Maple Sugar Farms – HodgePodge Maple

Bisson’s Sugar House

On April 3rd 2021 I visited Bisson’s Sugar House in Berlin, NH. They were celebrating their 100th anniversary and it was obvious from the visitors that they had great respect in the community. Here’s Muriel in the doorway with a local EMT purching his syrup. They generally weren’t inviting people in but it was 4 pm and they were closing up their table outside. Lucien and Muriel didn’t want me photographing the evaporator as it was not set up and a little messy. I don’t remember if they asked me not to photograph Lucien or just that I don’t generally ask people to allow me to do that. I need to – little did I know.

I always love to look at things that make a particular sugarhouse unique. This sugar house, as most, was space limited, so they had fold down stairs to access the tanks in the upper level.

Rather than buy a new product to finish their syrup, they modified a system they had retired from service.

I love the historical aspect of maple, especially the family connections. Many of the farms I visit are recent and hopefully they include other people in their adventure. Bisson’s included photos and maple implements in their “museum”.

Bisson’s was famous for their maple taffy, aka La Tire. Many years ago, while one of the farmers tended the evaporator, he whittled “La Pallette”, a wooden spoon that could be used to eat the taffy out of your tin cup. The spoons hadn’t been used in many years but there was still a box of them in the sugar house. As part of their anniversary celebration, they gave out La Pallette with the purchase of La Tire. Too bad they didn’t give out tin cups as well!

They had also written a book chronicling the 100 years of “the Sugar House on the Hill”. I purchased this, along with some candy.

Today, April 1, 2023 is a warm but particulary rainy day. Vermont is still celebrating with a second Maple Weekend but I was not up for another long drive in that direction. I thought that I might head to Northern New Hampshire for another visit to Bisson’s. You can imagine my disappointment when I opened their website to find this:

Too many Sugarmakers are reaching the age that they just cannot do it anymore, and few relatives (especially after watching their parents, uncles or aunts working so hard) want to take on the great responsibility of the farm. Some of the maple groves are being absorbed by other farmers, but some are just reverting back to forests or, horror of horrors, being converted to developments. I am hoping that, in my travels, I may have made connections between Farmers ready to retire and Young’ens who might take over. May it be so! I also see a number of new farms who think “that looks fun” and try it for a couple of years, realize how hard it is, and fade into history themselves. Hopefully they can sell their used evaporator and other equipment on MapleTrader.com or some similar site for the next person that wants to try. Hopefully someone who started on barrels or a turkey cooker and is ready to upgrade finds it and brings it to life again. It take all kinds, which is why my name is HodgePodge!

Kate

1st Weekend – NH Maple Month 2018

It’s here! New Hampshire Maple Month! One problem with having visited so many sugarhouses is that I need to travel further to find one I haven’t met yet.

This year I started by heading west to Hunts’ Sugar House in Hillsboro, NH. Although Charles Senior and Junior started here in 1994, the family has a long tradition of Maple through the matriarchal line of Teresa (Crane) who’s family begin in 1913 and long collected buckets with oxen. They have 30 acres on site but also collect from the 90-acre Crane farm for a total of 2500 taps, mostly on tubing though they have a couple of buckets for show and for the kids. Charlie Sr. agreed with the consensus that 2018 started fast and furious though they have appreciated a slow down for the last couple of days which allowed them to clean the system.

The sugarhouse is long “shot-gun” style with the kitchen/shop in one end and wood storage and tanks in the other with the evaporator between. They have a storage tank underground to take advantage of the coolness and one sap line runs under the driveway and into the tank. The Reverse Osmosis (RO) machine is in the basement of the house and the line from here to the evaporator runs overhead. There is a sliding barn door between the wood shed with tank overhead and the evaporator and Charlie was very proud of his trolley system to bring the wood in. Because the trolley runs in through the sliding door, he has designed a “draw-bridge” which pulls the rail out of the way to close the door. He is mechanically minded and creates his own wooden boxes for storage and delivery.

Hunts’ believes good forest management also leads to more and better syrup. Many of the trees on site have been thinned or “released”. This procedure removes surrounding trees that aren’t maples or aren’t productive, allowing more sun to reach the remaining trees. Charlie believe that these trees may now produce sap with a higher sugar content, possibly 1/2 to 1% higher than previously.

