A Newfoundlander’s Perspective

Today our friend Jenn Galliott of Woody Point, Newfoundland left the Nebraska Knoll crew to return to Canada.

Here are her drawings mingled with journal entries from February tapping days.

I am told that coffee made from raw maple water is the best. 

As I drank my “maple syrup drenched” coffee from a thermos in the middle of large maples, sun beaming over the ridge and snowshoes gripping the bank..I wasn’t sure if anything could taste better…

The anticipation is there. A few more days and I will find out.

This was day two of attaching taps to trees. 

Sizing up the tree, finding a place to drill a hole, insert tap, hammer and connecting; following the blue tube up the hill to the next tree. 

Today we were tapping on “morning side.” 

Which unfortunately consisted of more windfall trees then expected.  Though it has only been two days it’s amazing to see which areas have which problems. (Red squirrels biting at lines, tree-fall covering lines, deer chewing, and other unseen animals.)

I used through two bundles of new tubing and took the opportunity to eat lunch in the “valley kids old fort” (a beautiful structurally sound log cabin just big enough for two bunks, a cast iron stove and our backup materials).

By mid afternoon, I moved across the hill, following blue tubes, sun beaming through and on towering maples; I pulled my drill out of the tree to see something new. 

Sap.

Slowly making the fresh drilled hole dark with water and then leaking out of the tree!

Instant gratification! With the heat on the trees I could finally see that I was doing this tapping thing right! 

Quickly making sure the coast was clear, I then did what any reasonable mitted hand person would do. I stuck my tongue to the tree and tasted the sweet sugar water.