Saturday, March 12, 2011

Duff's Sugar House ... pure maple syrup

This was the year we got to Duff's Sugar House before they sold out of their pure maple syrup during the 53rd Highland Maple Festival.

If you drive south of Monterey on Rt. 220, then turn right onto Rt. 84 and follow it to Fair Lawn Farm, you'll see Duff's Sugar House, a small family-run sugaring house where the trees are still "opened" by hand and the sugar water collected in buckets. Cooking is done in a wood-fired open pan and finished in an iron kettle.

Mr. Duff, who retired from the Coast Guard in 1999 after 20 years service, is eager to share the old ways of making maple syrup with everyone and encourages hands-on participation. Because he only uses the old way, his supply of syrup is smaller and he sells out quickly. Today we hit the jackpot and arrived in time to snatch up some of Duff's Sugar House syrup.

The Highland Maple Festival continues Sunday, March 13, and next weekend, Saturday and Sunday, March 19-20.

Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell
12 March 2011

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