When you read this column, we at the farm will have boiled our last sap of the season. A disappointing season with marginal sugar-making weather, we made only about half of what we hope to make in a year, though in many ways it was quite successful. It was a roller coaster ride this year, with new equipment arriving on our doorstep right before the season, causing a family whirlwind of activity as we adjusted beams and collar ties in the sugarhouse to accommodate the new smoke and steam chimneys while making room for the new evaporator. Moving the equipment was a challenge as it weighed a ton (or more) and created an interesting dance to get it into the building.
We then tackled the puzzle created by boxes full of attachments and “sketchy” instructions that included very little in the way of help, just a photo of the setup fully assembled. It was a challenge to set up as we attached pipes, parts and pieces and tried to understand what parts were supposed to accomplish what function. The equipment was manufactured in Canada, and we feel very fortunate that we received the evaporator before the recent tariffs hit. A company representative came to the sugarhouse and taught us how to boil with the shiny new evaporator, which was a huge help. We are very pleased with the new setup, and appreciative that we were able to purchase the much-more-energy-efficient rig with the help of a cost-share program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. As many of you know through a previous column, the funds for our maple project, even though contracts were signed by us and by government reps, were frozen for about a month, creating chaos and angst here at the farm. A minor blip in the chaos being experienced by the current federal administration, our dilemma was solved relatively quickly, though mistrust and hard feelings linger as we look toward rising input prices and a tougher business climate for our farm.
We feel fortunate that we set up our business as a diversified venture, not relying solely on one enterprise for survival. Maple is an important part of our business, but not our sole venture, unlike some other New Hampshire neighbors. The maple industry relies on our Canadian friends, partners and allies in many, many ways. Not only the business of equipment, but trade of the amazing liquid gold of maple syrup is an important part of our maple community, and the strained relations with Canada are going to hurt all of us who like maple syrup on our pancakes with higher prices and perhaps limited supplies. With New Hampshire also being an important vacation destination for Canadians, our local economy is also going to suffer with these strained relations. These national decisions will affect us all, and I just hope that we come shining through in the end as right now, the light in my tunnel looks more like the light of an oncoming train than the light of relief. I feel the need for some comfort food … pancakes, perhaps.
