crops like tomatoes, corn, and peppers. We took a few days over the last few weeks for some foraging. Ramps are up in all of our usual picking spots but we haven't picked any yet. Ostrich fern fiddle heads should be up this week if temperatures stay warm. Not much for mushrooms yet although morels are about due to appear. We have been busy with a bunch of new projects but I'll save those for later this week. If anyone in the northcentral Wisconsin area has a hankering for ramps we will be picking next week. Price will be $1.00 per ounce, fresh. Email us here or message us on facebook.

Done Sugar'in

We ended our maple syrup season with our best year ever, making a total of 35 1/2 gallons of syrup. After last years 7 quart season it was a welcome change. Considering that maple syrup makes up a big part of our sugar supply it was nice to see a reserve building up in our pantry for times like last year. We like to be as self sufficient as possible and having our own sugar is one more step in that direction. We have made actual maple sugar some years but just kept it all as syrup this year. I did slip a few gallons of partially finished sap into a

fermentor to try a maple mead recipe I found. Of course as with most things that are cooked, the work starts when the cooking is done. All of the buckets, bags, and barrels have to be scrubbed out before they are stored away until next year. Maple sap contains 2-5 percent sugar which means everything it was in is slightly sticky. If not washed up properly it will all grow a lovely coat of mold. I got that job done yesterday and every thing neatly packed away. I want to make those little sheet metal roofs for all the buckets before next season. Keeping extra water from snow or rain out of the buckets will mean less time cooking to get rid of it. I have about 125 buckets left which I am replacing with the bags as the buckets get damaged or break. The only problem I have with the bags is the fact that they only last a couple years so there is that added expense. With syrup season over I can now concentrate on catching up on a few other projects. I have gotten all my seeds in the greenhouse going but now they are forecasting freezing temps at night again! I really do wish the weather would cooperate a bit.

Took a little time off from our chores to take Lily for a walk. Here she is with Ann . We took her to a park where she had a chance to interact with a few strangers and  another dog. She really is quick to adjust to everything we have throw at her so far.  Here is one more pic of the high water at Big Falls, Jump River.