| Author | |
Dawn
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 12 2005
Location: Massachusetts
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3191
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 1:32pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
Does anyone go "sugaring" in the early spring?
We are going to watch maple syrup being made next weekend at a local reservation. I haven't been since I was a schoolgirl, and I'm looking forward to doing this with my boys!
Before we go we'll read Sugaring and Sugarbush Spring. I'd also like to kick off a little unit on trees.
I thought we would try out some maple syrup cooking too! I'm planning to make baked donuts on St. Joseph's Day and frost them with maple butter frosting (scroll down). Yum! 
__________________
Dawn, mum to 3 boys 
By Sun and Candlelight
The Nature Corner
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 1:49pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
How fun!!!! Don't forget Laura Ingalls Wilder on the maple sugaring. Wasn't it "Little House in the Big Woods"? And did "Farmer Boy" have a section on it, too? Now I'll have to pull out my copies and read that part again!
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to  & ds1  '03 & ds2  '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
mary
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 17 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 691
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 2:07pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
check with your nature center - ours is allowing the hsed kids to come and tap the trees, boil and cook the syrup and then buy it. all for a nominal fee! 
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
guitarnan
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10883
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 2:21pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
If you're in Virginia, consider heading to the Highland County Maple Festival this weekend and next (March 11-12 and 18-19). You can see a sugar camp, eat tons of pancakes, watch artisans at work, buy craft items, see a movie filmed in Monterey, VA (the main location of the festival), etc.
Did I mention pancakes? With syrup?
Wear old shoes and bring a jacket. It's usually muddy and cold. Parking goes fast!
Now I'm hungry.
__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mary G
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5790
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 2:55pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
jenngm67 wrote:
| How fun!!!! Don't forget Laura Ingalls Wilder on the maple sugaring. Wasn't it "Little House in the Big Woods"? And did "Farmer Boy" have a section on it, too? Now I'll have to pull out my copies and read that part again! |
|
|
It's in Little House in the Big Woods. We just read these chapters yesterday and today -- now my kids want to try Hasty Pudding (with tons of maple syrup I fear  ) for dinner.
__________________
MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Rebecca
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 30 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1898
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 3:14pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My husband's family recently moved to suburbia from their home on 45 wooded acres. Every year prior to their move, they had their maple trees tapped and were paid in maple syrup. I have never had to buy syrup in 13 years of marriage until this year!
We are lucky to have a beautiful arboretum nearby that taps its trees and holds an annual pancake breakfast. We will have to check it out!
God Bless,
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MacBeth
Forum All-Star
Probably at the beach...
Joined: Jan 27 2005
Location: New York
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2518
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 4:00pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
I have taught a class in sugaring for k-12 in the field, and one of my favorite moments is when the kids try the REAL syrup vs. "pancake" syrup taste test. I guess most kids never get the real thing, because they always prefer pancake syrup.
If you want to try tapping a tree in your yard, here's a fun "nature" addition. Rather than use a commercial spile (spigot), make your own out of stag-horn sumac. Here are some instructions (pdf file) courtesy of Montclair State University in NJ.
__________________
God Bless!
MacBeth in NY
Don's wife since '88; "Mom" to the Fab 4
Nature Study
MacBeth's Blog 
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 4:17pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
MacBeth wrote:
| If you want to try tapping a tree in your yard, here's a fun "nature" addition. Rather than use a commercial spile (spigot), make your own out of stag-horn sumac. Here are some instructions (pdf file) courtesy of Montclair State University in NJ. |
|
|
I couldn't make the link work...any suggestions?
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 4:21pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
guitarnan wrote:
| If you're in Virginia, consider heading to the Highland County Maple Festival this weekend and next (March 11-12 and 18-19). You can see a sugar camp, eat tons of pancakes, watch artisans at work, buy craft items, see a movie filmed in Monterey, VA (the main location of the festival), etc. |
|
|
I have to remember this for next year! I've always wanted to experience maple sugaring...inspired by the Little House books!
What regions would have maple sugaring? I know the Northeast, but since our VA winter was so mild, would there still be good tapping?
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MaryM
Board Moderator
Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13104
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 4:47pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Boo hoo.... no maple tapping in the Rocky Mountains 
__________________
Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mary G
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5790
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 5:48pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Mary G. wrote:
-- now my kids want to try Hasty Pudding (with tons of maple syrup I fear ) for dinner. |
|
|
and they all (including the big ones and Dad loved it! But then some of them like grits, too -- so take it with a grain of salt (or corn )
__________________
MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Dawn
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 12 2005
Location: Massachusetts
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3191
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 6:56pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
MacBeth wrote:
| I guess most kids never get the real thing, because they always prefer pancake syrup. |
|
|
We love the *real* stuff, but I just cannot get over how expensive it is, especially when/if you buy organic ... 
I wonder if prices are lower at this time of year ~ if March is "in season" for maple syrup? Like how strawberries cost less in June than they do in January?
If you have A Time To Keep: The Tasha Tudor Book of Holidays, the March spread is a lovely depiction of an old fashioned sugaring-off party.
Also, our library has a copy of The Sugaring-Off Party which looks nice too.
__________________
Dawn, mum to 3 boys
By Sun and Candlelight
The Nature Corner
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JennGM
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 17702
|
| Posted: March 07 2006 at 7:46pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Ah yes! Great one! Her Around the Year also has it in March.
__________________
Jennifer G. Miller
Wife to & ds1 '03 & ds2 '07
Family in Feast and Feria
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Dawn
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 12 2005
Location: Massachusetts
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3191
|
| Posted: March 08 2006 at 7:07am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I found this maple syrup unit study online. I haven't looked at it fully yet, but there seems to be a wealth of information!
__________________
Dawn, mum to 3 boys
By Sun and Candlelight
The Nature Corner
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
MaryM
Board Moderator
Joined: Feb 11 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 13104
|
| Posted: March 11 2006 at 5:32pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Mary G. wrote:
| It's in Little House in the Big Woods. |
|
|
It's also one of the chapters that was pulled out for the "My First Little House Books" series - Sugar Snow. The illustrations in these books are lovely.
These are additional picture books that could be used:
Sugar on Snow
At Grandpa's Sugar Bush
__________________
Mary M. in Denver
Our Domestic Church
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
amiefriedl
Forum Pro
Joined: Feb 15 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 323
|
| Posted: March 13 2006 at 10:03pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
This looks cool from Dover:
The Seasons of America Past
I'm on a "surf Dover" kick!
__________________
In Christ the King through Mary our Mother,
Amie
Blessed with an awesome hubby and Mom of ds10, dd7, dd3 and dd 10months.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
kristina
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 24 2005
Location: New Hampshire
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 524
|
| Posted: March 14 2006 at 7:58am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Dawn wrote:
We love the *real* stuff, but I just cannot get over how expensive it is, especially when/if you buy organic ...
I wonder if prices are lower at this time of year ~ if March is "in season" for maple syrup? Like how strawberries cost less in June than they do in January?
|
|
|
Dawn,
Our children really enjoy the real maple syrup, but your right.. it can be pricey! I was recently shopping at a local food co-op store and they had organic maple syrup for $4.59/lb. That is a much better than the grocery store and I am curious to know whether that is a seasonal price or not. I did not think to ask at the time. I will the next time I shop there.
Blessings,
__________________
kristina
yesterthoughts
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Forum Locked) 
4Real Forums : Exploring God's Creation in Nature and Science
Topic: maple sugaring
