Come April, most northern New Englanders are weary of winter and ready to celebrate.
Keene is offering up the best excuse yet to don your spring jacket and get out into downtown with its W.H.A.T.’S. Keene! Festival, a 10-day celebration of Keene’s wine, hospitality, arts, tastes and shopping, i.e., the acronym for the event.
Forty local businesses are participating in the event, which begins on Thursday, April 4 and ends Sunday, April 14. The celebration, sponsored by several local non-profit and for-profit organizations, will feature daily events by downtown merchants including discounts, two-for-one specials, free gifts, and special offers by Monadnock Region B&Bs and inns. And some merchants – such as Kristin’s Bistro & Bakery, Life is Sweet, Luca’s Café, Local Burger, Good Fortune and Colonial Corner -- will open their doors to featured musicians.
The event will also host the first annual Monadnock International Film Festival, with an April 4 opening night film at the Colonial Theater, and films shown throughout the 10 day festival. If that wasn’t enough, there will also be a guitar festival at Keene State College, a burger eating contest at Local Burger, and much more.
Don’t miss all the fun at the first annual W.H.A.T.’S Keene! Celebration.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Stonewall Farm’s Horse Drawn Sap Gathering Competition
These days, maple sugaring is done with the help of long tubes that are strung through the sugar bush. The no-nonsense process efficiently collects sap from the trees and transports it right into the sugarhouse where it is boiled down to maple syrup.
But before the days of plastic tubing, sap was collected in metal buckets and gathered up by teamsters who drove draft horses pulling sleds through the woods.
To see this bygone era come to life, visit Stonewall Farm in Keene on March 23rd for the 14th Annual Horse Drawn Sap Gathering Contest. The competition begins at 10 a.m.
The contest draws about a dozen teams of two-hitch draft horses from all around New England to compete: The drivers, using only voice commands, maneuver the team of horse-drawn sleds through the narrow sugar bush on the farm, collecting sap buckets and quickly emptying them into containers in the sled. The teamster who is the fastest, with the best control of the horses, and the least sap spills, wins.
The fun doesn’t end once the competition is over. Visitors can congratulate the teams of horses, and enjoy maple syrup sundaes, sugaring demonstrations, sampling maple syrup, hayrides, food and lots more.
Parking at the farm is limited. Free parking shuttles are available from Alumni Field (next to Keene High School) on Arch Street. Entrance fee: Stonewall Farm Members: $3/person; Non-Members: $5/person; Children 6 and under FREE.
But before the days of plastic tubing, sap was collected in metal buckets and gathered up by teamsters who drove draft horses pulling sleds through the woods.
To see this bygone era come to life, visit Stonewall Farm in Keene on March 23rd for the 14th Annual Horse Drawn Sap Gathering Contest. The competition begins at 10 a.m.
The contest draws about a dozen teams of two-hitch draft horses from all around New England to compete: The drivers, using only voice commands, maneuver the team of horse-drawn sleds through the narrow sugar bush on the farm, collecting sap buckets and quickly emptying them into containers in the sled. The teamster who is the fastest, with the best control of the horses, and the least sap spills, wins.
The fun doesn’t end once the competition is over. Visitors can congratulate the teams of horses, and enjoy maple syrup sundaes, sugaring demonstrations, sampling maple syrup, hayrides, food and lots more.
Parking at the farm is limited. Free parking shuttles are available from Alumni Field (next to Keene High School) on Arch Street. Entrance fee: Stonewall Farm Members: $3/person; Non-Members: $5/person; Children 6 and under FREE.
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Maple Syrup: How Sweet it is!
Before you buy maple syrup, you need to make sure it is the real deal. Real maple syrup is never labeled “breakfast” or “pancake” syrup, such as what you might find in a supermarket aisle: These concoctions are basically high fructose corn syrup with artificial flavoring. It is against U.S. law to label these sweeteners “maple syrup.”
Real maple syrup, as you many know, is a product from maple trees’ liquid sap, which is collected in late winter to early spring, and boiled down to make thick maple syrup. It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make just one gallon of maple syrup – which is why our delicious maple syrup can be pricey.
When you visit a sugar house operation during maple sugaring season, or buy a bottle of real maple syrup, you might be confused by the types of “grades” of syrup.
Here’s a quick guide to what these labels mean, courtesy of information from the New Hampshire Maple Producers Association. Note that the “grades” do not have to do with the purity of the maple syrup, simply the color and flavor. Chose your grade and color according to how strong you like your maple flavor.
Grade A Light Amber: This is the first run of maple syrup in early spring. It is light in color and has a delicate maple flavor. It’s used to make maple cream, candy and sugar.
Grade A Medium Amber: This is a syrup produced later in the season; the syrup is darker than the “light” and has a richer maple flavor. Many people prefer this grade for pouring over pancakes, ice cream or oatmeal. It is also used for making maple cream and sugar.
Grade A Dark Amber: This dark syrup is made toward the end of the sugaring season. This variety (as well as Grade B), is a favorite among native New Englanders since it has a preferred hearty maple flavor.
Grade B: This is the syrup that is produced at the very tail end of the season. Many producers make a small amount of this grade, which has very dark color and robust maple taste. Many prefer this grade for cooking, but it can also be used as a table syrup.
Real maple syrup, as you many know, is a product from maple trees’ liquid sap, which is collected in late winter to early spring, and boiled down to make thick maple syrup. It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make just one gallon of maple syrup – which is why our delicious maple syrup can be pricey.
When you visit a sugar house operation during maple sugaring season, or buy a bottle of real maple syrup, you might be confused by the types of “grades” of syrup.
Here’s a quick guide to what these labels mean, courtesy of information from the New Hampshire Maple Producers Association. Note that the “grades” do not have to do with the purity of the maple syrup, simply the color and flavor. Chose your grade and color according to how strong you like your maple flavor.
Grade A Light Amber: This is the first run of maple syrup in early spring. It is light in color and has a delicate maple flavor. It’s used to make maple cream, candy and sugar.
Grade A Medium Amber: This is a syrup produced later in the season; the syrup is darker than the “light” and has a richer maple flavor. Many people prefer this grade for pouring over pancakes, ice cream or oatmeal. It is also used for making maple cream and sugar.
Grade A Dark Amber: This dark syrup is made toward the end of the sugaring season. This variety (as well as Grade B), is a favorite among native New Englanders since it has a preferred hearty maple flavor.
Grade B: This is the syrup that is produced at the very tail end of the season. Many producers make a small amount of this grade, which has very dark color and robust maple taste. Many prefer this grade for cooking, but it can also be used as a table syrup.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)