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We are now busy washing all our equipment for storage until next year. Also we need to back-flush the pipelines and tubing. The spiles are removed from the tree and the taphole immediately begins to heal and will sealed with new wood as the tree grows.Its a big job washing 6 miles of pipelines and 20 miles of tubing. It’s always a rush getting done before the black fly season.

The wild leeks are now poking through the leaf litter as well as the dog tooth violets.The leatherwood shrub will be one of the first to burst into flower. It has a small yellow flower that only lasts for two days. It’s called leather wood because the branches are of flexible and can be tied in knots without breaking. The bark was stripped by the natives and woven into strong rope. Also soon to appear will be the hepaticas and the small mayflowers.

Here is an interesting picture of a tree trunk being pecked to pieces by pileated woodpeckers. Obviously we’ll have to do some line repair when they cut through the trunk.

The camp will be open daily all this week and through the weekend. We will be closing the camp except by appointment starting April 29.