I next drove into Washington, NH to the Atkins Family Sugarhouse. (Don’t trust Garmin – they would have me lost if I wasn’t paying attention). Shawn Atkins wasn’t boiling on this cold day but was also appreciating the slowdown from a fast start to the season. He also appreciates his RO machine for his 1500 taps, especially since this season started with only 1 to 1 1/2% sugar. I’m sure Shawn will work hard this year to try to hold on to the Carlisle trophy, the award given to him in 2018 by the New Hampshire Maple Producer’s Association to the best maple syrup in the Granite State. He and his wife are mighty (and rightly) proud, creating blue ribbon labels for their syrup and other products. I was particularly impressed by the (blue ribbon bedecked) maple popcorn.

Shawn says that he was bit by the Maple bug hauling buckets around the Crane farm (with the oxen) when he was a kid. He and his wife started their sugarhouse here in 2003. This building is packed to the gills with maple memorabilia such as a hay tram from Cranes that he uses to haul wood in to the evaporator, plenty of buckets, and an ox yoke. I enjoyed the large leaf-shaped slab of tap hole maple – especially good to show how a healthy tree deals with holes.

I did not spend a lot of time at Bascom Maple Farm but did get a tour of the syrup production area from Liz. She showed me the new steam evaporator (over 300 gallons of syrup per hour) though, like many others, it was quiet today. She showed me the room full of quiet RO equipment and the day-by-day charts of production that showed 7,000 gallons more at this point this year than last. My computer geek loved looking at the wireless monitoring system showing the vacuum status at the end of each branch of each line on the farm. Many were red (still frozen), with a few white (need to get someone to check them out), but plenty of green producing sap that will boil tomorrow.

It was interesting to see the syrup in cardboard boxes. Bascom’s sells bulk syrup in barrels and casks but these need to be recycled so they also sell it in bag lined boxes, both 5 gallon and ones the equivalent of 4 barrels – 160 gallons? These may be used to make other products, to be bottled, or maybe in restaurants.

I was excited to drive up to Clarks’ Sugar House and see the steam pouring from the cupola. I visited this farm in 2015 but that was a cold year as well and the evaporator was still. Alvin was greeting guests while his son and another gentleman ran the evaporator. This house is also filled with wonderful memorabilia though this day it was masked by the steam from the evaporator. Alvin showed me the wonderful science geek chart that shows dates and amounts of production since 1959. I believe he said he began the year his son was born. Clarks’ has been doing this a lot longer than Shawn Atkins and has 6 Carlisles to their credit.

Clarks’ other claim-to-fame is Valley View Bison Farm. On the weekends of the 17th and 24th they will have bison burgers and bison chili available at the Sugarhouse. This day they just had their large selection of goods such as syrup, candy, and coated nuts.

In the corner of the “sales” counter was my favorite Maple Collecting Pen and Ink Drawing by Gene Matras. Maybe there is another artist that does Maple but I haven’t met them. I’ve been to the Matras Maple farm in Pittsfield and bought a Beaver print for myself. I feel like I’ve got ties to this artist and have found his work at many farms. It just makes me smile.

Mark Woodard of Woodard’s Sugar House began his Maple Journey in his grandfather’s sugar house in Vermont. He dreamed of having his own and built it with his dad in 2005, though he did not start boiling until 2012, so this is Mark and Kati’s 6 sweet season. The Woodard maple grove is on a slope that appears to deliver much of the maple from their 900 taps directly into the sap shed; from there is is only a few large steps through the RO into the evaporator.

Woodards has a wonderful selection of maple treats that they apparently bring to many area Farmers Markets. I enjoyed Maple Pecans and will enjoy wearing my new “Got Maple?” T-shirt with the beautiful 3-leaf Woodard Logo on the back. My last farm, Crescendo, raved about Kati’s maple candy. She confessed to me that she loves her cream machine but still prefers to do the candy by hand. I guess she’s chosen right for her.

Crescendo Acres is the home of Maple, Alpacas, Mini Horses, a few cats, and Russ and Diana Fiorey. Russ has 700 taps, mostly on tubing with some buckets for show. Russ is an educator, eager to host the Girl Scouts or do a presentation at the local Agway. He has kept a record of flows over the years on the sugar shack wall. He says the flow is good this year but the sugar percentage has been low. He has made a number of upgrades recently including an automatic draw-off, a refractometer to see when the sap is syrup, an electronic grader, and a new stainless-steel feeder tank.

Russ then took me out back to show me the boys, the herd of alpacas. He and Diana used to have mini horses but have switched over to alpacas. They also have a Christmas tree farm and ask for returns to feed the animals. They have a beautiful gift shop with maple and alpaca products. Diana is a very skilled craftswoman though some of the products are consigned.

