Bit by Bit....

The Roman Emperor Hadrian, while building the Roman Empire, once said "Brick by brick, my citizens, brick by brick."

And, that about sums up our preparations for maple season.

Sunday, Jan. 24th, 2016

Last March, while wrapping up our maple season, we, quite literally, had no idea when, or if, we would have another maple season. We knew we didn't want the hassle of collecting sap in totes and hauling it to someone else's property to be boiled and bottled, but we weren't exactly sure how we were going to update our own equipment and make our operation more efficient.








Little did we know (and I'm very glad we didn't!) that we would experience a devastating fire in May and would be totally replacing most of our equipment and building a new sugar shack!








All things considered, it has worked out well. Back in July we found a great deal on the perfect-sized evaporator and arch for us, along with a storage tank, some bulk barrels, and few little "extras" that are proving quite handy.

In August, we built our sugar shack.  

And, it just so happened that this summer, Will's employer was getting rid of a slew of commercial-grade metal shelving that will be extremely useful in keeping us organized during maple season! Don't 'cha just love freebies!

Don injured his knee mid-autumn, which slowed us up a tad.  But, bit by bit, on the weekends and their days off, Don and Will, with Rosemary's and Grace's assistance, have gotten us closer to that magical moment of "READY, SET, FLOW..."!





Having worked with a very modern, "technology-everything" producer last year, we knew we wanted a reverse osmosis (RO) machine. It can cut boiling time down by two-thirds!  Now, we weren't looking for one with all the bells and whistles, like hers. Unfortunately, however, even a used RO machine the capacity we'd need costs, roughly, $5,000. Upon taking a closer look, though, Don determined that he could build one - a simple and straight-forward version, for a fraction of that! He and Will spent many-an-evening pouring over information on the web, as well as looking at various schematics shared by those who've done it. 



Don diligently seached and found the best prices on each component and ordered from various websites, as there is no "kit" for such a project. (Hmm, could be onto something there...)  

Over the past 5 weeks he has gradually taken over our office/schoolroom. (Good thing the girls do most of their lessons in their bedroom or at the kitchen table!)

It's not finished, yet, but we're getting very close!

As I mentioned before, we are a DIY kind of family....

Actually, whether by necessity or choice (both, really!), Don has become King of DIY...so, he reveled in this challenge, while all I could do was pray and have faith! (I'm definitely no mechanic or engineer!)






As of this blog post, all of our main lines are up, "sap ladders" have been created to overcome some elevation challenges in the sugarbush, the sugar shack, the tanks, the evaporator and arch are ready, the releaser is just about ready to set in place, and plenty of wood has been chopped to keep the evaporator boiling hot.

One of three "sap ladders" in the sugarbush

Running more main line to accommodate over 200 new taps.

The RO machine will take another evening or two to complete, and we need one or two days of 35-degree weather to run the lateral lines from the new trees to the main lines.  Today is turning into one of those gorgeous winter days, so they'll surely get some of that done this afternoon.  Then, we tap our, roughly, 650 trees and wait for the sap to flow!

In addition to the start of maple season next month, William will begin his 4-week internship for his automotive technology program in mid-February, and I begin cosmetology school! 

It's going to be a very exciting month on many fronts, so keep following for updates from Westbrook Farm!

Gearing Up for Maple Season!

Straight-up ICE on our road into the sugarbush!

Folks from Central New York can often be heard saying things like:

"If you don't like the weather now, just wait ten minutes!"

And:

"This is where all the clouds gather to live out their last days."

This weekend was no exception to either quote...It has been VERY cloudy lately, and in a matter of 48 hours we went from snow showers... to 38 degrees and rain... to an icy mess...back to snow.  Today showed up with sunshine... and, as my kids would say, a "snot-freezin'" wind!
We won't even see 20 degrees here...

This is today.  I couldn't quite capture the fierce wind in this image!

As maple syrup producers, however, we really can't complain, because we need a good freeze for the next couple of weeks....makes for a better maple season when that regular freeze/thaw cycle begins as spring approaches!

So, this weekend, while the crazy weather prevented our visit to family in PA, it didn't prevent our preparations for maple season 2016!

Instead of driving a truck or tractor into the woods to a bulk tank, and pumping sap into a 200-gallon storage tote, we're running tubing all the way down to the sugar shack, streamlining our sap collection.

In this photo, Don and Will are stretching the high-tensile line and checking the grade of the slope.  Tubing will be added later this week.








We're also adding about 200 taps this year, bringing us up to around 650 taps.
Our sugarbush is a giant web of aquamarine!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

In addition to adding tubing, we also spent some time in the sugar shack, setting up the evaporator and adding the stovepipe through which we will soon sweeten the air of our neighborhood...literally!





On a good day, anyone within a half-mile of the shack who has a functioning olfactory system will know when we are boiling, as the scent of burning maple, ash and apple wood mingled with the sweet aroma of hot maple sap drifts through the air....Mmmm, mmm!












