Justamere Tree Farm Blog

Podcast, maple sugaring, tapping at local school!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday, a friend Max did a podcast with J.P. along with Tabella Restaurant owner of Amherst,Ma. Many questions about maple sugaring were discussed. We will have more info on this at a later date. All very exciting!

We boiled last night and made 55 gallons of maple syrup. It poured down rain most of the day and into the night. Our Kinnebrook creek was way up, with the melting of all the snow and rain. J.P. got up into the night several times to check on pumps and releasers. This morning the sap stopped running with the decrease in temperature.It was a wild night.

 

 

 

 

Today J.P. and I went to the small school in Worthington to do maple sugaring with the children. We presented them with a movie by Ma. Maple Association and then we all went outside to tap about 10 trees. It was a very windy and cold afternoon but we all did it. We hand drilled some holes and had a battery operated drill for the rest. I believe the kids all had fun and will enjoy collecting the sap when it begins to run.

  Hopefully it will warm up again soon and the sap will run again!!

 

 

 

John Burroughs (Naturalist) and Maple Sugaring

 

"When made in quantity - that is, quickly from the first run of sap and properly treated - it has a wild delicacy of flavor that no other sweet can match. What you smell in freshly cut wood, or taste in the blossom of the tree, is in it. It is then, indeed, the distilled essence of the tree."

John Burroughs, Signs and Seasons, 1886

Health Benefits of Maple Syrup!

Despite its high sugar content which is still lower than brown sugar, honey and fructose, pure maple syrup is a much healthier sweetener than processed white sugar, honey, brown sugar.  In fact, a ¼ cup serving of maple syrup contains more calcium than the same amount of milk and more potassium than a banana. It's also a good source of magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and iron.

• Maple syrup has a low glycemic index and the absorption level is low, hence why it is recommended for diabetics.
• Maple syrup contains fewer calories than corn syrup and honey.
• Maple syrup contains various amino acids, minerals and vitamins.
• Maple syrup contains antioxidants, which can delay or prevent free radical induced diseases, such as diabetes and cancer. A portion of ¼ cup of maple syrup contains as many antioxidants as a raw tomato or broccoli.
• A portion of ¼ cup of maple syrup contains 100% of the Daily Value of manganese, which is an important factor in energy production and antioxidant defenses and necessary for normal brain and nerve function. Maple syrup (1/4 cup) is the forth aliment that contains the most manganese on all aliment in the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
• A portion of ¼ cup of maple syrup contains 34% of the Daily Value of riboflavin, which aids in the metabolic process and 11% of the Daily Value of zinc, which is essential for a healthy immune system.
• Potassium decreases risk of hypertension or stroke.

Maple Syrup as an Anti Diabetic Food

Maple syrup contains high levels of phytohormone and abscisic acid. According to research, this type of acid is a natural defense in controlling diabetes and other metabolic syndromes.

The acid is effective because it has the potential to encourage the release of insulin through the pancreatic cells. It can also enhance the fat cell’s sensitivity to insulin. The studies on maple syrup and its effects on diabetes have been reviewed by experts. The results of these studies were revealed before the American Chemical Society in San Francisco.

The Anti Cancer Potential of Maple Syrup

A study by researchers at the Universite du Quebec a Chicoutimi, published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, implies that maple syrup can be more effective than broccoli, blueberries, carrots and tomatoes in significantly slowing cancerous cell growth in the brain, prostate and lungs and somewhat less significantly in the breast.

Reference: Journal of medicinal food. 01/02/2010; ISSN: 1557-7600, OI: 10.1089/jmf.2009.0029

French Toast + Justamere's Maple Syrup!

 French Toast: Ingredients (Serves 6-8 people)

• 6 to 8 large slices wholegrain or gluten free sourdough bread (about 1/2-inch thick), preferably day-old or stale
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup whole milk (raw preferably)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla flavor for gluten free version
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• dash of sea salt
• butter for frying

 French Toast: Method

1. Line a baking dish with six to eight slices whole grain or gluten free sourdough bread cut 1/2-inch thick.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk beaten eggs, whole milk together with cinnamon, vanilla extract and a dash of sea salt until thoroughly combined.
3. Pour the seasoned egg mixture over the sliced sourdough bread and allow the slices to soak for about five to ten minutes.
4. In the meantime, heat a tablespoon of butter in a skillet over a medium-high flame until it melts, then reduce the heat to medium before gently adding soaked bread into the hot fat.
5. Gently fry the bread on one side for about two minutes, or until it browns, then flip it to fry the other side for two minutes or so.
6. Plate and serve hot with Justamere's maple syrup, nuts, fruit, yogurt or cream.

HandEYE Story on Artisans/Farmers' Markets

                                                        
This article was written by Sarah Buttenwieset for the HandEYE magazine. Check out the beautifully written story on line.

JP and Marian Welch have been working on their Worthington, Massachusetts land—Justamere Tree Farm—since 1982.  According to Marian Welch, farmers’ markets represent much more than an opportunity to sell their goods. She says, “We get to educate people about what we do. People don’t necessarily understand how much work goes into the products we sell. Some people don’t realize we make the syrup or that people live the way we do. It’s a great thing to help them ‘get it.’”