Many of the maple farms I have visited have been nestled in the hills and along streams, dotted with hemlocks and rock ledges. It doesn’t take much to remind me why I love northern New England, and New Hampshire in particular. Next week – more adventures.

Mapletree Farm, Concord, NH

The first farm that I visited on the Official Maple Saturday, March 25th, 2017, Mapletree Farm, quickly became one of my favorites, .

Dean and Meg Wilbur purchased the land here in 1973 with the intention of continuing the sugaring Dean had been doing since he was seven years old. They began tapping in 1975 and converted the apple grove to a maple grove in 1981 by planting 200 extra-sweet maple “whips” purchased from the Vermont Forestry Research Lab in Vermont. This continues to be the only planted maple tree farm in New Hampshire and Concord’s oldest and only continuously operating sugarhouse.

An educator and learner, Dean is constantly working to better his craft. Today he has about 20 buckets and over 1000 taps on tubing. He has a 2.5’x 10′ super-efficient wood-fired evaporator. He named his Reverse Osmosis machine “Ralph” and jokes that Ralph is his hardest worker. He stated that, before RO, 1 cord of wood would make about 25 gallons of syrup. Now, with Ralph’s help, he can make 100 gallons with that same cord of wood. He stressed the importance of cleanliness in the sugar shack – he had been a food inspector and is eager to help other maple farmers to meet the qualifications for the NH Department of Agriculture’s Seal of Quality Program. They believe that “clean tubing makes for a superior flavor in syrup”.

Mapletree is beginning to switch over to 3/8″ line and hopes to have a new evaporator and more educator-friendly saphouse (including public restrooms) in the next few years.

p.s. I was very sad to learn of the death of Meg Wilbur in September, 2017. She was a beautiful lady, inside and out, who will be greatly missed.

NH Maple Month 2017 – 1st weekend, March 18 & 19

Seabrisket Sugar House is a small family sugarhouse in Brookfield, NH with a wood fired evaporator and bucket sap collection. Rick Surrette, like many other sugar makers, likes to figure out how to do things better. He and a friend created the Maple Guru Auto Draw off device. DJ Walkey is a baker making artisan breads which she markets at Farmers Markets in Wolfeboro and Laconia. I am not much of a bread person but she sold me on her Harvest Bread! Together Rick and DJ do competition barbecue, hence the “Seabrisket” name.

Scott and Brandon Eldridge began sugaring in 2016 in a pan in their driveway. This year they are celebrating in their new sugar house in Tamworth, NH. They collect with buckets and snowmobile. At this point this is a hobby operation built to enjoy time together as a family doing work that they love

On Sunday I headed up to Bridgewater Mountain Maple in Plymouth, NH. Terry Torsey met me and showed me his sugar house. Sap had not flowed for a few days as the temperatures had been below freezing. It was so cold that there was snow that had blown in through the open cupola on the evaporator. The Torsey Family business is Firewood – which comes in very handy with a wood fired evaporator.

On the way home I drove through Tilton and found Huckins Maple. Jason is boiling for the third year on his oil-fired evaporator and the fourth year in his current sugar house. He has a dedicated following. Some were concerned that the syrup would not be as good without wood but he convinced them that it could be better!

Meetinghouse Hill Tree Farm

In 2010, when I lost my job for the second time in a year, I needed some way to “contribute to society” and do something I love. As I searched for work, I volunteered one day a week each for the Scarborough Marsh and for Laudholm Farm. They were both a bit of a drive from my parents’ house in Waterboro so I gave them each 8 hours to make the mileage more worth it.

In October 2010, I moved to Rochester and missed the Environmental Community I had in Maine. When I saw a posting that the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (the Forest Society) was looking for Land Stewards, I jumped at the chance. The fact that it came with a weekend of training (Environmental Camp!) was a bonus. I volunteered for a short time at the Cooper Cedar Woods in New Durham before finding my place at the Salmon Falls Forest in Milton, NH.

I have continued to volunteer with the Forest Society, watching my property, learning trail maintenance, chain saw use and rock work, and most recently photographing events. Recently I was asked to represent the Society at “Discover Wild NH Day” at NH Fish and Game last Saturday. I also took a day off work and served at the Lost River spring cleanup on Tuesday.

