Springhills Farm

Desperately Posting Before I Go

2010-03-29T07:10:00.002-05:00

I read this last night. I know sugaring is good for you as an activity (except the ticks and hurting your body if you do too much.) I know it tastes good. It would be great to find out that eating it was beneficial. Medicinal.The season is over for me and the kids. We leave today, before the clean-up and even before the last boil.

2010 Sugaring Season

2010-03-28T22:46:00.002-05:00

It has been a warm year. We have made lovely syrup. We have made much less of it then we have in the past for the same number of taps. Looking at the weather patterns from last year to this we see an average mean temperature of about 10 degrees between March 1st and March 28th. It just didn't get cold enough and then it got too warm. Did I say, we made some great syrup? We just didn't make a lot of it. It was a great year to be a little further north. It was a better year for folks on vacuum systems. It was also a great year to get everything bottled up early. We put away some for Christmas barn sales, but most everything else is going into pints. Here is a short stop motion video from the sugarhouse in early March.

sugarhouse visit

2009-03-27T00:49:00.001-05:00

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a short compilation 2009.

Sap is in the sugar

2009-03-25T21:18:00.002-05:00

We are still collecting sap today. I was the non believer, I thought it was all over. The sugar content is some of the lowest we have collected and boiled, 1.5 was the reading off one batch, but it still turns into syrup with heat and time. In fact, tonight, the syrup was coming off looking like grade A, not even the B we thought we would be making. Don't worry, if you are a B fan like so many, there will be plenty.

Sap from Trees

2009-03-23T11:22:00.013-05:00

Sol's science experiment and data.
Tap a 7 different leafy trees to test for sap and sugar content.
Sugar Maple, Red Maple, Silver Maple, Black Cherry, Hickory, Black
Birch, Black Walnut. The trees were tapped on Thursday March 12th and the sap was collected
one week later on Thursday March 19.
Sol's chart:
Tree types , Cups of sap collected, Sugar %, Amt of syrup it would produce in cups
Sugar Maple, 176, 2.2, 4.5
Red Maple, 74, 2.2, 1.9
Silver Maple, 112, 2.3, 3.0
Black Cherry, .5, .4 , .002
Hickory, 5DROPS, 98.0, N.A.
Black Birch, 0, N.A., N.A.
Black Walnut, 8, 1.9, .2

more syrup and ticks

2009-03-20T08:28:00.003-05:00

Can we make more syrup today? Last night it was below freezing. Two days ago Sylvan spent the whole morning gallivanting about the yard in his underwear. I love this about sugaring, getting up close and in the face of the season change. Watching as new life emerges from the thaw, like ticks. Dylan was out on the Other Side of the Deep Woods and said they were plentiful, he put his head down at knee height and said you could see them on every branch along the deer trails waiting for a passerby to cling to. We need to allow the coyotes and mountain lions back in to eat the white footed mice that carry the lime disease. We need some wild creatures to thin the deer populations that carry the little beasts. We need healthy populations of wild birds that want to gobble the little creatures down.
I digress, our business at hand is making syrup, and today we may make more, it may be grade B, but that is the most requested variety we have so...
Next post will be on Sols' tree tapping experiment.

Its warm.

2009-03-18T11:15:00.002-05:00

Okay the kids are outside in bare feet and underwear. The ice is off the pond so it's time to take a swim. It must be grade B is in the making next run....

Sounds of sap

2009-03-18T10:29:00.001-05:00

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This is the sound the sap gurgling through the tube makes as it comes from the Deep Woods and up over the hill to the tank behind the sugarhouse. Farm 2009.

mad grouse

2009-03-17T22:45:00.001-05:00

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farm 2009. This bird likes to come out of the undergrowth when it hears the tractor approaching. It may think we are a potential mate. Maybe something is wrong with it. This will be the third sugaring season that this bird has been living and owning the area we call knoll run. No one feeds it. It is wild, and really doesn't want to hold still long enough for me to picture its plumage.

Sylvan's tour of the butter job

2009-03-12T04:20:00.001-05:00

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Spring 2009.

