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News from Vermont # 82 - 'Possum Possibilities
Burr Morse
Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks
Montpelier, VT
www.morsefarm.com
May 27, 2005
Hello again maple people,
Things are starting to green up here in Vermont in spite of a chilly,
rainy post sugar season. We've finally gotten the fences fixed and today a
stock trailer backed up to our acreage out front. A guy got out, critically
scanned the electric fence and lowered the trailer's tailgate. Inside, a
small herd of mixed bovines stood, dirty from winter stalls and confused
about their future. With a little prodding, they slowly sniffed their way
down the tailgate and onto the green grass. The cow guy and I watched,
knowing contact with the grass would trigger a ritual of spring I love to
watch. Sure enough, those critters didn't let me down. They blatted and
bellowed and kicked their hooves high, drunk for a short time with
freedom. We watched until they settled down and began a summer of grazing.
The cow guy and I shook hands and he drove off, down the road, beyond the
land that my ancestors had cleared for cows.
We sold our herd years ago. This place stayed "cowless" for one season,
which about drove me crazy. All summer long I sensed unrest from those
ancestors who shouted from every ragged clump, "Graze this land!" I knew I
needed to honor them for their hard work so long ago. They cleared the best
of Vermont for the cows and the worst of it for the sheep. My old friend,
Ernest Gould, used to say, "The devil's apron strings broke over Vermont."
He meant, of course, that we can thank the devil for the rocks and boulders
that curse these Vermont hills and valleys--hellish for man, but pure
paradise for sheep. Our sheep industry thrived for a long time. It built
our villages and fortified our economy; then that same economy, fickle
like the weather in Vermont, took the sheep away.
One day back during sugaring, a couple from New Zealand visited our sugar
house. I welcomed them, recognizing their accent early in our
conversation. They were fascinated by the maple process, literally a world
detached from their sheep and cattle back home. One thing led to another
and, before long, we were talking about New Zealand's thriving sheep
industry. Being farm people, they were full of facts and figures. We were,
in fact, feeling quite satisfied with our little "cultural exchange" when I
said something stupid: I said I had no use for wool because it's so itchy
and heavy. The woman looked at me as though I had just doused her with hot
maple syrup--I sensed a sticky situation ahead. She reached into her
trousers, stretched a six inch section of her undergarment toward me and
said in her stern New Zealand voice: "Wool's neither itchy nor heavy--feel
it, mate." I looked at her husband, speaking of "mates," before I
considered feeling his wife's underpants. He smiled with that "you'd
better do what she says" sort of look. I slowly reached out and felt the
softest, silkiest fabric that ever snuggled an ample set of hips. I wanted
a pair for myself.
She said it was made from choice Marino wool and, are you ready for
this...road-kill 'possum. That's right, 'possum fur. "There's a 'right
devilish' population of the varmits back home," she said," and they offer
a bounty to those who bring them in, road-kill or otherwise. They put 'em
through a chicken plucker and weave their fur into this wool." She offered
a touch to everyone else in the sugarhouse before she tucked herself back
in.
I've since thought a lot about that nice couple and our little exchange.
It seems absurd that we've lost our Vermont sheep industry, especially now
that I know how versatile wool is. In fact, I'm thinking of introducing a
new product line to these parts: It's to be called "'Possum-in-your-Pants"
undergarments. I'll be looking for 6000 Vermont farmers wanting to put
their land back into viable, lucrative production. We'll be starting up
small woolen mills in places like North Montpelier and Bridgewater and
hiring labor at a fair rate. We'll bring back the grain mills, livestock
sales and country markets. Vermont hillsides will be white year 'round
with snow in winter, sheep in summer. Oh...and we'll need an inexpensive
source of 'possum fur from points south--tons and tons of it--any takers
out there?
I've seen a lot of change in agriculture around here in my lifetime. The
sheep/wool industry was long gone when I was born in 1948, in fact.
Sometimes the things that economy decides can be a little sad. The good
news is that, in spite of the radical changes we've seen in our lifetimes,
this American economy still works quite well. I'm going to do a little
"readjusting" of economy right here at Morse Farm today: this is a slow
time here on the farm and we need a slight boost in our economy. So, for
one week (May 27 through June 3), I'm going to offer *free shipping on web
orders at www.morsefarm.com .
* There are a couple of exclusions: any order involving Grade B syrup is
excluded from this offer. Any order involving bacon is excluded from this
offer. All other Morse Farm items qualify.
Just use promotion code FSHIP during the period mentioned above and you
won't be charged shipping for qualifying Morse Farm products. Because our
software is not a genius (like you will be if you accept my offer),
shipping charges will show up on your order form. Wendy will, however,
deduct these charges when she processes your order. Thanks for helping
our economy.
Consider the 'possumabilities,
Burr
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1168 County Road
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maple@morsefarm.com
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If you want to stay on this list, just do nothing and I'll send you a
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bit of "News from Vermont" every now and then... that is, when I'm not
too
busy in the woods.
Of course you can always find us at: http://www.morsefarm.com
And we always answer our phone (we're funny that way) 1-800-242-2740.
Again, thanks for being interested in Morse Farm Maple Sugar.
-Burr