At Lost River, Jenn, the Land Steward Program Coordinator for the Forest Society had Buffs, a cool, fun multipurpose headband that I guess was made popular on Survivor. These were imprinted with topo maps, the Forest Society Logo, and the logo for a new app they are working on. I really wanted one (or two) but she didn’t have any extras. I remembered I had won a Duck Nesting Box in a raffle with the Wildlife Heritage Foundation at the Saturday Festival and had to go to Concord to pick it up. I could stop by the SPNHF Center and get my buffs as well.

I stopped by Fish and Game first as I did not expect that stop to take long and didn’t want to be pressed for time if I wanted to explore the Forestry Center. When I got to SPNHF Jenn had not been back to the office since Tuesday so nothing was at the desk for me. The receptionist did not know what I was looking for so I ran down my list of people I knew there that might know. One after the other was not in the office but I finally mentioned Dave Anderson.

I am not sure when I first met Dave but I’ve always been impressed with his down to earth teaching style. He writes articles for the New Hampshire Sunday News, the Forest Society’s Forest Notes magazine and the “Something Wild” podcast that plays on New Hampshire Public Radio. Recently I saw an article talking about the Maple Sugar House that he built. I got him talking maple and happily listened to him roll for at least a 1/2 hour.

He told me with pride about his son Cody working with him, cutting and milling the lumber for the post and beam structure and how the family came together to raise the frame while he was recovering from surgery. He was also blessed to have a grandson born the day after – The sugarhouse and grandson born at the same time. He spoke of the difficulty getting the proper permissions from the town. All of his abutters and town old timers approved the project, but it was too close to the property line. He said the red tape ended with the following: Building inspector: “You received a building permit five years ago to build a shed in this area, did you not.” “Technically, this is not a new build; it is a renovation of an existing structure.” It’s much easier to get a rebuilding permit than a new structure one.

Dave and Cody began sugaring in buckets that they received as a gift. This year they had a combination of buckets and tubing. The sugaring equipment itself was purchased from the estate of a Maple Farmer in Vermont. The widow came this spring to celebrate the life of her husband in the new sugarhouse full of working equipment and all the scents that brought back wonderful memories.

Dave also told me about when Cody attended Colby College in Maine. Cody and some of his friends discovered there was a maple grove in the college woods and took it upon themselves to make syrup. They harvested the sap and boiled it down but were exposed when he was finishing the syrup in the dorm kitchen and fell asleep. The smoke produced when it over-cooked set off the alarms and the Fire Department responded. Cody was called before the Dean but ended up giving the Dean a tour of the Maple stand.

Dave opened up my HodgepodgeMaple.com blog while I was there. Today the first post is a list of the 70 sugarhouses I have visited to date. We talked about some of the guys he knew on the list and he made recommendations for me to visit next year. I recommended he speak with Dean Wilbur of MapleTree Farm in Concord. Dean is a wonderful long-time maple farmer and educator and I think they will hit it off. I forgot to mention to Dave that Dean has planted many of his maples with stock from the Proctor Maple Research Farm.

Dave has had “Meetinghouse Hill Tree Farm” at the site in South Sutton for many years now. Once upon a time I asked him where was his favorite special place to explore was and he said, “my tree farm at home.” I can understand.

We talked about legacies. Dave is very proud of his son Cody, and spoke of Cody’s discovery that he wanted to raise his family in New England close to the land. I reminded and thanked Dave that, even if he did not have a son, he has invested in the youth of the area that he will still leave a legacy of Stewardship.

(Photos of Meetinghouse Hill Sugarhouse and Cody Anderson by Dave Anderson)

