Each apple season for quite a few years now I’ve been proud to stock our shop with Wisconsin made maple syrup from Hedmark’s Maple Ridge located in Fence, WI.  This year is no different.

With my syrup order the Hedmark’s always send the Judging Results from the current years contest.  In 2016 4 entries out of 45 received a 100% score – and Hedmark’s Maple Ridge was one of them!

Entries are judged in the categories of density, clarity, flavor, color, and color.  It’s great to see that the maple syrup we offer at our store scored a 100% in all categories!  If maple syrup is your thing be sure to give Hedmark’s Maple Ridge a try!

I snapped some pictures from yesterday’s Apple Blossom Days and wanted to share them with you. I also just checked out the weather for today and it’s going to be GORGEOUS (at least until the storms tonight). If you have time stop out and check out the blossoms – I can’t guarantee they’ll still be here next week but I can guarantee that they are beautiful today! Some of our neighbors stopped by and my girls had a great time showing Charlie and Gabby how to do the duck races… And how to feed the goats. And I’m pretty sure many other things. We have a decent selection of hanging plants and tomato plants for sale. If you remember from the old location – it pretty much holds true that if it’s not breathing – it’s for sale. The shop portion of the store is also set up. Come and check out all the newest quilts, my ‘To Go’ Quilts, and patchwork owls. I also have my jewelry all out – if you like what you see at theApple I can promise there’s much more than that at the orchard! A new thing we’ll be selling at the store this year is fabric! That’s right – we have a wide selection of commercial printed fat quarters and hand-dyed fabric (that Diane and I dye). A great way to stock up for your stash or to find that one piece you need to finish your latest project. The background of this quilt is made from hand-dyes. Many of our quilts are if you want to get some 'ideas'. I have a decent supply of 2010 Maple Syrup from Hedmark’s. Be sure to stock up some for your summer pancakes and waffles! I also have some new pottery from Blue Sky Pottery – including a few of her AMAZING berry bowls! New this year are some handmade pie birds from PieBirdsbySharon. Mary Lou Stronach has some of her beautiful spring toll painted items for sale for these few weekends, too.

You can also purchase some plant-able apple tags (with wildflower seeds) that were made by GreenPost. They are really neat and would be the perfect little addition to any mother’s day gift! Our handmade canned goods and honey are also for sale. One thing you haven’t seen before is Diane’s Seedless Raspberry Spread – it has HALF the sugar that a jam would have! AND! Mac N Tosh have been very prolific producing eggs this year. In fact – that’s why they’re not over at our place yet (no worries – they’ definitely be here by fall). Every time my in-laws think they’re done – they have another egg – we don’t want to disturb that. So we have a pile of blown out emu eggs for sale! If nothing else you definitely have to check out their stunning green color and amazing size!

I have also set up a ‘Photo Scavenger Hunt’ for whoever wants to try it out. A few groups did it yesterday and I think they had a fun time with it. If you get pictures of 10 of the 13 items I put on the hunt and post them to the Lapacek’s Orchard Flickr Group you will get a free 1/2 peck of apples (max value of $5). (more instructions on the sheet). It’s a good way for you to figure out our new layout and explore our orchard so be sure to stop in the store when you arrive to pick up your hunt sheet!

Can’t wait to see you at the new place!

I’m not kidding! We’re going to have our very own, Wisconsin-made Maple Syrup for sale at the orchard this fall.

We went to my parent’s cottage in Fence, WI, this year over the Fourth of July and Jared and I had the pleasure of meeting Fred Hedmark. He lives just down the lane from my parent’s cottage and has quite the maple syrup operation going on. After chatting with him for awhile and seeing how things work we decided this would be a great opportunity for the orchard. I have had so many people come in and ask if we have maple syrup…now we do!

I want to share with you some information from the Hedmark’s brochure:

Hedmark’s Maple Ridge History

Hedmark’s Maple Ridge is nearly a century old family hobby located in the Town of Fence, Florence County. Fred and Bonnie Hedmark are the third generation to make maple syrup.

It all started in 1917 when Fred and Stephanie Hedmark grew weary of the city life in Chicago. They traded two lakeside apartment buildings for 240 acres in the Town of Fence, sight unseen. They moved to the Northwoods with their toddler son, Edward, and lived in a tent taht summer until the log cabin was built. In 1918, Stephanie moved back to Chicago to give birth to their second son, Milan. They made maple syrup for their own consumption and bartered the rest for other necessities while raising 5 children.

During World War 2, Milan was stationed in Chicago, where he met Vita. In 1945, they were married, bought a farm and moved back to Fence.

In 1958 Mila and Vita purchased a 3’ x 12’ evaporator, put up a modest building, put out 700 taps and started producing maple syrup commercially with their three sons; Bob, Mike (Milan) and Fred. Through the years they increased the number of taps to as high as 1600 taps, using buckets and bags. The unique aspect was Milan always used a team of horses to gather the sap.

In 1995, Milan urged his youngest son, Fred, to try installing tubing on his property close to the family farm. The property has a very steep ridge running north-south, making it a perfect setup for gravity tubing, thus the name Hedmark’s Maple Ridge. In 1996 Fred and Bonnie installed 500 taps and went into partnership with Milan. 1996 was the last yar of using the horses for gathering the sap, because in 1997 they installed another 400+ taps for a total of 900+taps of tubing. In 1998, Milan turned the operation over to Fred and Bonnie.

In the fall of 2000, Fred built a new sap house and installed a 4’ x 18’ evaporator, the official start of the third generation.

Vacuum was added to the tubing during the 2009 season which increased the product 50% over the gravity system.

The first weekend in April, Hedmark’s hosts an annual open house serving breakfast with Bonnie’s made from scratch buttermilk pancakes and pure maple syrup. (We are going to try to attend in 2010)

In October 2008, Hedmark’s Maple Ridge was named 2008 – 2009 Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producer of the Year. This is the ultimate honor to have bestowed on any Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producer.

Maple Syrup

Pure maple syrup is made from the sap of the sugar maple trees, harvested in the late winter and early spring.

It takes approximately 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrups. While the Native Americans used to cook the sap by placing hot rocks in birch bark kettles, at Hedmark’s Maple Ridge a 4’x18’ wood-fired evaporator boils down the sap. Using the plentiful firewood in the area lessons the dependence on foreign energy sources.

If you haven’t tasted the natural sweetness direct from the maple tree, try some real maple syrup made right here in Wisconsin.

Hedmark’s Maple Ridge

Pure Maple Syrup

Maple Equipment

Fred and Bonnie Hedmark

1268 Carlson Road

Florence, WI 54121

(715) 336-2214

fbhedmark@centurytel.net

I am super excited to offer you this blue ribbon maple syrup at the orchard the fall!