Renovations & Maple Syrup

Dear Sean,

How are you and Shannon doing? I haven’t had a chance to write for a while since we’ve been so busy on the farm. There’s lots of new things coming to Fair Lawn, and our weather has been so strange lately. It’s been so warm it almost feels like spring!  It’s going to be in the 50’s and 60’s this coming week!  Not complaining though… It makes all our farm renovations easier without the snow!

Clancey is enjoying the workers, who are doing the renovations on the Sugar Camp.  Wilke Renovations, Inc., Brent Wilke’s company, has great workers that are really nice and kind to each other. They think ahead, answer my questions, and have supplies ready at the site. (Clancey likes to keep an eye on them especially when they are eating their lunches…silly dog!) I've enclosed a rendering of what the sugar camp will look like whenever it's finished. It's getting there! Wait until you see it at Maple Festival!

Also, there is a new, unexpected renovation. Jamie Will, who has been helping me with some other renovations and additional projects around the farm, has created a second pond at the property for fishing! This will be fun. It will have trout, bass, and also goldfish! People can call us and set up an appointment to fish. And while they’re here, I can also show them how to smoke their fish! It’s going to be great!

I have been keeping the pregnant ewes fed well, and they are resting a lot.  The lambs will start arriving around the first week of May.  We are expecting 20-25 new lambs! Your mother is so excited, and a lot of families will want to come see the new arrivals. 

Maple Festival is coming quick! I can’t believe it will be here in a few short weeks… We have a couple coming to make a special BBQ with our Maple Syrup.  They will be setting up and selling food, including this BBQ as well as cornmeal and grits, at the farm during Maple Festival. We have so much this year to sell at the farm!  The BBQ, grits and cornmeal, syrup, apple butter, smoked cheese, maple pecan pie, and our Fair Lawn Farm t-shirts - we are all going to be busy!  Oh, and did I tell you about the cheese?  We are going to get four to five kinds of cheese wheels to smoke this year since it was such a big hit last year. That will make about 30 to 40 pounds! 

Tim (aka: "Dad") and Clancey

I hope all is well with you and that you have been resting up. We are going to have a busy couple of weekends this year. I can’t believe it is almost that time of year again and that we have been so blessed with this fair and warm weather. Fingers crossed it sticks around! We miss you and are looking forward to seeing you during Maple Festival. We know it will be a busy time, but any time we spend with our family is precious. Give Shannon our love.

                                                          Love,

                                                      Dad