Sugarhouses I’ve entered so far

1	Harris Farm	Dayton, ME	4/2/09
2	Giles Family Farm	Alfred, ME	3/28/10
3	Thurston and Peters	Newfield, ME	3/26/11
4	Maple Hill Sugarhouse	Newfield, ME	3/26/11
5	Hilltop Boilers	Newfield, ME	3/24/12
6	Remick Farm Museum	Tamworth, NH	3/24/14
7	Meadowview Sugarhouse	Union, NH	3/23/13
8	Spring Harvest Maple Farm	Barrington, NH	3/20/11
9	Meaders Heritage Farm	Rochester, NH	3/23/13
10	Sanborn Hope Farm	Rochester	3/23/14
11	Price Farm	Gilmanton, NH	3/29/14
12	Fillion Maple Farm	Gilmanton, NH	3/29/14
13	Still Seeking Farm	Gilmanton, NH	3/29/14
14	Pearl & Sons Farm	Loudon, NH	3/29/14
15	Maple Ridge Sugar House	Loudon, NH	3/29/14
16	Bascom Family Farm	Alstead, NH	3/21/15
17	Clarks’ Sugar House	Langdon, NH	3/21/15
18	Belgian Meadows Farm	Lebanon, ME	3/22/15
19	Chase Farms	Wells, ME	3/22/15
20	Young Maple Ridge	N Sandwich, NH	3/28/15
21	Booty Family Farm	Center Sandwich, NH	3/28/15
22	SP’s Sugar Shack	Center Ossipee, NH	3/28/15
23	Ten Rod Farm	Rochester, NH	3/29/15
24	Good Olde Boys Maple Syrup	Strafford, NH	3/29/15
25	The Root Sellar	Nottingham, NH	3/12/16
26	Folsom’s Sugar House	Chester, NH	3/12/16
27	Rising Sweetness Sugar Shack	New Durham, NH	3/19/16
28	Shepherd’s Hut Market	Gilford, NH	3/19/16
29	Windswept Maples Farm	Loudon, NH	3/19/16
30	Ridgeland Farm	Loudon, NH	3/19/16
31	Journey’s End Maple Farm	Pittsfield, NH	3/19/16
32	Matras Family Farm	Pittsfield, NH	3/19/16
33	Sap Hound Maple Company	Brownfield, ME	3/20/16
34	Turkey Street Maples	Chocorua, NH	3/20/16
35	Triple C Farm	Lyman, ME	3/26/16
36	Coopers Maple Products	Windham, ME	3/26/16
37	Nash Valley Farm	Windham, ME	3/26/16
38	Merrifield Farm	Gorham, ME	3/26/16
39	Pingree Maple Products	Cornish, ME	3/26/16
40	Rocky M Farm	Porter, ME	3/26/16
41	Willette’s Maple Syrup	Porter, ME	3/26/16
42	Lost Cabin Sugar Bush	Limington, ME	3/26/16
43	Morin’s Maple Syrup	Limerick, ME	3/27/16
44	Maple House Farm	Waterboro, ME	3/27/16
45	Maple Moon Farm	Lebanon, ME	3/27/16
46	LaBounty Sugar House	Lunenburg, VT	4/2/16
47	Gram-Vue Farm	Lunenburg, VT	4/2/16
48	Maple Memories Sugarhouse	Lunenburg, VT	4/2/16
49	East View Farm	Lunenburg, VT	4/2/16
50	Macie Sugarhouse	Lunenburg, VT	4/2/16
51	Goodrich’s Maple Farm	Cabot, VT	4/2/16
52	Silloway Maple Farm	Randolph Center, VT	4/2/16
53	Seabrisket Sugarbush	Brookfield, NH	3/18/17
54	Eldridge Family Sugar House	Tamworth, NH	3/18/17
55	Bridgewater Mountain Maple	Plymouth, NH	3/19/17
56	Huckins Maple Farm	Tilton, NH	3/19/17
57	Mapletree Farm	Concord, NH	3/25/17
58	LedgeTop Sugar House	Boscawen, NH	3/25/17
59	Kimball’s Sugar House	Webster, NH	3/25/17
60	Courser Farm	Warner, NH	3/25/17
61	Sammy’s Sugar Shack	Milford, NH	3/25/17
62	Brookview Sugarhouse	Wilton, NH	3/25/17
63	Connolly’s Sugar House	Temple, NH	3/25/17
64	Ben’s Sugar Shack	Temple, NH	3/25/17
	Harris Family Farm	Dayton, ME	3/26/17
65	Douston Maple and Honey	Arundel, ME	3/26/17
66	Brookridge Boilers	Lyman, ME	3/26/17
	Giles Family’s New Sugarhouse	Alfred, ME	3/26/17
67	Benton’s Sugar Shack	Thornton, NH	4/1/17
68	Fadden’s Sugar House	N Woodstock, NH	4/1/17
	Meadowview View Sugarhouse	Union, NH	4/2/17
69	Sugarmomma’s Maple Farm	Northwood, NH	4/2/17
70	Dill Family Farm	Deerfield, NH	4/2/17
71	Forty to One	Farmington, NH	3/4/18
72	Hunt’s Sugar House	Hillsboro, NH	3/10/18
73	Atkins Family Sugarhouse	Washington, NH	3/10/18
	Bascom Family Farm	Alstead, NH	3/10/18
	Clarks’ Sugar House	Langdon, NH	3/10/18
74	Woodard’s Sugar House	Surry, NH	3/10/18
75	Crescendo Farm	Surry, NH	3/10/18
76	Dufresne’s Sugar House	Williamsburg, MA	3/17/18
77	Paul’s Sugarhouse	Williamsburg, MA	3/17/18
78	Hanging Mountain Farm	Westhampton, MA	3/17/18
79	Clapp Sugarhouse	Westhampton, MA	3/17/18
80	Steve’s Sugar Shack	Westhampton, MA	3/17/18
81	Zawalick’s Sugarhouse	Florence, MA	3/17/18
82	Brookledge Sugarhouse	Whately, MA	3/17/18
83	Boyden Brothers Maple	Conway, MA	3/17/18
84	Hutchinson’s Family Sugarhouse	Canterbury, NH	3/18/18
85	Baker’s Syrup	Warner, NH	3/24/18
86	Bate’s Maple Syrup	Warner, NH	3/24/18
87	Beaver Meadowbrook Farm	Warner, NH	3/24/18
88	Turyn’s Tap’n & Sap’n	Webster, NH	3/24/18
89	Rogers Maple Syrup	Warner, NH	3/24/18
90	Kearsarge Gore Farm	Warner, NH	3/24/18
91	Sweet’s Maple/Ben’s Sugar Shack	Newbury, NH	3/24/18
92	Meetinghouse Hill Tree Farm	Sutton, NH	3/24/18
93	Hidden Roots Maple Farm	Limerick, ME	3/25/18
94	Alderwood Farm	Limerick, ME	3/25/18
95	Sunnyside Maples	Loudon, NH	3/31/18
96	Trailside Sugar House	Andover, NH	3/31/18
97	5 Saplings Sugar House	Wilmot, NH	3/31/18
98	4-A Sugar Shack	Andover, NH	3/31/18
99	Grampa’s Sugar Barn	Danbury, NH	3/31/18

