Young Farmer and Rancher Update
Susan Wilkins, YF&R Chairperson
I tried something new this
winter. Late last spring, my dad
and I were bitten by the maple
syrup bug. Someone we know had
made a couple gallons of syrup
from trees in his backyard and he
made it sound relatively simple.
Tap the tree, collect the sap, and
boil it. My dad and I talked about it all summer and fall
and then one evening this winter, we tapped our first
maple tree.
My little gallon of syrup has made me realize that even
in the dead of winter; there is hope for spring ahead.
While it might seem that the grass magically turns green
overnight after a warm rain, the land actually spends
weeks preparing itself for a new season of growth.
That first little drop of sugar water to hit the bottom
of the bucket made me so happy I squealed. I think it
made my dad happy too, but of course, he didn’t squeal.
For weeks, I made a daily trek with my empty water jugs
up to the mountain to check my trees. On weekends,
I boiled the water down in a process that took much
longer than I expected. However, I can now proudly say
I have made a gallon of maple syrup that my family will
thoroughly enjoy eating over our pancakes and waffles.
The Young Farmer Committee is also anxious for
warmer weather, as we plan our Annual Spring Farm
Tour. Please mark your calendar for Saturday, May
31st for a trip to Pocahontas County. We have a fun day
planned including a visit to a local tree grafting expert’s
orchard, sheep and cattle farms, and a blueberry farm.
Keep an eye on our Facebook page for more details!
If you haven’t “liked” us already, search for “WestVirginia-Farm-Bureau-Young-Farmers.”
As dreary as winter can be sometimes, it makes you
appreciate God’s creation so much more when spring
finally arrives. Now that my taps are pulled and put
away until next year, I am itching to begin planting my
garden and helping my dad prepare the corn field.
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14 West Virginia Farm Bureau News
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