The brooms the couple sells absolutely have a story. Welch explains, “We get handles for the brooms from the woods. The fiber we use comes from a broomcorn plant. This fiber doesn’t break and dust doesn’t get up into the brooms the way synthetic brooms do.” If you’re standing at the farmers’ market when she tells this story, she knows you’re also admiring the craftsmanship that so obviously went into creation of the object you are regarding. She says, “We tell people to pick the broom up and try it. Our brooms feel good in your hands.”

The brooms function extremely well, says Welch, who then tells this particular story: “One woman came and bought a broom. She said it was so beautiful she couldn’t bear to use it and she hung it up where she could admire it. Eventually, the broom in the closet fell apart and she had to grab ours. She came back and told us she’d never had a better broom in her life. From then on, she used and displayed her broom.”

It’s taken some time to find the right farmers’ markets for their products. Welch says, “You have to hang on at the beginning. It takes time for a farmers’ market to catch on.” One of the markets—Northampton Massachusetts’ Tuesday Market—has almost doubled its customer base in its third year.

While the couple has exhibited at crafts fairs, Welch says, “We’re doing more farmers’ markets than crafts fairs. It feels as if ‘our crowd’ comes to farmers’ markets, by which I mean that the people attracted to our work appreciate our goods’ beauty—and functionality. We fit better where the emphasis upon what’s being sold are goods to be used or consumed, rather than simply admired.”

Welch thinks that people who come to farmers’ markets have an interest in “the farmers’ lifestyle.” She suggests, “There’s a romance people have or imagine about farming, and that’s actually part of what you’re selling along with the products.”

Curried Red Lentil Soup with Maple Syrup!

Ingredients (4 servings)

Oil

1 medium Red Onion, diced

1 clove of Garlic, minced

2-3 stalks of Celery, medium dice

1 medium Carrot, medium dice

1/2 Sweet Potato, small dice (1/4 butternut works well too!)

1 tsp. Mustard Seeds

1/2 Tbsp. Currry Powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon, ground

1/2 tsp ground CUmin

1 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground Coriander

1/2 Tbsp fresh Ginger, minced

1 small Red Chile, minced (take half seeds out)  I omitted this one.

1/4 tsp. Tumeric

1 c. dry red lentils

5 c. water

handful swiss chard or spinach chopped

2 Tbsp. Justamere's Maple Syrup

3-4 Tbsp Tamari/Soy Sauce

Salt and Pepper

Fresh Parsley and Coriander, minced

In a medium sized pot, over medium heat, saute onions, garlic, celery, carrots, and sweet potato in oil of choice for 3 minutes. Add the spices and saute with the vegetables.

Add the lentils and stir to mix, then add water and cook uncovered, for about 30 minutes over medium heat. Stir frequently to prevent sticking, and cook until lentils are soft. Add swiss chard and cook a few more minutes, until wilted.

Season the soup with Justamere's maple syrup, tamari, salt and pepper and sprinkle with fresh parsley and coriander to serve.

Can also be pureed smooth if you prefer...You may want to double this recipe if making for 4 people, as you will definitely be wanting seconds!! Enjoy.

Jamaican Wedding!

  We went to Jamaica for our son's wedding in January for a week. We had a blast and it was great to be with family. The days were warm with lots of activities- swimming, shuffleboard, eating, tennis, card playing, yoga, dancing, chatting and etc.

  Now that we are home, our focus is on the upcoming sugaring season. Lots to do to get ready for the end of February. 

  With all this snow on the ground and more on it's way, it is hard to believe that mud season will happen!

 

Delighted Customers at Justamere Tree Farm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fresh Cut Christmas Trees!

These fresh cut trees are being delivered to Hampton Ponds Plaza on Route 202 in Westfield, Ma. for opening day. Our retail lot will be open on November 26th for sells. We will be open daily 12:00-8:00 and week ends 9:00-8:00 till Christmas. Also Justamere's fresh wreaths, swags and pure maple syrup will be for sell. Just look for our Fed Ex truck all decked out for the Holidays!

Come by  and choose and cut your own tree at Justamere Tree Farm in Worthington, Ma. We will be open week ends only, till Christmas. Hours are 9:00-4:00. Also our handmade wreaths, swags along with organic maple syrup and handcrafted brooms will be on display to purchase in our post and beam barn.

We will also have pre cut trees, for those who do not have the time to venture out and cut their own.

Something for everyone! Come by and see us.

Holiday Preparations!

The holiday season is just around the corner! We delivered our Fed Ex truck, to Hampton Ponds Plaza in Westfield, Ma. We retail our trees from the plaza and this truck pictured, is home base. It keeps us toasty on those bitter cold days with a wood stove. We love this truck, but unfortunately we cannot drive it anymore. It gets delivered instead!

We are busy gathering  brush for wreath making. Besides balsam and fraser fir, we collect princess pine, spruce, mountain laurel, and white pine. I will be making wreaths throughout the holiday season for the plaza, and also I will be selling them here on the farm. Our season begins the day after Thanksgiving at the Plaza. On the farm here for choose and cut , we will be open all week ends after Thanksgiving till Christmas. More news to come on this!