Spring Harvest Maple Farm is my local guy – I haven’t kept track of every time I’ve visited them. There may be others that I have visited a couple of time. I will try to keep better track.

There are also some that I have photographed off season or from the road.

Saphouse Adventures

Harris Farm, Dayton, Maine (April 2009)

This was the first Saphouse I ever visited. They have a full farm with CSA and glass bottled milk. Here I learned the connection between types of trees with soil type. When I visited they were collecting with buckets and plastic collecting bags. They have been in business long enough to have a maple grove with planted trees.

Giles Family Farm, Alfred, Maine (March 2010)

Giles is known for their apples and maple. They have a store they call the Farmers Market. Their Saphouse and orchards are at the Notre Dame Monastery which also has a wonderful bakery. I loved to see multiple generations here. Giles collects on site with tubing but has buckets around town including on the lawn of the courthouse.

Thurston and Peters Sugar House, Newfield, Maine (March 2011, February 2016)

I spent a lot of time initially at TAPS and more time recently as Harry loves to tell stories and I love to listen. Harry and Deb are retired educators who built their dream Sugar House on land on the side of Bond Mountain that was last sugared in 1948 and had also been a ski slope. This was the first place I saw Reverse Osmosis (RO) used and the only place I’ve found maple soft-serve ice cream.

Formerly Sugar Hill, now Maple Hill Sugar House, Newfield, Maine (March 2011)

This farm is run by Ashley and Leah Gerry. I think Ashley said he started sugaring when he was 6 years old. The Sugar House is well thought out and features a log tram that runs on a rail from the pile outside to the firebox inside. The yard is filled with maple memorabilia. They collect mainly with lines but the kids have buckets.

Hilltop Boilers, Newfield, Maine (March 2012)

Hilltop Boilers is down the street from 19th Century Willowbrook Village in Newfields. When I went they were collecting in buckets. They do Maine Maple Weekend big with live music and farm animals. In 2016, Wildlife Encounters will also be on site.

Remick Country Doctor Museum & Farm, Tamworth, New Hampshire (March 2012)

Remick Farm Museum is a magical place that does wonderful sugaring history in the museum but especially does wonderful sugar living history on Maple Weekend. They demonstrate the hot stone method of evaporation used by the Native Americans, have the multiple trade-kettle set-up of the pioneers and have a beautiful large Sugar Shack. The museum is well worth the price of admission and they also have many walking trails.