Sugaring 2009

2009-03-10T23:20:00.002-05:00

Tapping began early this year. Let's see, about February 6-9 the first half of the taps were set. The second half were set between February 22-25. Mirah is out for the main part of this season for her new CD release so she and Dylan worked in January to set up the old lines and plot out some new, clean and set up evaporator and generally get everything ready and underway. They got to make the first batch of syrup before she headed back West and the weather cooperated to let Dylan travel back to VT in time for Sol's birthday. Dylan, Meghan and kids got back to the farm in time for the second round of sugaring weather with BK from Burlington along to be major help person. More trees tapped, cold nights, sap runs, boiling boiling, syrup. Visit from Bull and Karin. Wood moved and split. Meghan and kids leave again. Cold snap, more syrup. Cassy and Jenny show up in time for some bucket collecting (we still have about 250 buckets out there) and sap tank pumping and ...boiling. A day of canning, after much coffee drinking procrastination, tied the sap run days together. Today is March 11th, just over a month into the season and we have made 290 gallons of really good tasting syrup. Susie's chickens re also starting to lay more eggs and Margie is picking up a Jacob's ram to join the flock, on Thursday.

Rockin out in the sugarhouse

2009-03-04T12:16:00.001-05:00

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Oh puleahse

Finn and Sol Take a Walk

2008-07-04T16:54:00.001-05:00

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I ask them some definitions of words.

Wool is in

2008-03-27T14:52:00.003-05:00

One hat knit from the skeins of beautiful sportweight wool in brown grey and white. Wool spun by Loch's farm in Springville PA. This will be sold at farmers market or christmas time.

All records broken

2008-03-26T09:38:00.003-05:00

Last night was an all records broken night. Sap collected, syrup made. And the weather just keeps on 20s/40s. It isn't supposed to go above 40 until after April starts.

On Monday we put a hole in our big plastic collection tank. While it was 300 gallons full. We didn't notice that the board keeping it away from the wheel had broken and so it rode for a while rubbing up against the tire. Yesterday Margie welded it together with another piece of the same plastic and today we will try out the fix. It was our one big disaster of the season so far and we made it through!

A huge Thank you to all the visitors and bucket pullers who made this season extra fun, enjoyable and easy.

night moon

2008-03-21T21:01:00.002-05:00

When we first spotted the moon tonight it looked as if the hill was actually on fire. I had to look twice. night everyone and happy spring. Speaking of spring, supposedly it is arriving 8 hours early every year as tracked by sat images since 1982. You can add your spring observation for the phrenologists: http://www.sws-wis.com/lifecycles/dbase.html#submit

canning not boiling

2008-03-21T10:34:00.002-05:00

chilly today, froze last night, maybe a small run, boil tomorrow.

another boil

2008-03-16T10:20:00.001-05:00

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Today

2008-03-12T09:13:00.004-05:00

The snow is falling like its not sure this is where it is supposed to be. Slow motion like.
The past couple of days have been cold, but yesterday when we tapped the big tree by the pond the sap was running on both the shady and sunny side. Now Mirah is "hoping not to get the dreaded thing." Today looks like a runner. Sol and Dyl had a discussion about probabilities. Dylan notices that when we are completely under prepared, no wood, the sap runs like crazy. Likewise when all hands are sick or missing from the farm the sap runneth like mad. Sol says there is no relation between things we can prepare for, like wood, and sap run, but there Could be a relation between sickness and sap run. Dylan took last night to write up the sap log. total sap collected this year 8680 gallons.

We just got here

2008-03-10T14:33:00.001-05:00

Sol and I left for a week.
We came back just as Mirah was arriving.
Dyl and Marg had made 200 gallons of syrup.
That's half the season or so.
we hope

Winter Farm 2008

2008-02-29T22:23:00.001-05:00

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setup clips 2008

2008-02-29T22:09:00.001-05:00

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Sledding

2008-02-29T21:31:00.001-05:00

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The kids are sliding down the hill
down the hill
down the hill
the kids are slidding down the hill
look how fast the're going...

Visiting John Henry

2008-02-28T20:34:00.001-05:00

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John Henry is visiting the flock. Around about July there may be lambs. Syl and I go to visit John Henry.

