My old neighbour made what now sounds like a pretty amazing remark. Years ago, after he retired, he spoke to me of his life in faming. On one quarter (160 acres) of land he had raised six kids; they all ate well, were well clothed and sheltered , and any that wanted to go away for further education  were provided for. “And,” he said proudly, “I never paid a nickel of interest.”

Spring. A wonderful season, bright with beauty and promise, right? Well, to be honest, it’s a season that doesn’t come without a few downsides.

On April 23 Esther and I began tapping the prairie maples on our Smeaton acreage, the first step in making maple syrup and satisfying my wife Esther’s unquenchable thirst for looting Mother Nature.