Summer Newsletter 2021

Summer Newsletter 2021

It’s still…… Summer!

It’s been a very productive summer, here in Huntington, Vermont. While sugaring season lasts a few short weeks each year, the preparation happens throughout the summer and fall. Read on for news from the sugar farm and for some great maple recipes!

Firewood is on the agenda for the months following sugar season. It takes 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup, so that’s a lot of evaporation. Our maple syrup is cooked over a wood fired arch and we generally need about 12 cords of wood per season. 

All of our firewood comes from downed trees, or from trees that are shading trails and inhibiting undergrowth. We follow a forestry plan and the guidelines from Audubon’s Bird Friendly Maple Project to ensure we’re harvesting trees sustainably.

Trail mowing and line repairs are part of the sugarbush upkeep. We’re fortunate to have a trail network throughout our sugarbush that allows for access to the sugar lines. The trails have to be mowed each summer to keep the forest from taking over!

Summer is also the time to prepare for fall and winter mail orders! We’re excited about our new glass jugs with our updated logo. We hear from customers that these jugs are great as repurposed water bottles and vases!

The Maple Kiosk has had lots of visitors this summer! Stocked with maple syrup in all shapes and sizes, the kiosk sits in a picturesque field with mowed paths and mountain views. If you live in the area, let us know you’re coming and we’ll leave you a map for a sugarbush walk! You’ll find the kiosk at 50 Aestivalis Hill, Huntington, VT.

Animals in the Sugarbush!

Our sugarbush is home to lots of animals. While we see deer and all kinds of birds, the game cameras help catch the more stealthy residents. A healthy sugarbush means healthy animals!

Maple Recipes

Blueberry bushes in Vermont are laden with fruit this time of year. Try this Maple Sugar Blueberry Sauce and Blueberry Gin Fizz for a great way to use this antioxidant rich fruit!

Maple Sugar Blueberry Pie takes your regular recipe to the next level! Serve with vanilla ice cream and you will help ease all end of summer woes. Click on the picture for the recipe.

It’s also peach season in Vermont. Maple Sugar Peach Cobbler is a delicious blend of peaches, maple sugar and crumbly biscuits. 

If you’re lucky enough to have lots of peaches, or you can buy a crate of fresh peaches, try canning them for a burst of summer flavor in the winter. Here’s our recipe for Peaches Canned in Maple Whiskey Syrup.

Lastly…..here are a few pictures from our neck of the woods.

Enjoy the last of summer!                

 XO From Huntington,

Chaska, Matt and Archie