Poems By My Daughter

If you've been reading our blog from the beginning, you already know that we are a homeschool family.  We made this choice about 6 years ago, just as our sons, now nearly 17, were exiting the "elementary school" phase.

We believe that learning must take place, not just in a classroom, but throughout each day in very practical ways, to be effective.  Learning through immersion leaves the most lasting impression on a person, and gives the most opportunity for self-discovery.

Becoming maple syrup producers adds yet another unique aspect to our children's education.  By including our children in our agricultural businesses (of past and present) we're instilling a strong work ethic, critical thinking and problem-solving, and responsibility, as well as our Biblical world-view.  Do we always get it right?  No way!!  But, we believe it is our responsibility to direct our children's education.

This year, we've managed to weave our newest adventure into our science, mathematics, history and even creative writing!  Enjoy Grace's "sweet" poetry:

My Sweet March  by Grace Westbrook 

Maple-ing to our heart's content,

All the sap must be turned into syrup.

Ready to boil the sap, and

Correctly bottle it all.

Happy to sell it! 

A Haiku by Grace

The sap flows steady,

A sweet good-bye to winter.

Love it on pancakes!

We appreciate all of our on-line visitors, so keep coming back! 

Journey of a Drop of Sap (part 2)

Now, let me see.....Where were we?  
That's right!  The "refining fire".....







This is where your "water weight" is being removed......mostly.

Our evaporator holds about 60 gallons of sap at a time.  When running "full steam" we can make about 2 and half gallons of syrup per hour.  We haven't had the opportunity to do that yet, though!



The way in which we have things set up at this time, you would go from here into a 55-gallon drum or......







...be finished off in a large, square metal pan or large pot.  You are heated up to about 218 degrees, give or take a few tenths depending on elevation and barometric pressure....(you're not quite there, yet).                
                                                                                                                                                                       

As your temperature rises, you are getting thicker and darker.  Your next stop is the hydrometer.  This is how we know, officially, that you are syrup...

 

Once you've reached the correct density, 66 degrees Brix, you'll slide from the pan or pot through a filter which removes most of your mineral sediment.  From here you are given a grade and color. (For this batch, it is grade A dark amber, my favorite!)

And, now, for the best part....................

Yes, your journey ends here! 

Each maple producer's syrup will have a slightly different taste.  In fact, each year the syrup will have a unique flavor, depending upon the weather conditions and such.  Ours has a rich "nutty" flavor this year.  Mmmm.....


Check in later this week for works from our poet, Grace!

The Journey of a Drop Sap (part 1 of 2)

Ever wonder how that sweet maple syrup gets from the tree to your breakfast table?

Let's pretend we are a drop of sap....humor me for a few moments, okay? 


We've been hanging out in the cold, quiet roots of the maple tree for some time, now......

Then, one day in March, after a nice, long rest, the tree begins to warm up and wake up!

As the tree's roots drink in the cool, fresh melted snow, you feel yourself being pushed slowly up the sapwood with all you friends.


Then, you come to an opening that wasn't there before!  You can't help but be pushed through it.  You are now flowing into the spile or tap.

old-fashioned metal spile

modern plastic tap

 From there, you drop into a bucket like this one, perhaps, or a modern plastic version.

     Or, you may begin your slide through an elaborate maze of blue tubing leading into...... 

...a drum like this one, or an even larger tank.


On a "peak flow" day, when it warms up to 40-45 degrees, you'll be joined by 199 of your friends per minute, or as the old sugarmakers say, "two drops per heartbeat!"












You and your buddies may find yourselves sloshing about as you are transported to the "sugar shack" where you will be carefully poured into this evaporator.

Here, you will get boiling hot!  You will feel yourself being pulled in two different directions as your water content becomes steam.  You're being refined by fire, literally!

Stay tuned for part 2 of our saga..... Check our blog in a couple of days!  Thanks.)

Interesting Maple Facts

Many folks don't realize that maple trees only grow in the northeastern region of North America.  And, yet, maple syrup is enjoyed by folks around the world!

Canada accounts for nearly 80% of the world's maple syrup supply.

The top 3 maple syrup-producing states in the U.S. are:

Vermont

New York, and

Maine.

I was surprised to learn that there are 13 different species of maple trees that can be tapped for syrup-making!  The best ones, however, are sugar (hard), black, and red.  These have the highest sugar content in their sap at 3 to 5 percent.