Here, the guys lined the evaporator's firebox with fire bricks, designed to concentrate the heat where we need it.  They added fire blanket to the edge to seal the heat inside.



Then, Don, Will and Rosie carefully placed the main syrup pans on top.

 In this photo, Don is cutting the hole in the roof for the stack.
















And, here is the finished product from the outside:

We will do a "test boil" with water in the next day or two, just in case we need to tweak anything.  We have a few other crucial things to do in the coming weeks...

Priority #1:  Build our reverse osmosis machine!  We have all the parts...

Stay tuned for our progress!  Please pray that we get it all completed before the sap starts to flow. We're getting really close, and who knows exactly when the season will begin with our crazy weather this year.

While our on-line store is closed for the next couple of months, we still have several quarts and pints from 2015. (An excellent vintage!  Syrup will not "go bad" so long as it is in airtight jugs or jars.) Don't hesitate to stop in or call - I don't mind shipping it to you, either!

Stay Warm, Friends!

Our (temporary) Loss Is Heaven's Gain...

                                                                                                                                                                              The year 2016 certainly began with the unexpected....on January 2nd our Uncle Bruce went home to be with the Lord.

Dec. 2013

A few months ago, my father-in-law called us to tell us that Uncle Bruce had a fall and had been taken to Chester County Hospital.  Upon examination, a brain tumor was discovered and he was immediately transported to the University of Penn. The cancerous tumor was removed, all but a small piece too close to a major artery.  He underwent his first month of chemotherapy and radiation between Thanksgiving and Christmas.






We learned just after Christmas that his most recent MRI showed that the small piece of the tumor left behind had shrunk!  Although I can't recall the other details of this conversation, everything was looking quite positive for Uncle Bruce and the annual "after New Year's" party was on for January 16th at Uncle Bruce and Aunt Gayle's home.  Living 4+ hours away now, we haven't been able to attend this event in three years, but this year Don, Will and Grace would head to PA, while Rosie and I would hold down the fort....

Michele's Birthday, Oct.2015

...So, you can imagine our shock early yesterday, the collective shock of our entire extended family, that Uncle Bruce's brain was hemorrhaging and the doctors couldn't stop it.  He passed away a little bit after noon.  So, while we are grieving our loss at the moment, we also want to celebrate Uncle Bruce, his life and how much he meant to each of us.

While Uncle Bruce is, technically-speaking, Don's uncle, I have known him, spent time with him, since I was the tender age of 13.  You see, my best friend through middle and high school, Andrea, is Don's cousin...Uncle Bruce's daughter!  (Yes, Andrea and her family played an integral part in the adventurous path of my life!)

Don's birthday, 2000

When I think of Uncle Bruce, I think of his stories,
                                                                       his trains,
                                                                           his beard,
                                                                                his smile,
                                                                                   his boisterous, jovial laugh...

What I will remember about Uncle Bruce is how he was always so genuinely glad to see us!  He never failed to greet us with open arms and a warm smile.  He was genuinely interested in our "adventures", and listened to our tales with rapt interest...never skeptical...never judgmental.

Even those times when Don and I made decisions that others thought rash or impractical, he encouraged us...made sure we knew that he was behind us.  When others struggled to accept Don for who he was, not Uncle Bruce.  He encouraged Don's creativity and visionary spirit more than most, often taking the role of "sounding board" for him, while reassuring me that it would all work out alright. (Of course, he was right!)

On Uncle Bruce's hammock, 2005

                                                                                                                    And our kids have such fond memories of him, too.  How many kids get to really know their great uncle?  Play with model trains together?  Talk Sci-fi movies and fantasy books with him?  Listen to his navy stories from the 1970's? Go hunting with him?







Yes, our family is quite blessed to have had Bruce Morris in our lives!  He will be greatly missed, indeed.  This week we will mourn with our extended family and comfort each other.  But, I will also look forward to that day we will be reunited in Heaven.  Until then, this family will hold onto our fond memories of him, telling joyful stories of him at family gatherings.

When I compose my blog posts, I will imagine I'm telling Uncle Bruce about our adventures with a tear in my eye and a grin on my face.  And, in my heart I will hear his voice reassuring me it will be alright...

Love you, Uncle Bruce.

Christmas Adventure 2015 (And, life lessons revealed!)

Happy New Year, Friends of Westbrook Farm!  






We are having a quiet day at home this white New Year's Day; some of us sleeping off a cold virus, others reflecting on the past year...pondering what the new year will bring...besides snow, which is a given!



Actually, this is only the second (legit) snowstorm of the season.  It has been a pleasantly-mild December! Even as I meandered through the woods today, I was struck by how mild it felt compared to the last few holiday seasons....

....Which brings me to my tale of the Westbrook family Christmas of 2015!  

