June 28th, Thursday – Bragg Farm Sugarhouse and Gift Shop

When we went to bed last night the forecast was for rain throughout the night and the next day.  They were right on!  I don’t believe we have had such heavy rain since we left Florida.  I mean it poured hard throughout the night.  As I laid in bed, I got to thinking of the November 1927 flood that wiped out the town of Marshfield.  I was also glad to know that we were on high ground.  The rain finally let up just a little after noon on Thursday and now it is starting to get hot and humid.  Oh well, it is what it is.

So today began, as the last several days have, with yet another visit to the holistic chiropractor.  Day by day I can begin to feel myself coming around.  Not completely there yet but giving thanks for the small steps that have been made.  I’m sure by the time we leave here I’ll be fit as a fiddle.

Today we also decided enough is enough and were going to do some sightseeing.  Not much, but enough to get us back in the swing of things.  Thus, after my morning appointment, we were off to discover the ins and outs of maple syrup.

But before we share, with you, our visit today, some interesting general facts we learned about maple syrup and Vermont Maple Syrup:

• It Takes Roughly 40 Gallons of Sap to Make 1 Gallon of Maple Syrup. And get this, the sap actually runs up from the roots of the tree.  It will take the annual sap output of four mature Sugar Maple trees to produce one gallon of maple syrup.
• Maple Syrup is the only food made from the sap of a tree.
• 100% Pure Vermont Maple Syrup has the same calcium content as whole milk. Take that Elsie the Cow.
• 100% Pure Vermont Maple Syrup has only 40 calories per tablespoon, unlike corn syrup which has 60 calories per tablespoon.
• Maple Syrup is rich in minerals such as calcium, potassium, manganese, phosphorus, and iron, and is good for you!
• Vitamins B2, B5, B6, niacin, biotin, and folic acid are all present in 100% Pure Vermont Maple Syrup.
• Vermont has its own four grades of maple syrup which breaks down into the following categories: “Golden Color with Delicate Taste,” “Amber Color with Rich Taste,” “Dark with Robust Taste,” and “Very Dark with Strong Taste.”
• Vermont is the #1 producer of Maple Syrup in the US and produces 5.5% of the world’s maple syrup (remember who is #3? Right, Maine!) However, today about 80 percent of the World’s Supply Comes From Canada.
• Brands like Aunt Jemima and Mrs. Butterworth use such ingredients as high fructose corn syrup, cellulose gum, caramel coloring to create an inexpensive substance which only somewhat resembles the genuine article. Thus, their bottles are usually labeled “original,” “breakfast,” or “pancake” syrup

Now for our visit.  We went to a local maker of Vermont Maple Syrup, the Bragg Farm.

Coming up into the parking lot this is what we saw , the sugarhouse and gift shop.  The gift shop is to left and the actual sugarhouse where they make their syrup is to the right.

This is a picture of the gift shop that has just about everything and anything related to Vermont Maple Syrup.

 

And some items I just don’t know how they got in there.  Do Dragons like maple syrup?

Back to Vermont Maple Syrup.  Maple syrup is produced from the sap collected from the Sugar Maple tree. Maple sap is clear, watery and contains only 2-4% sugar. The season

begins in late February with all hands on deck.  The season actually begins with the tapping of the sugar maple trees.  A hole is drilled into the tree.  A spout is then driven into the hole.

Examples of them are pictured below.

At the Bragg Farm, buckets are still hung to collect the  sap. The sap begins to flow when  temperatures begin to rise above freezing during the day but fall below freezing at night.  Maple sap is a clear fluid and resembles water. The collection amount may vary.  Some days  only a small amount is collected and other days the buckets will overflow if not emptied.  The typical sugaring season lasts from February into April although there is no “set” time to begin. The length of the winter, temperature and snowfall amounts are variables that affect the timing of the start of the sap running and how long it will last. The best condition for the sap to begin its run is freezing nights followed by warmer, sunny days. As soon as a few of these days pass, the harvesting process is set to begin. The annual run lasts until the nights are no longer freezing and the trees begin to bud., usually early to mid- April.

The sap is collected into gathering tanks and brought to the sugarhouse to be boiled in the evaporator.  This is a picture of the actual evaporator used at the Bragg Farm.

A number of methods are used to heat and boil the sap but at the Bragg Farm wood is still used.  It takes a cord of wood in the arch for every 15 to 18 gallons of sap.

This is what the evaporator looks like when it is in operation.

Finally, we come to the finished product.  Drawing off the pure maple syrup.  The Bragg Family has been producing Pure Vermont Maple Syrup in this fashion at the Bragg Farm Sugarhouse for 8 generations!

Putting it all together here is a summary of the process used to make maple syrup.

How much, indeed, would you ask price wise for a gallon of pure Vermont Maple Syrup?  Highly labor intensive.  Very short season.  Success of each years production extremely dependent upon the winter weather.   I can’t help but wonder what is the effect of climate change going to have upon this industry.

Of course, no tour is complete without an opportunity to do some taste testing.  So we had an opportunity to taste the four grades made.  I like the lightest myself.   Of course, we came home with some wonderful products as well.  Like a delicious chocolate chip Cooke made with Vermont Maple syrup that I’m enjoying this very minute!

That was our day today.  Slowly easing back into the swing of things.  Hopefully, more attractions to visit tomorrow.  We take it day by day according to how my back behaves.  But never doubt we are far from down and out.  Like I’ve been saying this is just a minor bump in the road of retirement.  Onward we go singing our song, traveling along, side by side.

So day is done and night is descending upon us.  I’m sitting in the solarium marveling at how the clouds are slowly engulfing the mountains surrounding us.  One minute they are there and then they are gone – well, not actually gone but no longer visible.  What a wonderful world God has created for us.  If only we all could take the time to just look out and enjoy its every unfolding wonders.  I hope you take the time to do so.  I shake my head at how much I missed in the past because I was just too busy trying to make a living but never stopped to take the time to make a life.  Don’t let it happen to you.  In closing, a thought along those lines for each of us:

As always,  if you are coming to the end of your day with concerns and worries, let me suggest that you turn them over to God.  After all, He is going to be up all night so why not let him handle them for you.

Time now for our evening prayers and eventually some shut-eye.  Till tomorrow.

These are the voyages of  Graybeard and it’s occupants, four paws and two humans.  Our continuing mission: to explore as many new states as possible, to seek out new acquaintances and make new friends, to boldly go where we have not been before