MeadowView Sugarhouse, Union, New Hampshire (March 2013)

MeadowView Sugarhouse is owned by Nick and Cindy Kosko and is just off route 16 in Union. Cindy is a 6th-grade teacher who loves to educate those who visit their business. They have been winners at the Deerfield Fair for their maple sugar and maple cream.

Spring Harvest Maple Farm, Barrington, New Hampshire (yearly since March 2011)

Spring Harvest is my local guy, Josh, and his wife Lisa. Josh collects using tubing in his Sugarbush just around the corner and has been very patient with me tagging along as he taps, maintains his lines, and shuts down for the season. Last year Spring Harvest won best “Dark Robust” Syrup at MapleRama, a rather prestigious designation since he was competing against Syrup Makers not only from the U.S. but also from Canada. I personally feel that this syrup is the best but recognize the fact that I’m biased. Josh also provides syrup for the Barrington Fire Department’s Pancake Breakfast on the Saturday morning of Maple Weekend.

Meader’s Maple Sugar House, Rochester, New Hampshire (yearly since March 2013)

Christine Meader has continued the family tradition of Sugaring, occasionally using the Belgian Horses her family is known year-round for (usually using the tractor). She uses buckets and works hard to help visitors know what they are getting and how it is made. She recently got married and now Jonathan is a fully trained Syrup maker. Christine usually sells out of the maple facial scrub she produces.

I love the wonderful log cabin Sugar House with the Horses in the yard. There is an old blacksmith shop, memorabilia from years past at the farm, and the Store that sells horse equipment and other things.

Sanborn Hope Farm, Rochester, New Hampshire (March 2014)

Sanborn Hope Farm seems to hide on Peaslee Road in Rochester but is known for their quality veggies, meat, and baked goods; they offer a CSA. This is also a family farm, continuing into its fourth generation.

11 Price Farm 03-29-14N Maple-35 Price Farm, Gilmanton, New Hampshire

Price is more well-known for their dairy farm. I happened to see the Sugar House boiling while driving elsewhere on New Hampshire Maple Weekend and stopped. Mr. Price allowed me in and made me welcome. The Price family has been sugaring since about 1860.

Fillion Maple Farm, Gilmanton, New Hampshire (March 2014)

Jeff and Cindy Fillion run a sweet little farm with maple and goats. They have a nice gift shop including pottery and hand-made goatmilk soap. I bought the maple soda made nearby I think with Fillion syrup. Jeff claims that he started sugaring when he was about waist high.

Still Seeking Farm, Gilmanton, New Hampshire (March 2014)

Still Seeking is an organic farm selling at local farmers markets. I had a wonderful discussion with Keith about soil health and nutrients. The only downside of this farm was the mud although their blog states that they have since moved the Saphouse closer to the road. The Saphouse and Barn were both built of lumber milled by the owners on the property.

Pearl & Sons Farm, Loudon, New Hampshire (March 2014)

Pearl Farm was the largest maple farm I had been to at this point in time. It was one of the original maple farms on Loudon Ridge but there are now at least five. It is large enough that they Reverse Osmosis the sap lower on the ridge before transport to decrease the amount that they truck back to the evaporator. They have the ability to produce 100 finished gallons of syrup per hour. It isn’t the prettiest farm but the Pearls are real farmers who care for their land (as do all the maple farmers I have met).

Maple Ridge Sugar House, Loudon, New Hampshire (March 2014)

When I visited Maple Ridge I spoke with Miranda. She is the third generation here and seems to be the primary maple farmer. This is a large modern facility that was hosting a company outing on the morning of the day I visited. Miranda, who took over the farm from her grandparents, was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic.

Bascom Family Farms, Alstead, New Hampshire (March 2015)

Don’t go to Bascom’s expecting to buy a bottle of syrup – they have everything but! They are the leading New England supplier of equipment for all things maple and a wholesaler of syrup and granulated maple sugar. They produce syrup sold by retailers such as Trader Joes and Remys. I called ahead to ask permission to take pictures and got a three-hour tour of the plant lead by Bruce Bascom himself (although I was told later that he didn’t show his pride and joy – the sugar production area). This was a wonderful lesson in the economics of maple. Bruce is the primary focus of the book, “Sugar Season”. The left end of this picture is offices and the saphouse, the right is processing and bottling.

Clark’s Sugarhouse, Langdon, New Hampshire (March 2015)

Clark’s is the first blue Saphouse I’ve been to. Clark’s has been sugaring maples since 1892. Alvin Clark is the current proprietor and is famous for a chart that he started in 1959 showing production dates and rates. It shows how sap has been running earlier and earlier each year, evidence of climate change. This chart has been recreated for use at the Boston Museum of Science (and is also a chapter in “Sugar Season”). Clark’s also raises Bison at Valley View Farm.