Did you know that it takes, roughly, 40 gallons of sap to make just 1 gallon of syrup!  The amount of sap a tree will produce depends on so many factors from the age and health of the tree, to the outside temperature, hours of sunlight, barometric pressure, and so on.  But, generally speaking, each tap produces about 10 gallons of sap during a month-long sap run. 

Producers keep careful records of each sap run to manage their "sugarbush".  Will and Don plan to take classes in Woodlot Management over the next few years, so we can maximize the productivity of our own sugarbush.

Maple sap is clear when it flows from the tree.  Really, sap is just sugar water plus minerals like manganese, magnesium, iron, zinc, calcium and a few others.  When we heat it up to boiling (210.7 degrees Fahrenheit at our elevation on this farm), we cause the water to evaporate, and caramelize the sugars, giving the syrup its golden amber color.  Syrup made early in the season will be a lighter amber.  As the season progresses, it will get darker because the biochemistry of the tree changes as we head into spring. 

The grading system we use has little to do with the quality of the sap.  It has more to do with preference.  If you want that strong maple flavor on your waffles or in your baking, buy grade A dark amber or grade B. Most folks, however, prefer the grade A light or medium ambers.  My favorite:  grade A dark amber!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Maple syrup is the most nutritious sweetener available to us due to its vitamin and mineral content.

I'm looking forward to learning how to cook and bake with it.  I've already found quite a few tasty recipes on-line and in books!


This little maple syrup tin is at least 50 years old, probably older!  My sons were doing some "clean up" work for a neighboring farmer, and found a box of these in a shed.  The farmer allowed them to bring a few home "for Mom".  Pretty cool- Thanks, Boys!



Keep following us to see how this year's sap run progresses!  I'll try to keep you all up-to-date with the "goings on" at Westbrook Farm...
                                                                                                                                                                                

                                                          

"Sappy" Science

Now that you know a bit more about us, (and I've had the opportunity to share some of my favorite photos!) let's get back to Maple Syrup.  Any day now, we'll start seeing daytime temperatures rise into the upper 30's and night temps still dropping into the 20's.  That's when we can begin collecting sap!  In preparation for what is to come in my future posts, I thought I'd take the time to share some maple science with you.  So where does it all begin?  This gift of delicious sweetness?  Well, our ingenious Creator began with.......

SUNLIGHT!

From the time the new baby leaves appear in springtime, those little factories soak up the sunshine, the fuel for photosynthesis.  The chloroplasts in the leaves gather the raw materials of water, minerals, gases and light energy to manufacture carbohydrates, aka. plant food.

                                                                                 The chlorophyll that harvests the light energy gives the leaves their green color all summer long. Glucose feeds the tree... and then some!  Unseen to us, the maple trees are storing up all the extra glucose that they don't need to grow, repair, and flourish, turning it into storable starch. (That's my problem this winter - those darned extra "storable" carbs!)  

As the days get shorter, sunlight becomes less intense, and temperatures drop, then we see the true colors of the maples.  They look magnificent with their yellow, reddish-orange, and crimson leaves! Meanwhile, inside, the trees convert the starch back into sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose), in preparation for spring.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

During the winter months, that sugar is stored in the trunk and roots of the trees.  As temperatures begin to rise, and the days get longer again, the roots begin soaking up the water from the melting snow.  That water mixes with the stored sugar, and - tada!- SAP! During the daytime, thanks to the air pressure being greater inside the tree than outside, the sap travels up the xylem, or sapwood to give the tree energy for making new leaves.  At night, the sap goes back down towards the roots.

     

     When we tap the maple tree, we are extracting sap from the ample supply in the xylem.  Done correctly, this does not damage the tree in any way.  In fact, the tree is only sharing about 10% of its sap with us! Maples with a diameter of ten inches or more can be tapped, year after year, for a century or more!                                                                                                                 The season for extracting sap is quite short - only 3 to 6 weeks.  Once the tree buds begin to grow, the sugars turn back into starch. The sap, which was clear, turns cloudy and the flow slows way down. Syrup made from late season sap will be dark in color and may have a slightly bitter taste.

350, or so, trees have been selected by Don and Will, miles of tubing has been ran, collection tanks have been set in place, and the evaporator has been assembled.  We've been chopping quite a supply of firewood to keep that evaporator going, too.  Very soon, we will begin drilling, and setting taps in place. Then, let it flow, let it flow, let it flow!  


