3/26/2022:
Went to Thurman Maple Days in the Adirondacks today. This was our first time. Our first your was of Toad Hill Maple Farm. The operation was more high tech than I expected, with 2500 tree taps, a pipe system to funnel the sap to a central location, a reverse osmosis system to remove most of the water, an evaporator for most of the rest of the water, and a finisher for the final products. Very interesting to see. Also stopped at Martin’s Lumber and Artisan Market, where I prepared a mushroom barrel, a plastic coffee can with sterilized straw (by agricultural lime), coffee grounds and barley grains inoculated with oyster mushrooms. In three weeks I should know if the mushrooming is successful. I tried once before unsuccessfully to grow mushrooms and was meaning to try again. This was an unexpected surprise.