A record warm February, followed by a chilly March, made this sugaring season a challenging one across New England.
At the Natick Community Organic Farm, the season just wrapped up.
The non-profit educational farm has tapped local sugar maples every year since 1975, but this year ends a bit earlier than average, in part because of the weather.
Ideal sugaring conditions involve daytime temperatures around 40, and nighttime temperatures in the 20s.
The farm hung 600 buckets across parts of Natick, Sherborn, Wellesley, and Dover, collecting about 5,000 gallons of sap. That was transformed into about 130 gallons of tasty syrup, available for purchase now.
While the up and down temperatures added one challenge, the storms in March was another. Many limbs and trees fell, damaging some sugar shacks and tubing at farms elsewhere in the Bay State.
With spring now upon us, Natick Community Organic Farm is currently taking enrollment for its 2018 certified organic vegetable and cut-flower bouquet Community Supported Agriculture.
