In all the past years, earliest we have had sap running is February 27th, and so that is what we prepare for. Imagine our surprise late last week when we figured out, OMG the season is passing us by. We have been working every spare minute on getting ready. Hanging lines for 500+ taps all around town, including a brand new run of 100 taps that replaces nearly the same amount in trees cut down last season on Johnson and Salem Streets. Cleaning the sugar house, the pans, the pumps, the tanks, and anything else we can put hot water to. And for the first time since December, now the website. There will be more coming soon. As in past years, we will post boiling schedules daily so keep checking back. Kathy is also working on a comprehensive tour schedule, sorry to all of you that have been waiting.

We should be ready to go by the end of this week. Then the question will be, will the sap run? The last week has been perfect, to our shagrin, and now it looks like the next 4 days will be miserable. Our boiling this weekend will be purely dependent on whether mother nature will have some pity on Turtle Lane Maple Farm. Cross your fingers, do a dance, and check back daily as we get closer to the weekend.

For those of you on Facebook, we have been enjoying sharing information via our Fan Page at: www.facebook.com/turtlelanemaplefarm and on twitter at http://twitter.com/turtlelanemaple

Thanks for supporting local agriculture!

Nancy Vadala will be bringing a group of approximately a dozen brownies with their siblings and parents for a fun filled tour!

Dawn deSouza is bringing a small group of first geade brownies, their siblings and some parents for a sweet tour!

We are working with Gina Downs to arrange for her to come with a group of preschool children.

Diane Walker will be bringing a group of 7 and 8 year old cub scouts along with some of their parents.

Deborah Falcone will be bringing a group of twelve 5 and 6 year old Daisies along with approximately 5 siblings and a dozen parents.

Gia Leach will be coming with a group of parents and tots for a tour.

Kathleen Duffy will be bringing a group of about a dozen Weblos ages 10-11 along with their siblings and parents for a tour.

Heather McGaffigan is bringing a group of 6-7 year old Daisies for a tour, along with their siblings and parents.

Michele Myers-Mellor and the 7-8 year old girls from Lynnfield will be coming along with their parents and siblings for a sweet tour!