The Making of Maple Syrup and Memories

This past Saturday we visited my parents' farm to drop AJ off to spend the week there for spring break. It's the time of year when maple trees are tapped to collect sap for maple syrup. I have fond memories from my childhood of heading into the woods with my dad and uncle every spring to help (and play in the woods). My family hasn't tapped trees, though, since I was in grade school. However, a few years ago, their neighbors started tapping my parents' woods.

This gives us the opportunity to "help" if we time our visits right in the spring. I qualify the word help because the first few years when it was just Dave and I, we certainly were helpful. However, as we had children, we became less helpful as we brought them along to share the experience with them.

I wasn't sure how we'd get to the woods this year because my mom was at a quilting retreat, so she couldn't hang out with Teddy as she has the past couple years. I didn't see how we'd manage to be any help with Teddy in the woods. Then my parents said one of their neighbors and her girls would watch Teddy. Since she has a child with a genetic disorder and is close friends with my mom, I was confident in their combined capabilities to keep Teddy alive for a few hours ... and I was so grateful for their unexpected offer.

But their offer wasn't necessary because when Harvey, the Mennonite who taps the woods, showed up, I told him our plan to drop Teddy off and then head to the woods. He immediately said it was no problem to bring Teddy along, that he could ride on the bench and that our family should make memories together. He waited while we got Teddy (and AJ) ready, smiled and waved to Teddy and off to the woods we went.

It's hard to see, but Teddy is on my back here as we chase the boys.

Teddy started out on my back, as we tried to avoid sinking into the deep snow. We chased the 7-year-old boys who spent as much time drinking sap as they did collecting it. Teddy even carried one of the bags back to the tree.

This gives new meaning to the name sapsucker.

When I got tired of sinking into the snow with him, we hopped on the bench for a ride. Teddy loved how bumpy it was! When he got bored with that, he walked around a bit with Dave and me before my dad offered to squeeze Teddy onto the crawler. (Initially, we had discussed how there just wasn't room for Teddy to ride there.) Teddy "helped" my dad drive by pushing and pulling every single lever.

Teddy loves anything that he can help drive.

It was an absolutely fantastic day because the neighbors are so willing to help and so accepting of Teddy for who he is. Collecting sap reminds me of my childhood and stories like Little House in the Big Woods. Our village who helps raise Teddy is even bigger than I realized. It extends to my parents' neighbors and friends. Knowing that is even sweeter than any maple syrup.

The inventiveness of farmers is rather inclusive.