Open house next weekend... boil or not to boil that is the question?

[red maples]

So next weekend we are doing NH open doors. Wondering if I should hook up my head tank and boil water I really don't wanna waste the wood but wanna have some sort of experience for the guests... hmm what to do. Not sure what to expect for guests?

Any one else do fall open houses what do you do? It would give me more time to talk to people I guess.

[Chicopee Sap Shack]

I would throw a little syrup in the syrup pan for some smell too


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[BreezyHill]

Brad, Having done a presentation for a bunch of kids on a day the trees should have been running but it was windy and snow showers; I feel it was very disappointing for kids and adults to have only been able to tap trees and see the lines dribble. The following week many of the group returned and they were supper excited and loved the smell of maple in the sugar house.

I would definitely be boiling and have a pint to a quart of syrup in a shallow finish pan to put the smell in the air. You don't need to have a great fire just keep some steam in the air.

Boiling of maple is just that...boiling. It would be like going to the race track and not have the horses...just the jockeys running around the track...borrrrrring.

How many times have you driven by a barbeque place and the smell made you stop and buy???

YOu never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Ben

[morningstarfarm]

By all means boil brother!...could really use a steam fix right about now myself...good,luck

[COMSTOCK MAPLES]

I'm in kinda same thing want to break in the new sugar house and have people over that helped along the way. So I'm going for it fire up the rig and make some steam. I know its not the same but the crowd will love the atmosphere. The heat will help keep everyone happy too...

[NhShaun]

What day are you planning on doing that? I'd love to come check out your set up.

[red maples]

We will be open from 10-4 both saturday and sunday. I guess I will get a little steam going. good idea to put a little syrup in the syrup pan for a little aroma. I'll do that. I figured I would boil anyway. who wants to go to a sugarhouse and not see a steam and the sweet smell!!!

[NhShaun]

The steam and syrup smell is a must! I will swing by on one of those days.

[red maples]

Great!!! see you then. stessing a little too much stuff to get done before hen thank goodness the majority of my value added stuff is done!!! just need to finish up stuff labeling boxing candies etc.still need a few more batches of cream, and need to make fudge and BBQ sauce. I think I finally got a BBQ sauce recipe that I like. still a little tweaking but its really close.

[psparr]

A year or two ago a guy was moving away and was going to miss sugaring. Someone mentioned he could dilute a gallon of syrup in 40 gallons of water and make his own. A bit much trouble, but if your itching...

[handtapper]

Weather forecast is cold in nh Friday and Saturday, Freezing overnight even. Maybe if the front hits earlier and more severe you could tap some yard trees, get some real sap and impress the children and sheople

[NhShaun]

Both of those ideas sound good! That should solve your dilemma with spreading the lovely smell throughout the shack.

[red maples]

thats true about the temps I am not sure it will run though, we have yet to have a good hard freeze which we usually get by now.

[red maples]

Well not even remotely close to what NH maple weekend open houses bring but not to to bad. maybe an 1/8 or less of maple weekend. But boiled a little water and put some C grade in the syrup pan and had it low and slow but still managed steam and was LOVING the smell!!! Good day over all I got about 2 hrs of sleep last night just finished packaging up some more coated nots and the BBQ sauce was hit. OK can;t even keep my eyes open!!!

[red maples]

Well pretty slow weekend overall. I am thinking "NH open doors" is one of the best kept secrets in NH. But then again my gauge is maple weekend and we just get mobbed on that day 500-1000 people over the weekend with cars lined up and down the road. for the amount of people we had sales were pretty good but still fell a little short of what I really wanted to make. ( to at least pay for my new to me filter press that I am picking up next weekend!!! ) Didn't wanna dive into the bank account for it. But we have a craft/yuletide fair at the middle school next week so that means its that much less value added items that I need to make for that. Which is really not much at all. and I won't need to bottle any syrup either.

[NhShaun]

Hopefully Nh open doors can get the word out there next year. I have never heard of it haha.

Thanks for the tour of your set up, it was very informative. Also that Maple BBQ sauce Is amazing! Many of my friends liked it a lot as well, great job!