Ah, Summertime!

Summer is flying by! David & John finished cutting the first days of hay right around the Summer Solstice on June 20. Regrowth of second cutting and regrowths of the cows’ pasture is very slow on account of the drought we are experiencing. Whenever we get a rainy day, or even an hour, I feel so relieved! We have had countless beautiful summer days, but feeding our cows depends on what we can grow from May to October, and those dry, perfect days can start to feel a little ominous!

My job for today is canning up a 40 gallon stainless steel barrel of Amber Rich that David has brought up from the sugarhouse. Before the jugs are filled, the syrup is filtered (again) and heated up to 180º. It looks beautiful, smells delicious, and will make many of our loyal customers very happy!

Amber Rich for the Farm Store!

Spring Greetings!

The maple sugaring season was pretty wild this year!

No two years are ever the same.

This year we boiled twice in February- the 23rd and 25th. Then no sap ran until March 5th when the trees opened up and sap came in everyday until we quit on March 23rd! It was an incredible run and challenging to keep up with. They made around 475 gallons of syrup, all grade A. David and his loyal helpers stopped because they ran out of wood and stainless steel barrels to store the syrup in. The sap kept running but we chose not to collect and boil.. The trees gave us a generous crop and we are very grateful for it. We made enough for us and all the others that enjoy Franklin Farm’s unique and delicious maple syrup!

The milk cows are calving almost everyday now. There are already lots of cute calves running around in the barn.

More on that next time. 

It’s a wonderful time to stop by the farm and see all the new babies and their Moms!

The store is well stocked with maple syrup, dozens of fresh eggs, organic frozen ground beef, and just the other day I made a batch of The One and Only ZESTY Dressing!

Spring is here! Get out and enjoy it.

All the best,

Mary Ellen

And... we're boiling!

The sap ran all day and night, and just slowed down yesterday afternoon.

Al Franklin, Jr., Michael Franklin, John Franklin, and David all worked to make the first boil come together. The syrup they made tasted delicious!

Visitors are always welcome when the steam is coming out roof vents.

What a busy weekend!

All the taps are in! The sugarhouse is cleaned up and put together. A good crew joined in to make it happen. Tyler Potter and Paul worked together. Rob Potter and Dana Franklin worked together. Michael Franklin joined in too. Now we wait for the temperature to get above freezing during the day. Monday looks promising!

Thank you everybody for all your help. We couldn’t do it without you.

John happy to be in the woods

Thanks to our awesome tapping crew!

A very happy and tired farmer Dave after a long day!

Last Days to Graze

Cows enjoying one the last days of the 2021 grazing season. They have been out every day since May 3rd. Yesterday, November 11 was their last day eating fresh grass. We have never been able to graze them this late in the fall. All the rain kept pastures growing. The cows and us are grateful.

Hello and Welcome.

For quite some time I have contemplated writing a Franklin Farm blog. As winter sets in, it seems as though this may be as good a time as any to begin. Few people make their living farming anymore. If you have never lived this way, or known relatives that did, you might find this blog interesting.

In these entries I will shed light on my family's work and our commitment to the animals we partner with here on the Franklin Farm, as well as the diverse, beautiful and productive land that supports us all.  

I encourage you to comment and ask questions. I will do my best to respond.

Till next time, Mary Ellen Franklin

Franklin Farm Whole Grain Pancakes

Back when David’s father Bill Franklin was growing up here in Guilford, pancakes were served every morning at breakfast. Most of the time with maple syrup, but also with left over gravy from supper the night before. They were wholesome and filled everybody up till dinner was served at noon. Here on the farm we still eat them two or three times a week instead of boxed cereal.

Franklin Farm Whole Grain Pancakes

• 1 Cup whole milk*

• 1 Tbsp. vinegar or lemon juice

• 1 Tbsp. mild oil (such as sunflower, canola, vegetable)

• 1 large fresh egg

• 1/2 Cup white flour**

• 1/2 Cup whole wheat flour**

• 1/2 Cup whole oats

• 1/4 Cup corn meal

• 1/2 tsp. each: baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt

*You can use low fat or skim milk but you will have to add another Tbsp. of oil.

** These pancakes work really well with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free flour.

1. Mix wet ingredients in a medium sized bowl. 

2. Mix dry ingredients together well.

3. Combine wet and dry. Stir well. If too thick, thin with a little milk or water. 

Add fruit if you like. We like blueberries and/or raspberries. Another favorite is apples and cinnamon.

Generously oil a griddle or heavy fry pan. Drop batter by the spoonful into hot oil. Cook on first side till bubbles appear and edges look a little dry. Flip and cook a minute or so more. Pile on a plate and serve with plenty of Franklin Farm Maple Syrup.

Enjoy!