Once a perfectionist, always a perfectionist; however, a perfectionist can be "in recovery".  Each recovering perfectionist has a certain propensity towards relapse, and that has everything to do with attitude and perspective.  Now, keep in mind as you read, I am a perfectionist in recovery...

                                                                                                                                                                                                            From my perspective, it all began nearly four weeks before Christmas.  I was delighted to learn that my in-laws, along with Nate, would be spending a couple of days with us to celebrate Christmas.  That same day, however, we received in the mail some unexpected bills - both our home owners and auto insurance increased significantly...without warning.  There goes our savings for Christmas gifts and my plan for a decadent, traditional holiday meal!                                                                                                                                                                                   I was feeling terrible about this, so I shared what had happened with Will, Grace and Rosie, apologetically.  My sweet, gracious kids assured me that they didn't care at all about the gifts, they were just happy to have our whole family together.                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Okay, I'm being a bit over-dramatic (as perfectionists can do) - it just meant that I had to scale back to one gift a piece...and wait until the morning of Christmas eve to do most of my shopping.  

                                                                                                                                                                                No biggie...except that every turkey in Cortlandville, NY was frozen solid - Shoot!  A 14lb. turkey would NEVER thaw out in time for Christmas dinner.  So, I improvised - we had a roast chicken and small ham with some different sides than our usual.  

Of course, Don had to tease me about it, but I think everyone enjoyed it, anyway!

The real "drama" began on December 23rd, 24 hours before the arrival of our guests....

The kids and I noticed that something wasn't quite right when we flushed the toilets and ran the dishwasher that morning.  Then, as Rosie and I sat at the table for lunch, and the washing machine began its spin cycle, we heard a sound that struck panic into my heart - water gushing all over the basement!  Indeed, the pipe out to the septic tank was backing up and wreaking havoc...

Will and Rosie, bless their hearts, sucked up the sewage water with the shop-vac, while Grace and I headed to the laundromat with nearly a week's worth of laundry.  In a household of five that's quite a bit!

Don came home and took a look - we were going to be on restricted water use until further notice - YIKES!  With guest coming???

We hoped it would make it through the holiday, but NOPE.  One of our guests took a shower, then attempted to flush the toilet on Christmas eve and that was it - the system seemed done for, much to my horror.

                                                                                                                                                                                                        Oh-so-fortunately for us, our son, Nate, has been working for a septic company in south-eastern Pennsylvania since August 3, 2015, and has learned a ton!  So after breakfast, coffee and gift-opening, the guys pulled on their muck boots and headed outside.  With Nate's expertise, he, Don, Will and my father-in-law spent over an hour digging up our yard to reveal the septic system.  

I will spare you all the gross details! Needless to say, it was messy.  Indeed, the pipe to our leach field was collapsed!

                                                                            Fortunately, the weather was beautiful on Christmas day!  Made the whole situation a bit easier to manage.  Unfortunately, though, we would have to wait until the day after Christmas to get a new pipe and the other supplies we needed for the repair...and it was rainy - a wet, muddy mess on the 26th.  

Still, the guys stuck with it and we had a functioning septic system before we headed out to see the new Star Wars movie that evening!  The irony?  While the guys were stomping around in the mud and muck that Saturday, I was giving Mary Kay facials to my daughters and mother-in-law at the dining room table... we all laughed!

It was definitely a memorable holiday.  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              In the face of the unexpected and the difficult...when things do not go as planned...THAT is when true character is revealed. This situation was no exception.  What did I see?

1.  We all (yes, even this perfectionist-in-recovery) continued to laugh and joke around and enjoy each other's company, despite the situation.  

2.  My children are excellent at "going with the flow"!

3.  Nate has become a knowledgeable, confident, hard-working young man, willing to get as dirty as necessary to get a job done!

4.  Will, also a very capable young man, supported his brother 100%.  These last few months apart has actually improved their relationship and deepened their respect for one another.

5.  My in-laws, instead of choosing to find a hotel or head home early, chose to stay and endure with us, helping out however they could.  In this (messy and inconvenient) situation, that's serious love and loyalty.  They are awesome!

6.  My daughters have grown up so much in the past few years.  They demonstrated hospitality and grace beyond their years during this whole...adventure.

7.  My husband is the ultimate "fix-it" man and my personal hero!  He was seemingly undaunted by this potentially-huge repair; he just kept moving forward, addressing each issue as it came.

A Christmas Day ride!

Some valuable little life lessons we had the opportunity to put into practice:

1.  Be flexible, and you won't get bent out of shape.

2.  Don't sweat the small stuff.

3.  If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

4.  Our family motto:  Adapt and overcome!

5.  It's not about the presents, it's about your presence.

6.  God is always with His children.

7.  By His grace, we are richly blessed.

8.  The only thing that really matters on Christmas is CHRIST.  And, no doubt, He was right here with us!

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas, and enjoy your New Year's Day.  Stay tuned for my upcoming blog entitled, "New Happenings in 2016."