Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Most Photogenic

More sap comes in through tubes and pumps than through drops and buckets.  But the drops and buckets make for prettier pictures.




pictures.

Sunday, March 15, 2015

A Recipe

....if you like homemade bread, here's a simple recipe using maple syrup.  It makes an ever so slightly sweet bread that's perfect for toast or sandwiches.
Mix 1 cup warm water with 1/3 cup maple syrup.  Sprinkle with 1 TBSP of yeast and let it 'proof'. Add 1 cup whole oats, 1 cup whole wheat flour, 1 tsp. salt, 6 TBSP oil.  Stir together and gradually add as much bread flour as you need to make a stiff bread dough that you can turn out onto a board and knead until smooth and elastic.  Put it into a oiled bowl, cover with a towel, and put it into a warm place to rise until doubled.  When done rising to this point, punch down and shape into a loaf  and put into a greased loaf pan.  Cover and let rise again until doubled. Meanwhile heat your oven to 375 F.  Once doubled in size, bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until it sounds hollow went tapped on the bottom of the pan and the top is brown and crusty.  Remove from oven, allow to cool for about 10 minutes, then turn out of the pan. 
It's especially good if you toast it, spread it with lots of chunky peanut butter and then drizzle it with honey!

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

It Fits!

Don did his usual,super strong construction, and installed the tanks.  And, thanks to all those careful calculations, they fit!  Next in.....the reverse osmosis machine. 
Of course, it would help if the weather warmed up a tad  so we could actually get some sap.

This picture was taken March 1st!.....just  to let you know in case you were mistaking it for January. That's the chicken coop and chicken yard buried under all that snow.


Nike

Nike
good 'ole Nike, we miss you!