2020 is certainly turning into an unusual year. Although we have had warm weather in January for a couple of years now, 2020’s warm January lasted all the way into February, kick starting sap flowing by about 2 weeks. And then it flowed fast and furious, though with little sugar content. A brand new maple farmer that I visited had purchased brand new equipment for his brand new year, looked at the sugar content and purchased a brand new RO to go with it. Sugar got a little higher, but I think everyone would say it never hit the high of other years.
2020 is also a very different year for the HodgePodge team. I love the fact that New Hampshire celebrates Maple Month so I can start visiting early. I usually aim to hit Maine on Maple Sunday, and for four years my Mom and Dad have been on my Maine Maple Adventure Team.
Dad had the Wilcox engineering mind and Mom is just curious. They loved to visit new sugarhouses and old friends. We traveled hours together.
In 2018 we ended the day at Morin’s Maple in Limerick, Maine. My Dad wore his new Veterans Hat and the family honored him with a bottle of syrup for his service. I almost regret that in 2019 I went to Vermont for the weekend by myself – they did not venture out to farms where the ground is not always smooth.
In April of 2019 Mom fell. She never regained her health. In June Dad also got sick and was not with us much longer. In September I lost my faithful Saphound Frodo, and just last week Mom joined Dad.
This year COVID determined that Maple Weekend would not be held in March. Perhaps we will celebrate in September. I have a new Saphound Polly and hope to have Matisse join her later this year. But Maple will never be quite the same.
Love you lots! Miss you terribly! Love, Kate
HodgePodge Maple 