News from Vermont #13 - Movin’ and shakin’ in Vermont

Burr Morse

Morse Farm Sugar Works

Montpelier, VT

www.morsefarm.com

Hello, again from confused Vermont.

I say confused because the weather around here simply does not know what to do. Two days ago it was hot, hot. Those buds grew before our eyes, into little mouse eared leaves that now cling pea green and shivering on all the maple trees. Yes, today’s cold brings a few snowflakes and a feeling that everything that lives, shivers. To really shake up our system, we even had an earthquake in the middle of those weather changes! April is that in-between month, when sugaring ends and Vermonters pine for warmth and greenness and we always do something special on the warm days.

On one of those beautiful warm days, I took the opportunity to show a Morse cousin from Boston around this area, so rich in Morse heritage. We went up the County Road to Calais (pronounced “Callus”), turned right on Bliss Pond Road and stopped at The Old West Church, built back in 1823 by my great, great, great, great grandfather, Lovell Kelton. I showed my cousin the pews, several of which bear the name “Morse”, and explained the origin of pews as a seating arrangement. Back in the early days of the Old West Church, folks left “free stones” heating on their wood stoves. On winter Sunday mornings they would do their chores early, hitch up the sleigh, and transfer a free stone to the sleigh. On route to church, where their souls would be warmed, they shrouded themselves with thick wool blankets and heat from the free stone warmed their bodies.  

There were no stoves in the church because of fire danger, so seating was designed in pews, or square partitioned corals for each family (my father said one of his first memories was of sitting through a sermon at the Old West Church, thinking what a great place those pews would be to raise calves!). The free stones were centered in the pew and wool blankets, again, shrouded the huddled families. The preacher, on the other hand, stood alone in his pulpit, with no pew walls around him…humm…maybe that is how “fire and brimstone” preaching came to be!

We had a grand time checking our roots on that fleeting warm day. We visited many Morse graves out back in the cemetery, including that of James Morse, another great, great, great, great grandfather of mine. I came away feeling that time and generations are a bit like preparing a recipe…what tastes best is cooked over a long time with experience and high quality ingredients on an equal footing. My family has been making maple syrup all these generations with an eye toward quality and goodness. We’ve just completed our 2002 season and the quality was exceptional. Our web site makes it so easy for you to have some and with Morse maple syrup, there is never any weather-like surprises…it is always good.

Thanks for listening and remember…if you see someone movin’ around kinda quick, he may just be tryin’ to stay warm.              Burr

You can go directly to the syrup page on our web site at:
http://www.morsefarm.com/pages/syrup.php

Out of state friends can call us toll free at: 1-800-242-2740. Vermont
friends can call us at: 1-802-223-2740.

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Again, thanks for being interested in Morse Farm Maple Syrup.

Burr

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Morse Farm
1168 County Road
Montpelier, VT 05602
http://www.morsefarm.com
maple@morsefarm.com

Call to order
and be sure to ask for our fancy new catalogue
1-800-242-2740