Sugaring Season has begun

2008-02-28T18:02:00.003-05:00

Well, actually it began a while ago when Dylan came down in early February to start stringing lines and get wood ordered. We have been getting loads of logs delivered from a nearby family lumber business. The wood they delivered this year however will have to wait and dry thoroughly till next year to get enough btu out of it.
If you want to know, the work done so far includes all lines strung, most of the trees actually tapped (although it is tooo coooold to run) 1 large new tank bought to replace the two that were STOLEN last year...(yes stolen for scrap metal from way up on top of the hill After they had been cleaned meticulously and put away for the winter.) Collection tanks set in place, evaporator peeked at and fiddling begun, blower set up, pots moved from storage shed, and probably much much more. All this has been done with a Sick Dylan in the lead but aided by farm family and very appreciatively by new Philly friends. Yeah Philly connections! I think without Billy and Cassie Dylan would have been a much unhappier unhealthy sugaring work horse. On Tuesday Syl, Sol and I joined the crew, but we have been playing city people afraid to go out in the cold. Today Sylvan and I did wander out and get some nice shots which I will pull together in a short video. Dylan is better, the first run to Manning's has taken place (Chocolate and Vanilla) and the tank at Grist Mill actually had 200 gallons of sap in it! Grist Mill is a South facing hillside and is always the first run of the season. Saturday we lay out buckets and Sunday we expect a good thaw.

What can one little person do

2008-02-19T17:04:00.001-05:00

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Sol sang this with his class for the school concert. I didn't have my camera there.

Crystal's Pics

2007-07-27T08:27:00.000-05:00

http://www1.snapfish.com/shareereg/p=329251185362211007/l=289725339/g=35241057/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB/pns/share/p=329251185362211007/l=289725339/g=35241057/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB
You will need to create a free account to view these.

The roof is done

2007-07-27T08:20:00.000-05:00

Hi,

The rest of the roofing pictures have been added to the album.  The link is the
same..  Enjoy.

You don't need to logon,

Just click on View Slideshow to get started.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=a8252py.2e8w4ydy&x=0&y=-l97yvg

Marti

It does change things

2007-07-23T22:55:00.000-05:00

To know where your mmmmhmmhmm comes from makes it something different. More real, less abstract. That might change as the thing in my head gets farther away just by dint of being closer, just like a bend in the road seems to become less acute when you are inside of it. For now, combing out the wool, spinning and knitting it knowing I have met the sheep it came from is a nice experience. Here is swatch one. I would love any suggestions for knitted items you think a nice variegated medium weight wool could produce. In the sidebar is a badge and link to the photos Hope took when she finished off the skirting and sorting process before sending the raw wool off to Loch's for processing as well as a couple of pics of the processing facility.

Cindy's great pics

2007-07-18T20:16:00.001-05:00

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These are beautiful pics taken by Cindy and/or Shelly

you can also see these at: http://www.picturetrail.com/members/edit?p=404&gid=17177162 to buy copies of or see the pics in a different form.

Hull Reunion

2007-07-16T22:58:00.001-05:00

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The Reunion

2007-07-09T09:10:00.000-05:00

Back from the reunion. The roof is two thirds off, plywood laid and ready for the next steps. Lots of great work in getting this done. Posse of kids played and swam and ran and crawled. MUCH food prepped, cooked eaten. Connections refused. Walks taken. Tents slept in. Grass felt, shep visited, fireflies seen and stars counted. Fireworks, bonfires, family, freinds, new inlaws and old. Send in your links to pictures and they can be put up on this blog. Just ask and you too can become a blog poster! megdyl@gmavt.net

Impeacment Rally Slice

2007-04-18T16:50:00.001-05:00

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A very short clip from an hour long conversation with Rep. Gaye Symington and Sen. Peter Shumlin at the Montpelier statehouse in regards to a VT Resolution to Impeach President Bush.

Bringing in the 'Sheep

2007-03-25T17:58:00.001-05:00

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March 25, 2007. The sheep arrive at the farm. these are Jacob sheep.

Sugar Making Jobs

2007-02-27T15:24:00.000-05:00

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For the most part the folks at the farm have been pulling on themselves to get the work done before the sap starts flowing. Trudging, hiking, carrying, and motivating amidst such brilliant cold light. Setup jobs include:

setting out the bulk collection tanks 500-1000 gallons
setting up and cleaning the evaporator
cutting and stacking wood
unrolling main lines
stringing up sap lines (the video shows the sap lines being attached to the main line)
attaching drop line
tapping
setting up new overthehill collection tube (video)
setting up buckets - don't forget the buckets
fixing broken things -brake lines, tractors, chainsaws, fittings, downed lines,
shoveling

This is for perspective and understanding only. come visit.

Snowy Woods Day

2007-02-27T12:22:00.000-05:00

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A few detail pictures of the farm.

The Wood

2007-02-27T12:00:00.000-05:00

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We will burn this much wood to make syrup. Unfortunately the logs are too muddy, so in order to preserve the chainsaw's sharp edge, the logs must be hatcheted at each cutting spot.Â One at a time.

