Giving Thanks

It’s easy to be thankful everyday waking up on the farm. It’s easy to be thankful to live in the community of Worthington. It is also easy to be thankful for our neighbors. Some walk our dogs while we are at markets, some work with us, some let us tap their trees, and all of them wave when they see us and stop and talk. Yes, it is easy to be thankful here. While it is easy to be thankful for the friendship and connection we have with our neighbors Paul and Terry Strasburg, it is hard to fathom their generosity. Many of us in Worthington and beyond, have been recipients of the Strasburg’s altruism, as it seems to know no bounds. Thank you, Paul and Terry, for entrusting us with Cloud Nine farm, we will care for her well.

The maples in full fall color at Cloud Nine Farm

The Forests and the Trees

I’ve been cutting trees, clearing brush, and splitting and heating with wood my whole adult life. I haven’t given it much thought. Trees were a resource to be used. If I didn’t want that tree or bush there, I’d go cut it down. The farm has changed that attitude for me. Running a business that relies on the health of trees has caused me to think about trees – a lot. Our New England forests are changing rapidly and have been since colonization. Gone are the old growth forests, the chestnuts, the elm, and now the ash. It is remarkable the amount of damage one little green bug (the emerald ash borer) can do to change composition of the forest is such a short amount of time. I’ve been told we should cut all the ash and get some money for them before they are all dead, but I can’t. We’ve done that before with chestnut, with elm. What if one of our trees can resist those bugs and holds the key to future resistance? Our forester said to me recently, “it’s got to suck to be a tree right now.” Indeed. Bugs, drought, disease, and invasive species seem like the perfect forest storm. As we expand our farm and “manage” more woods, we take a wildlife first approach. We don’t want to be yet one more stress on the system. So, we leave some ash and cut only what will improve the health of the forest. Running a maple farm, there is no way to not cut some healthy trees, but now when I cut a tree, I give thanks for its life and for the sweet maple syrup it will help make.

Maple Everywhere, but not all at once

We did it! Oklahoma, you had us worried for a while, but we have finally shipped to all 50 states since owning the farm. Not to brag, but we have also shipped to Puerto Rico, Guam, and yes, American Samoa. Thank you for all your support. We don’t know this to be true, but we’re saying it anyway – Justamere Tree Farm is the only maple syrup producer to ship to all 50 states!

We've shipped everywhere! Looks like Justamere is the center of all things maple when you map it out!

Thanks 2.0

We are also thankful for all of you that came out to see us at the farmer’s markets and the festivals. Thank you for another great season. We are already starting to spend more time in the woods and gearing up for sugaring season.

Here is a link to a wonderful Maple Pumpkin Pie for your table.
Wishing all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving.