March 2009 Archives

Maybe it's just me, but Dreamweaver CS4 seems to be spending way too much time with background file activity. I'll put a file, then have to quit Dreamweaver in order to get back to work, because it will never stop with background file activity. Whatever is going on (and I can't view the log, since it's always actively trying to do something with the server) always times out, and the process starts again. Dreamweaver Developer Toolbox is installed, so it may be related to that. I'm about to call Tech Support, which I am sure will be fruitless, but it's a start.

Well, we had visitors from all over New England, including New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and of course, Maine! Supply and Demand reared its economic head, setting higher prices ($10 per 8 oz), which nobody questioned. At the end of the day, folks arrived claiming that there was none to be had for miles around, even at the big places! Unfortunately, we had also sold out. We have a batch in the pan and are still collecting, so there'll be more available soon.

We'll be open from 9 to 4 on Sunday, and hope to see you there. Many people have asked for directions to our sugar house for Maine Maple Sunday. Here's a Google Maps link.

Self reliance will make us strong, say the talking heads. When my clothes dryer failed this week, we had to think very hard about how to proceed. We bought the dryer when we bought the house, so it's been serving us for 14 years. Repair parts were to cost ~$200, while a new dryer with similar features would cost in excess of $1,000. We aren't in a position to pay cash for the new one, and really didn't want to incur more debt, so we decided to suck it up and get the parts. I was able to make the repair, and thereby save the labor expense. In the end, I did not provide any stimulus to the economy, because I didn't go buy that new appliance.

26 bottles of USDA Grade A Medium Amber. As the season wears on, the color will darken as the tree puts more minerals into the sap. Later runs will be Dark Amber, and then so dark as to be called Grade B. Color is also a pretty good indicator of flavor; lighter syrups have a more subtle flavor than the darker grades.

Our maple syrup now carries the Hechsher of the Vaad of Portland, which means that it's the only syrup available that's certified kosher by a local authority. Be sure to come out to our sugar shack on Maine Maple Sunday, which is March 22.

While many sugarhouses were putting in their first taps, we finished our first batch today! 30 8oz bottles of USDA Grade A Light Amber, or for the old timers, Vermont Fancy. Delicious and with a more subtle flavor than the Grade A Dark or even Grade B that often sells in stores, Light Amber typically comes at the beginning of the season and was prized by the early producers in North America as a substitute for Caribbean sugar, on which there was a substantial tax. Today, though, most people don't know that there are different grades of maple syrup.