Laying out Pipeline

2007-02-27T03:25:00.001-05:00

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Up from the bottom of the deep woods, over the hill and then down into the tank. The idea this year is to have the sap travel to us using some pumping and gravity feed together. This will eliminate late night dashes into the dark woods with flashlights and truck to empty the overflowwing sap tank. We hope.

Horses

2007-02-27T03:25:00.000-05:00

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Ben pays a visit to the camera. Jake hangs back at the hay trough but even with his recent eye loss (possibly a sharp hawthorne spike?) he seems as mellow as always. Enjoying their season without flies.

Spring Hills Chickens

2007-02-27T01:43:00.000-05:00

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It is not Christmas for the chicken hawk looking for a quick meal in the snow.

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: chickens, farm, maple

This blog is...

2006-11-28T15:49:00.000-05:00

This blog is a random collection based on our (Dylan, Meghan Sylvan and Sol's) most recent visits to the farm. Here is an invitation to see some photos from Mirah's trip to Italy click HERE:

and another short horse video:

Opening day at the farm

2006-11-28T15:18:00.000-05:00

Opening day went really well considering the weather showed No signs of being christmas-like and the wet fields. We got some great stories of water rushing over the dam (a week ago from Thanksgiving) and had two turkey dinners with folks on Thursday and Saturday.
accomplishments:

Stove pipe up and on in Lala's yurt.
Horses brushed harnessed and touring
miniature sweaters knitted
Simone's first farm cold
gameboy playing in the hay of margaret's barn (iyayi)
giant tree strung with lights and raised
barn set up and beautified
sedum planted around pondhouse
many many loads of dishes
much much more....

The beginning of xmas tree season

2006-11-26T15:57:00.000-05:00

Finn and Vegas Moshing

2006-09-12T13:50:00.000-05:00

Summer 2006

2006-08-02T09:59:00.000-05:00

Life is good, the hay is cut, the cousins and their newest "cousins" have played and swum. the hammers have swung, the world has been complained and talked and lived about. Birthdays have been celebrated (Emily, Dylan, Finn, Susie, Kathy) and still the work and living goes on.

Margaret describes the farm as one of those games where the puzzle pieces are locked on a track and you push them around trying to get them in order.

Susie's new chickens meet the old chickens and the eggs keep getting pushed out.
Devi and Susie swap houses and their families ride the wake.

Building a yurt

2006-08-02T09:49:00.000-05:00

Level. Plumb. level. plumb

the floor is done.

Building a yurt up in the field. Actually two yurts. 25 cement piers, twenty five posts all cut different. over 50 rough cut hemlock boards. many many 2x4s measured, cut screwed. nails nailed, pulled, nailed cut nailed, screwed and cut.

this will be the newest "little building" on the farm.

Jorah hip hopping it

2006-06-06T09:03:00.000-05:00

Live from the west coast....
Thanks Sach for responding to my request for pics and words! On that note, I have also figured out that you can become a "co-poster" to this site so I will send "invites" to anyone that asks. megdyl@gmavt.net Then we can continue to post our thoughts and pics from this "farm" with very liquid geopersonal boundaries...

meg

speaking of boundaries in response to a question from Solly about what language came before Latin, I found this amazing map of world languages...dig in
http://www.ethnologue.com/country_index.asp
especially found compelling how many languages are spoken in the US today. (click on that section.)

rain in the vale

2006-06-05T10:06:00.000-05:00

click on the link to check out the Intervale flooding...fields are dry now, if raining nonstop for the past week can be called dry...

2006 Sugarmaking

2006-04-06T09:45:00.000-05:00

This year, 2006, has been a great year at Springhills farm for making maple syrup. We finished under the new moon boiling away the last of the sap we had gathered into a fabulous dark syrup! But, don’t worry, there is also plenty of the light stuff as well for those of you who prefer the lighter flavors. If there was one thing we learned this year in making syrup is to believe in the unpredictable. When the temperatures were in the 6o’s in mid march we all thought for sure the maple buds were swelling and the end was nigh, but a cold front came in and put us in a deep freeze for over a week and we ended up making lighter syrup than we ever have before. In fact we made half of our seasons crop in that one last week of march. We could barely keep up with all the collecting and boiling. It has been a great year with help from all corners of the Springhills family and beyond. The sugarhouse is located on the road so if you are ever traveling through when the steam is rolling out stop in and visit.
Give us a call at 570-563-2640 if you want some syrup.