Templeton Farm

Contact Us

Templeton Farm
3410 Center Road
East Montpelier, Vt. 05651

802-223-0169
802-461-5352
[email protected]

First boil of 2014

04.23.2014

Hello Everyone

The last time I sent this out we were just beginning to produce maple syrup. The season began on March 30th , the latest startup we have ever had in 28 years of production. I really had my doubts how this season would pan out. Well, the season lasted exactly 3 weeks from start to finish on Easter Sunday and we produced 748 gallons of syrup, 87% of what we produced from last year's record crop of 860 gallons. Producing this volume of syrup in 3 short weeks meant long, long hours each day. Last year the season lasted twice as long spreading the workload over a longer period of time. Even though it was very hectic "Mother Nature" was kind to us producing the cold nights and warm days we needed to produce a bountiful crop. The sugar content in the sap was right on at 2% plus. The syrup was darker this year than some and has great flavor. We have a good selection of grades but today many customers really prefer the darker, more robust maple flavor this type of syrup produces. At this point it is time for washing the tubing lines, cleaning the evaporator and the multitude of equipment we use to create nature's sweet flavoring.

On behalf of Natalie and the Chapell family we want to "Thank" all of you who give so much of your time and effort to help us produce such an abundant crop. This year we began tapping trees on February 15th and finished boiling on April 20th. Many of you helped out from start to finish doing whatever it took to produce the crop. We could not do it without you.

Finally I am sending along a drone video produced by David Schilling and his wife Marilla who are tenants in our apartment. The filming took place over several days and you can almost smell the maple scent in the steam. Even our beef cattle find the drone interesting. The final shots are from a beautiful spring day with friends and family coming together for sugar on snow to celebrate a successful maple sugaring season and Janet's completion of her chemotherapy and radiation treatment for colon cancer. For you who have never heard of sugar on snow it is a long standing New England tradition. Take a small amount of maple syrup heat it to 232 degrees and pour it on snow. The hot syrup semi crystallizes you eat it with a fork, it is also served with raised donuts and pickles, yes pickles to cut the sweetness so you can enjoy even more of nature's most perfect sweetener.

Enjoy the video!

Till Next Year All the Best,

Bruce, Janet, Ryan, Seth and Natalie