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| (L) Roland Hermann, assistant, and Sebastian Lombardo, maple syrup maker |
Who could resist the warmth and friendship of
a blazing wood fire on a chilly, drizzly afternoon?
Sebastian and our
fellow neighbor, Roland, had wrapped up another batch of syrup. A pizza on a
platter sat on top of the bottles they’d filled.
“Where do you tap
your trees?” I asked.
“Our property on
Howard Lake Road in Leonard. Friends help with the main line tubing system with
a vacuum pump on the end to increase production. One hundred twenty to one
hundred sixty gallons syrup equals about 1,100 – 1,300 taps.” Sebastian grinned.
“My buddies are hooked on my maple syrup.”
The expression on
Roland’s face indicated he’s amongst that number.
“What do you do
with your syrup?” I asked.
“Give most of it
away to business associates, friends, and family.” Sebastian flashed another
smile. “Giving is the key to happiness.”
I agreed.
The massive,
sophisticated equipment demonstrated Sebastian’s experience and skill as a
builder. Roland did not exaggerate when he said our neighbor had designed
something I had to see.
“What motivated
you to make this commitment?” I asked.
“I got itchy
fingers several years ago when my neighbor tapped her trees. I like a good
hobby, to tinker, and it’s usually nothing small or simple.”
I said a silent “amen”
to that.
“There are many
facets of making syrup I enjoy,” Sebastian said. “Improving the equipment as I learn,
for one. The vacuum filter removes the niter, or impurities, from the sap. I
learned to boil the sap to seven degrees above the boiling point for a higher
sugar and less water content.”
I admired my
neighbor’s determination to relish life while he’s “young and strong,” as he sees
it. He’s hunted Montana’s back country with his hunting buddies who consider
his maple syrup “their spinach.”
“This is our
informal social activity. We unwind,” Sebastian added.
I’m amazed. “Who
and what influenced you to work this hard at giving to people?”
“My dad worked
with his hands and taught me generosity by example. He grew an apple orchard
and gave away apples and cider to his business associates. This had a strong
impact on my life. If someone didn’t receive their apples and cider, Dad heard
about it.”
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| A toast to the sweet labor of a sugarhouse |
Sebastian poured us
samples of his syrup in small plastic cups. We toasted and tasted.
His father would
be proud.
“I remember a
teaching moment,” Sebastian said. “Dad insisted my brother and I handle his
apples with care. He corrected us when we bruised them. He demanded nothing but
top notch for everyone. Those are the best values of our Italian culture.”
Dear Reader, I
left with four bottles of maple syrup tapped and made in Leonard, Michigan. That
equals about thirty gallons of sap to yield one-half gallon worth of his labor.
Three bottles to share. One to keep.
