Winter's Coming

Although you would not suspect it with the weather we are having in Western Mass today, but we sure got some hints that winter is on its way this week. Last Saturday’s Farmers Markets were downright invigorating. There really is no way to stay warm when it is 30 degrees, windy, and you are standing in the shade. Nonetheless, we love going to the markets and meeting new people and Saturday was no exception.

We returned home, heaters going full throttle, to a couple inches of snow on the ground. The cold and the return to Standard Time has my body craving food and sleep.

This was not a good day for a bike ride!

I know I am not the only one craving food this time of year. We have been visited by a bobcat several times in the last few weeks. The first time I noticed him, he was sitting right in the middle of the chicken yard. I thought, “this can’t be good” and felt a sense of urgency, but my brain stalled – I am always thinking about grabbing my camera for farm pictures. I finally got moving, ran out the door and clapped my hands, thinking that would send the bobcat running. It did not. It did get him to turn and roll his eyes at me. He was a cat through and through, already bored with me and bothered by my very existence. It wasn’t until I closed the gap to within 25 feet that he turned and jumped over the fence. He sat down, watched me, and seemed to say, “what now?” He finally slipped away, as cats do, outwitting the dog rather easily, as cats do. We have seen him several times since, looking for a chicken dinner.

I also like a chicken dinner. One of our favorite meals is beer can chicken cooked on the grill. We use our own maple seasoning as a rub with olive oil. It is the juiciest, most tender chicken. I tend toward comfort food this time of year, but also like something a little sweet to take the place of all the summer fruit I am missing. To satisfy those cravings, we have been turning to our own maple products. This week we have made baked Brussel sprouts sprinkled with olive oil, salt and our maple seasoning, butternut squash and our syrup and seasoning baked on a cookie sheet, and Kim made a salted maple pie. I love that maple satisfies my sweet tooth and is also a source of antioxidants. One study found 24 different antioxidants in maple syrup. The syrup we cook with, our very dark, strong syrup, has more antioxidants than lighter syrup. Check out all the essential minerals there are in maple in the chart below. I say if your gonna eat sweets, eat some that are good for you! There are tons of maple recipes on our website.

It has been a hectic week. I have finally found some balance and am not checking the news constantly. I am sad to say that our bobcat did get his chicken dinner after all. We have beefed up security, admonished the dog, and are more watchful. There is something to be said for feeding your cravings. We hope your cravings include Justamere Tree Farm maple this year!

Start your day off right. JTF maple has lots of minerals and antioxidants.