Why i do this

[Woodsrover]

I don't really know any of you (though I'm very close to Mike Van and its shameful I haven't stopped to see him yet), I thought I'd tell you all about something that's happened this year. This is my 9th year of doing syrup and though its not how I make my living, we have fun with it and it maintains my CT farm license and for that alone is worth doing. Its always been a family thing and for the most part we all enjoy it.

This year after a few of not bothering, my 13 year-old son declared the this year we were going to hang buckets again. I find it mostly more trouble than its worth but I decided to humor him as if he's showing interest I should probably run with it. So we hung 66 buckets this year, set up a 65 gallon tank in the back of the UTV and set our "sap line" (Using the theme of a "trap line"). The deal was he would be the runner and the dumper and I would drive. So every couple days or so we would run our line and he would lift buckets off the spile, run back to the rig, climb a short ladder and dump them in. I'm sure he didn't notice me watching but every time he'd re-hang the bucket he's given the tree a little pat, I'm assuming giving it his thanks.

Today, a lovely early spring day, we were all out doing "outside stuff" all day and my 13 year-old though it would be fun to text his friend next-door and see if he wanted to come over and throw a football or play a little basketball. This young kid my son's age, who grew up in Miami and moved here with his mother after her failed marriage, I'm assuming does not much more than play video games and watch TV most days. Well, after letting them play ball for a short while and after telling me that the bottle of syrup I gave them a month or two ago is now empty, it was time to get to work. With me driving and those two boys running and dumping short work was made of the sap line. This kid next door never stopped smiling the whole time. In his stupid Miami Dolphins sweatpants and sweatshirt and his Crocs, he ran the line like a pro.

These are the kinds of thing that kids remember and what makes this all worthwhile. I hope the rest of you are making similar memories.

[Wannabe]

I don't really know any of you (though I'm very close to Mike Van and am shameful not haven't stopped to see him yet), I thought I'd tell you all about something that's happened this year. This is my 9th year of doing syrup and though its not how I make my living, we have fun with it and it maintains my CT farm license and for that alone is worth doing. Its always been a family thing and for the most part we all enjoy it.

This year after a few of not bothering, my 13 year-old son declared the this year we were going to hang buckets again. I find it mostly more trouble than its worth but I decided to humor him as if he's showing interest I should probably run with it. So we hung 66 buckets this year, set up a 65 gallon tank in the back of the UTV and set our "sap line" (Using the theme of a "trap line"). The deal was he would be the runner and the dumper and I would drive. So every couple days or so we would run our line and he would lift buckets off the spile, run back to the rig, climb a short ladder and dump them in. I'm sure he didn't notice me watching but every time he's re-hang the bucket he's give the tree a little pat, I'm assuming giving it his thanks.

Today, a lovely early spring day, we were all out doing "outside stuff" all day and my 13 year-old though it would be fun to text his friend next-door and see if he wanted to come over and throw a football or play a little basketball. This young kid my son's age, who grew up in Miami and moved here with his mother after her failed marriage, I'm assuming does not much more than play video games and watch TV most days. Well, after letting them play ball for a short while and after telling me that the bottle of syrup I gave them a month or two ago is now empty, it was time to get to work. With me driving and those two boys running and dumping short work was made of the sap line. This kid next door never stopped smiling the whole time. In his stupid Miami Dolphins sweatpants and sweatshirt and his Crocs, he ran the line like a pro.

These are the kinds of thing that kids remember and what makes this all worthwhile. I hope the rest of you are making similar memories.

That's what it's all about!

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Great story, thanks for sharing.

[longmountainmom]

That's beautiful, thanks for sharing. I'm in New Milford near S. Kent.

[berkshires]

Awesome! I collected buckets with a family friend once or twice when I was probably around that age, or a little younger. It made enough of an impression that I picked it up as a hobby myself many many years later.

I hope at some point my daughter shows and interest. You never know, and I won't push it.

Anyway, wonderful story.

GO

[DrTimPerkins]

One of my earlier memories is collecting sap from buckets and lugging wood in my grandfather's sugaring operation in Westmore, VT. Stopped by and visited my uncle and cousin there last spring and found my initials carved into the sugarhouse walls.

[maple flats]

Great story, it's nice when you get new-comers into making maple syrup. That neighbor boy will likely remember that experience for his whole life, he may be the next BIG producer, time will tell. At least he wasn't just exercising his thumbs!