In like a lion...again

*Not a lion, it's Woody!

Here comes March! It is arriving like a lion-- the temperatures are falling, the snow is flying, and even Woody is complaining! Where did February go--or January, for that matter? A blur, for certain, and very busy here on the farm. We launched our delicious new fruit pastes (concentrated jams perfect for pairing with cheeses or a bit of nut, etc.), and they are now gracing charcuterie boards and dining tables. If you haven't tried them, they are a guilt-free pleasure of New York fruits, Whole Maple syrup, and bit of magic! We ship!

The team has been out in the woods putting up new lines and tapping for the intermittent thaw-days we are getting. As I type this, Paul is collecting sap in the forest while the wind howls and the temperatures plummet from an overnight high of 38-degrees Fahrenheit, heading toward the single digits. We will be in the saphouse this afternoon making Whole Maple syrup while Mother Nature does winter. Tomorrow will be a high of 10-degrees--too cold for more sap to flow--so that will give us time to finish off the second batch of 2025 and prepare for warming temperatures to return by Tuesday.

For the uninitiated, our Whole Maple syrup is made from the unstripped sap of the mighty sugar maple trees right here on our farm. Unstripped? Not as racy as it sounds, but super important! Most syrup in the modern market has been highly processed at the sap and the syrup stages via reverse osmosis and high-pressure filtration. At Tapatree, we eschew those methods and utilize whole, intact sap from the

trees in the evaporation process. Then, rather than high-pressure filtration, our syrup goes into glass settling jars where it sits until it's holding in solution the maximum amount of minerals and goodness. Next, we decant the syrup, profile the unique flavors, and bottle it up for YOU! The resulting Whole Maple magic is an authentic reflection of this moment in time as designed by the trees.

And more on the sap...the very first step. As winter loosens her grasp on the forest, the trees start drawing nutrients from the soils, carrying them to the delicate branches where leaves are starting to grow. We collect a portion of that magical sap by tapping into the "sap wood"

Here is Paul tapping a tree in years past--no leaves visible this season! All snow...

of the tree. Clear, sparkling sap is really an incredible sight to behold.

I'll be diligent in posting more updates and insights as the season progresses, but for now I need to get to my syrup work! Follow us on Instagram or Facebook for more regular glimpses into the season. And if you're curious as to why the first batch of 2025 is not on the website, don't expect it to be available until all of the batches reach our online shop on August 1st! We will help tide you over with some fabulous house blends, so don't despair. Our goal is to have all the 2025 batches represented when we do the unveiling! And in the meantime, relish our other goodies: Asparagus, amazing honey from the farm, delicious fruit shrubs and fruit pastes! We want to stock your pantry with healthy food from our tiny corner of this amazing planet.

For now, Farm Fam, please stay kind and remember the lamb. Help those who need help. Remember that we're all in this life together. Advocate for what is good and real. Take care of yourselves. Raise your voices to protect others. We lift our glass to you, to respect, dignity, and freedom. Til next time...