The sweet good-bye of winter!!

Check my next post for some Maple syrup facts!                                                                                    

                                                                               

     

                                                                                                                              

Pictorial Comparison (part 3): Lake Country

We live in the Finger Lakes region of Central New York, now.  Such a picturesque area of the Northeast! Homeschooling and the flexibility of Don's job affords us many daylight hours to take "sunday drives" during the week (scandalous, I know!) to explore lake country.  That is just what we've done this past year. Sometimes, just Don and I go for a drive and call it a "date".  We enjoy finding new back roads with beautiful homes and farms, little country stores, wineries and scenic overlooks.  Many times, however,we take two or more kids along for the ride, and, if he begs just right, a dog, too!

There are 11 finger lakes in NY.... in case you were wondering! They were formed by glacial ice.  Most people are familiar with Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake, as those seem to get the most tourism.  We live just a couple of miles south of Lake Skaneateles, which means "skinny woman" in Iroquois.  It is less than a mile wide, and 16 miles long - skinny, indeed!  I've visited 4 of the lakes this year,

but Skaneateles is my favorite, so far. This is my very first view of her.  The scenic overlook is about 2 miles up the road from our little farm.  And, we can be in the beautiful little town of Skaneateles in about 20 minutes.  Just a few days after moving in we took the whole family up there for the day.  I like it so much, I find a reason to go there almost monthly!

There are lots of little shops with unique (aka. expensive) items, art galleries, an old library with an art museum, an antique store, and a variety of restaurants, including our favorite little bakery.  We enjoy meandering around the little memorial park beside the lake, and strolling down the pier with a cup of coffee.

                                   

Generally, we did not endure much snow in Lancaster County, with the exception of the occasional blizzard - like February 2010... 20+ inches in 48 hours!  This is an unusual winter for them.  The average annual snowfall down there is only 18 inches.  In comparison, the average annual snowfall for Cortland County, NY is 70 inches! Needless to say, we had to learn to have fun in the snow.  Don bought a snowmobile last January, and I purchased a pair of snowshoes, which I use almost daily whenever we have 8+ inches of snow on the ground.  The girls received ice skates this Christmas, which they use frequently on our pond and at the ice rink, and we continue to trail ride the horses whenever possible. Otherwise, we'd go crazy!

                                                                                                                                                        

But, the best part of our new home has been all the gorgeous nature hikes we've taken!

One day, during a science lesson, I asked the girls, "What are the three states of water?"  Rosemary, in all seriousness, replies, "Um, New York...."  Too funny!!  Not the answer I was looking for, however, it sure does seem that way with all the lakes, ponds, streams and waterfalls!  I hope you enjoy scrolling through these "water" photos:

Yes, we've seen some beautiful things since our move north last year!  I am looking forward to sharing more adventures with you as the months go by.  Please keep following us....maple syrup production is just around the corner!  

Stay tuned.  I'll share with you some interesting facts about maple syrup in my next few posts....

Pictorial Comparison (part 2): Amish Country

We have been blessed to live on some very beautiful farms in Lancaster County.  This photo shows our first home near Ephrata, PA.  Don was one of 3 farmhands that cared for about 800 beef cattle and 1200 acres of crops.  His salary included a farmhouse, a side of beef, 2 pigs (custom-butchering included, too!) and 2 fresh turkeys.  Needless to say, we ate quite well!

This is actually one of the bigger farms in the county.  Most farms in Lancaster County are much smaller than the farms in CNY.  Thanks to the Amish, you can still find many small, quaint family farms of 60 to 90 acres, generally supporting around 50 cows. In Central New York, most of the working farms are over 200 acres and often host 160+ head of cattle.
While we also have poultry farms in Amish country, I've seen none in this part of New York!

Rosie, age 18 mos.

This lovely garden is a common sight in Lancaster County.  During our dairy farming days, I awoke to this beauty each day from May to October!  Another family shared the dairy farm with us. Since we were so busy with the cows and calves, the other family tended the garden and we traded milk for fresh veggies!







I could not find a photo of the horse stable, but if you can imagine, it matched this house perfectly, only it had 6 gorgeous, hand-crafted dutch doors lining the front of it, and 12 stalls inside!