Belgian Meadows Farm, Lebanon, Maine (March 2015)

As the name implies, Steve and Johnna are known for their horses. They are a destination, offering a location for weddings and other events. They maintain quite a collection of horse-drawn vehicles and use them for hayrides or sleigh rides. I was a bit taken back when the gentlemen at the entrance said that it would cost $5 to enter the property for Maine Maple Weekend but certainly got my money’s worth. As I entered I passed the barn?, shed?, building where I was offered all I could eat pancakes with maple syrup. I had arrived late and missed the sleigh so I grabbed an ATV ride out to the sugar shack. This was a fun little building where Mike was demonstrating boiling and answering questions. I then walked on to the Bridal Suite Cabin where there were a Bluegrass band and cider donut holes. I rode back to the barn in the sleigh (after taking many pictures) past the Saw Mill and was invited down to the stable to see the girls un-tacked and turned out. Belgian Meadows is a working farm with pigs and chickens as well. (They will not be celebrating Maine Maple Weekend in 2016)

Chase Farms, Wells, Maine (March 2015)

I have passed this farm many times on my way to Laudholm and not realized what it was. It is a full working farm with vegetables, flowers, beef, pork and maple. They also have Belgian Horses that they use to collect the sap. Their saphouse is unique as it is part of their greenhouse. I’ve never seen a greenhouse with a cupola for the release of the steam.

Young Maple Ridge, North Sandwich, New Hampshire (March 2015)

Brad and Ida started this farm in Tamworth but moved to this new house in 2011. Both of the sets of In-laws help in collecting the buckets and running the shop. I think this was the first place I had Sugar on Snow. Their canner was less sophisticated than others – the heating source is all four burners of a gas stove.

Booty Family Farm, Center Sandwich, New Hampshire (March 2015)

This farm was not listed on the NH Maple Producers website but was along the way. I stopped, took (award winning) photos of the sap buckets and went inside – they were very hospitable. Although this is a certified organic vegetable farm that sells at farmers markets, they have not felt that organic maple was worth the pursuit at this time. This is a picturesque little sugar house with a very small evaporator. Diane served me hot maple sap in mugs handmade by a family member and wanted to buy my book (which hadn’t been published yet).

SP’s Sugar Shack, Center Ossipee, New Hampshire (March 2015)

This is the first place I have seen collecting with a snowmobile. This makes sense, especially with the amount of snow this season. There is a tank in the trailer and another mounted on the back of the seat. Sean is very proud of his house and has many inventions that have made syrup production easier or safer for him. He has a splash guard on the evaporator, a keg mounted above that stores water that gets heated during syrup production, and a canner fabricated from a pan purchased at a restaurant supply company and heated by a Coleman stove. He also has a lid for the evaporator to keep critters out when it’s not being used.

Ten Rod Farm, Rochester, New Hampshire (March 2015)

Matt Scruton is from a long line of Rochester farmers. He and his wife Gretchen purchased this historic farm to continue the family tradition. This is their first year doing maple and they have their evaporator in the tractor shed. They purchased the evaporator but created the arch (fire-box). Matt collects with a tractor in a new plastic tank but his grandfather’s tin tank stands off to the side watching with pride. They have mostly Red Maples off the back of the fields but has a wonderful old Sugar Maple Tree behind the barn.

Good Olde Boys Maple Syrup, Strafford, New Hampshire (March 2015)

I believe this house is a new one for the Guys and is the first one I’ve seen with a red roof. They seem to have a “Man Cave” in the room next to the evaporator complete with satellite dish. The evaporator is very long and narrow (though I see they got a new one Dec 2015). Someone enjoys cooking with maple – they have a number of maple products such as salsa and spaghetti sauce for sample and sale.

Maplehouse Farm, Waterboro, Maine (April 2015)

I have not yet seen this house while it was working but watch it with interest.

Davis (?) Sugar Shack, Strafford, New Hampshire (October 2015)

Mary Tebo Davis is an Environmental Educator with the NH Cooperative Extension. I met her through the Barrington Conservation Commission. Her husband Paul is Assistant Headmaster at Coe-Brown Academy. I discovered Paul’s new house when I went to their annual yard sale. Although the evaporator is within, it has not yet been installed. This is another one I will watch with interest.

And the adventures will continue…

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