Announcements

The craft fair has been Cancelled for 2020: Due to the additions and construction to The Cooperative Middle School, the Exeter Area GFWC could not find a suitable place to have the fair and had to cancel.  They did say they will continue to have the fair in the future when the construction is complete.       

We are always looking for more trees to tap.  With the increased demand for local syrup, Willow Creek Sugarhouse needs to expand.  So If anyone is local to me, and has woods that are just sitting there why not lease out your trees for maple production.  I will be looking for blocks of maples trees of about 100+ tappable (10 inches in diameter minimum)  trees will need be preferably sugar maples (for buckets) but also can be red, sliver, or norway maples. (these may be located in swampy areas as well).  The leased trees will be based on $$$per tap to the land owner.  All the details will need to be worked out on an individual basis depending on set up and lease agreement.  Will need a 110 power supply at the site for smaller maple orchards and if there are 500 or more trees a 220 line may be needed.  No more than a 10 to maybe 15 minute drive to the sugar bush as the tank will need to be emptied daily as well as pump servicing and turning them on and off as well.  

We are always looking for more road side trees as well.  These must be sugar maples 10" in diameter or greater.  They will also need to be local and sorta on my route of collecting as they will need to  emptied daily.  I usually pay those in syrup depending how many trees there are to be collected from but that can also be negotiated.    

The farm stand is open but could use a stocking of new syrup. I will be bottling syrup shortly.  Please check my Facebook page for updates.  Still very chilly for honey so please reach out via facebook, email or call as the honey will crystalize much faster if it gets cold.  Also if there are other confections you are in need of please ask I usually have a small amount of the other stuff on hand outside of maple weekend and craft fairs.  

As usual my bees didn't make it last year.  I did do 4 new packages again this year. so down sizing again.  The 4 hives I do have are very strong heading into winter and was able to harvest a pretty good amount from 2 of the hives.  As far as the other two, I missed expanding the hive by about 2 days before it swarmed so missed out on honey on that one and the other had queen issues didn't requeen itself fast enough so didn't really get going until it was too late.  but I am hoping I can get them through the winter this year.  Which is supposed to be bad so for some reason they seem to do much better during bad winters.  

My ladies are getting older and the flock is getting smaller, barely enough eggs for us these days.  Gonna get new chicks next year.  So that being said there will no eggs for sale for until further notice.

Ha the garden... well with the sudden cotton tail rabbit explosion this past year the garden was kind of a bust got a few peppers and tomatoes.  They wiped out the rest so I didn't waste anymore time in there so it all went to weeds. have to rethink things for next year. 

I am working on another maple spice rub.  This one is an all purpose Chicken seasoning. works on rotisserie, baked, pan seared breasts its delicious.  My family loved the seasoning on anything chicken.  It will be hopefully be ready this fall.