This is where we boarded horses for several years. This home was all about God's mercy and grace poured out on us.  You see, we had recently been through the demise of our dairy business (due
to our own mistakes), and did not know what we were going to do.  Don found work hauling equipment and livestock, and we found the owner of this little farm, who was interested in having us board horses.  At the time, it was the perfect solution.  Boy, did I get a crash course in horse care and management!  While we learned a great deal in those 3 years,  the better part of my "equine education" came at our next home, quite unexpectedly....




Finally, during the years that Don was grain farming and truck driving, we lived on a little 5 acre farmette right on the Octoraro Creek.  This is where we spent nearly 7 years prior to moving to Central New York.

 See that log cabin through the trees?  That was our home.  Our 3 horses had a little barn and a one-acre paddock on top of the hill, with another small paddock to the right of the house.  Little did we know, when we moved here, that we would be living right next door to an accomplished horse trainer and 3-day eventing competitor!  My girls and I have learned so much from her and her husband. We spent many-an-afternoon in their riding arena, barn and swimming pool!  They have become dear friends of ours and we miss their daily presence in our lives.  Fortunately, we can go back for regular visits, as Rosemary still trains with her!

We also enjoyed the beauty of the changing seasons here, and the wildlife that was drawn to the creek.  The songbirds and birds of prey nested in the trees around our house.  In fact, it was not unusual for a bald eagle to swoop past our deck a time or two in the summer!
                                                                                                                       




Our children and dogs spent many hours playing in and around this creek. We have many fond memories of our time here.

And, now we are making great memories in Lake Country.  Very different, indeed, but no less special.  Visit my next post tomorrow for photos and stories from our 14 months in Central New York!

Amish country vs. Lake country: A pictorial comparison (1 of 3)

I've been observing and pondering the similarities and differences of where we've lived the majority of our lives, southeastern Pennsylvania, and where we are now, Central New York.  One very clear difference is population density.  In Lancaster County, our home from 1999 to 2012, there are about 550 people per square mile.  In Cortland County, our current residence, there are only about 98 people per square mile - Wow!  That's quite a  difference!

I'm not going to bore you with a bunch of statistics, however, I just want to share a few of my personal thoughts and a pictorial comparison over my next few posts, just for the fun of it!  You'll get a feel for our background, and hopefully, enjoy this little walk down memory lane with me...

The first thing that most folks think of when you say "Lancaster County, PA" is the large, thriving Amish community.

 Career choices led us to move from Chester County to neighboring Lancaster County in 1999, where we spent the next 13+ years living on four different farms.  And, each time we had the pleasure of having Amish neighbors.  Unique folks!  We always enjoyed talking with them, trading eggs for fresh garden veggies, and occasionally providing transportation to the farm store or the grocery store. We purchased products from-, and sold products to- our Amish neighbors.  As part of the agricultural community, Don "did business" with Amish and Mennonite folks very regularly!

This is a very common sight where we are from. One learns to drive accordingly.  One also learns to watch out for "road apples"......aka. horse poop!

Lancaster County residents always know when a driver is NOT from the area - they slow way down...even though the buggy is still 20 yards away.  Then, they hesitantly creep up behind the buggy. Next, ever so carefully and slowly, they inch over into the opposite lane in order to "sneak" around it in an effort not to scare the horse... thereby making the horse even more nervous. As the Amish driver hauls back on the reins to keep his horse from spooking, the tourist tries to snap a picture!  All of my Pennsylvania friends are chuckling right now, I bet.....

Given the population density of Lancaster County, there isn't much open wilderness.  That is part of the charm and lore of Central NY.

This is what you are more likely to see while driving around our current home.  The forests up here are gorgeous!

 We live approximately 1400 feet above sea level.  At our previous home we were about 590 feet above sea level.  A considerable difference for us!

That's Don and Mac behind the waterfall!

We do enjoy the long, clear views that are easy to find, the variety of trees, native plants and wildlife...

                                                                                                                                                                  And, the beautiful state parks that offer so much natural beauty.  For a family that enjoys hiking and trail riding, this area is a dream location!  We've been blessed with great friends who also enjoy hiking and have lived up here for quite a few years.  They've been giving us personal tours of the prettiest places in Central NY this past year!

While Lancaster County is very dear to my heart, and I miss it and the folks that live there, Central NY is growing on me more and more.  I love the serenity of the woods, the magnificent lakes, the quaint towns, and I am developing a heart for my new community.


I have so many beautiful photos to share from both locations, so stay tuned for more comparisons!