Sugaring in Saskatchewan

When we planted trees on our acreage the year we had our house moved here, I purchased and planted over 100 Manitoba Maple trees with the intention that my sons could one day tap them and have a source of syrup, if they choose. Then this winter my brother mentioned he didn't think maple trees ran sap in our climate, so we discussed that possibility and he decided we should tap the maple trees at our parents' farm to find out.

A week ago my brother noticed sap leaking from where two limbs were removed from my mom's big old maple tree on her lawn. The following morning we tapped 21 of the maples in her hedge row using stainless steel tubing my brother had on hand. Although we only collected approximately 8 gallons of sap we wanted to boil it up before it spoiled.

There is A LOT of contradicting information online regarding maple sugaring. I recommend you do your research ahead of time using trusted sources (what makes for good photography on pinterest and some blogs may not be sound advice) and, if you have access to maple trees, give it a try. We only tapped about half of the trees available to us--next year we plan to tap all of the maples and purchase some spiles and a hydrometer if we can find them. Our product turned out a bit cloudy but tastes wonderful and the kids absolutely loved the experience of helping tap the trees, collect the sap, and participate in the boiling.

We ended up with about a pint of syrup this year so far--perhaps some might say that is not worth the effort and resources. For us, having the kids up and dressed and out in the fresh air every morning to do their "job" was wonderful and they are extremely proud of the part they played in making the the syrup. But, as my 5 year old pointed out, it's all thanks to the trees ;)

Crafting for Christmas

My friend and I are making a few items to sell at the local Christmas Craft Sale. It is held at a country hall where two highways intersect. I remember going to the New Year's Ball there as a kid--it seemed so glamorous although it was only the local farmers dressed in their Sunday best. I guess calling it a "Ball" made it more exciting. 

Felt owl inspiration via Pinterest: joyzz.com

My friend and I do not have our hopes up that we will make a lot of money. I tried to sell some crocheting and sewn crafts when my eldest was a year old. I didn't cover the cost of renting the table and, worse, they wouldn't let me leave until the end. They don't like empty tables at their craft sales. I was so homesick for my baby I was having a near-panic attack by the time I got back to my mom's to pick him up. All that for about $12.  SIGH. 

But, this year, it's not about making money. Sure, some cash for our own Christmas would be nice. But I'm more interested in keeping busy and making this an exciting time of year for my kids. How their eyes lit up when I brought out the jar of buttons for them to sort!

I already have the materials to make some felt decorations, and I'm trying not to spend much so that I don't lose money on the venture. If the kids and I spend a bit of time everyday (or almost every day) and I work a bit in the evenings, I should be able to make enough stuff to fill my half of the table. I'm also hoping to finish up some forgotten projects to add to our inventory. A deadline really helps my work ethic in that regard :)

We had our first snowfall yesterday (it melted, thank goodness!) so that motivated me to get started. Have your thoughts turned to Christmas?