Climate Criteria for Collecting Maple Sap

Maybe you’ve heard this before: in order for the sap to flow in a maple tree and harvest it for making syrup, temperatures need to be above freezing during the day and below freezing at night.  Well, we’ve been tapping maples to make syrup for several years, and I must say: assuming sap is flowing simply because it is 33°F (1°C) or above is incorrect.  There are other factors at play.

Last minute gifts for self-sufficient folks

There is still time to throw together a thoughtful and unique gift for the folks on your list who want to get back to basics and be more self-sufficient.  We threw together 3 lists of items you could easily assemble into a gift basket that will be talked about for the whole year.  We have actually used all of these items for years to make our own maple syrup and raise chickens.  These are legit.

The 12 Days of Squashmas

A few years ago we had a lot of winter squash on hand.  We compiled and created 12 unique squash recipes that will blow the minds of your friends and family.  They’ll say, “Wow! I’m having a really gourd time thanks to these sweet and savory dishes!”  This post collects those recipes in one convenient location.  Enjoy!

Download all 3 of our books for FREE (limited time!)

For those of you following us, you know that we have published 3 books in 2018, with the goal of making it easier for others to live independently and more fully explore the food they eat.  For Thanksgiving and Black Friday this year, the eBook versions are all available for FREE on Amazon. Click the books below to grab yours.

Want to raise your own chickens for meat? Here’s a FREE chapter on determining how many chicks to order from our new book “Dinner From Scratch: How To Raise Meat Chickens”

If you’ve ever wondered how satisfying it might be to raise your own meat, we’ve got a new book for you to check out.  It’s called “Dinner From Scratch: How to Raise Meat Chickens“.  And it has everything you need to know, from detailed materials lists, to step by step guidance for every phase, to checklists you can use daily to ensure everything is moving along smoothly.  Plus some personal reflection thrown in to keep us grounded.

Chapter 1: Why Use Maple Syrup instead of Cane Sugar

We worked very hard on Local Sugar, but we don’t want to prevent anyone from experiencing it.  So here, for free, is Chapter 1 of the book.  The seed of this was originally a rough post on this blog several years ago, but we’ve updated and improved it big time for publishing.  It’s a quick, clear cut read that won’t waste your time.  Enjoy!  

Big Announcement, our new Maple Syrup Cookbook is out!

Just a quick note for a big announcement…. we have published a brand new cookbook with a star ingredient: you guessed it, maple syrup! 

Easy Maple Syrup Candied Bacon Recipe

I’m having trouble putting it into words.  I just made this a few minutes ago and had just a few bites. I have to share immediately. Eating maple syrup candied bacon is a life-changing experience.

Cast Iron Maple Glazed Carrots Recipe

I eat raw carrots as a snack almost every day.  I rarely crave them, but I always make myself take that first bite, knowing that it is worth it. The aroma of a good, local carrot still impresses me.  It is complex and flowery yet earthy.  Since I eat so many raw carrots I kind of forget how good they can be cooked.  When a carrot is cooked, it goes from something that feels very much like a health food and becomes almost a dessert.  These Cast Iron Maple Glazed Carrots are so tasty you might even feel guilty eating them.  But with a simple and clean recipe like this one, you have nothing to fear.

FREE Download: Egg Cost Calculator and Hen Productivity Tracker

Have you ever wondered how much you’re spending on the eggs your hens lay?  Are you saving money by not buying from the store?  Here’s an easy to use, FREE calculator to figure out exactly how much you pay for a dozen of your own backyard eggs.