[caption id="attachment_4640" align="alignnone" width="2048"] White Mountains Sugar Shack; creative commons[/caption] Any day now, I expect to be getting my new maple syrup evaporator. Yup, I'm done boiling sap in stainless pans over concrete blocks for hours on end, running back and forth from the trees to the fire, then running from the fire to the house to do the "finishing", then running back out to the fire to add more sap and stir and take the foam off the top of the boiling sap…and all of this running around, just to get a 2 quarts of syrup by the end of the season. I'm going "big time" this year. I'm investing in a hobby evaporator that'll produce gallons, not quarts. At least that's what the ad says. I've been tapping maple trees for years, and though the yield has been miniscule, the process has been nothing but down home fun!  But those quarts of syrup days are over. Watch out, Aunt Jemima…I'm taking over. New Hampshire folks have been  "sugarin" for centuries, and come February, there will once again be buckets hanging on the sides of those sugar maple trees. Either that or you'll see plastic tubing running from tree to tree and eventually into 55 gallon drums. That's how you know the professionals from the neophytes or hobbyists. Plastic  tubing doesn't quite have the charm, but since it takes approximately 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup, the pro's ain't gonna be hauling buckets of sap much anymore…but us small time enthusiasts don't mind, unless we have to trudge through snow that's up to our belt buckle. If you've never been to a sugar house in New Hampshire during the spring, make it a point to do so this year. I guarantee you will be delighted. It won't be hard to find one, because they are all over the countryside in these parts. You'll know you're close to one by the billows of steam coming from the cupola, and the sweet maple smell permeating the air. Most sugar houses have lots of goodies to sample, and possibly fresh donuts to dip into fresh drawn syrup. You'll even be given a dill pickle to eat as you sample nature's sweetness. That's just because the syrup is so sweet, you'll need to temper the goodness so you can try some more. Not s'more, some more! There's a real difference, I'll tell ya! Here's a list of maple sugar houses that host tours in March. So, if you're thinking that this spring you're up for a new adventure, or just want to bring back some memories, then load up the family and head for the New Hampshire countryside. If you think you need some directions, just call or email any one of our offices and talk to any one of our agents. We don't just sell real estate…we sell New Hampshire! Oh, and by the way, this sap is still runnin'!