John Hodgkins sent me an update on the sugar season as they experienced it at Jackson Mountain sap house. He found that the season actually turned out quite favorably.

They first made syrup on March 25, three days after Maine Maple Sunday. The last day they boiled was on April 13, and they made syrup all but two days in between. A few cold nights followed the 13th, “but the sap wouldn’t budge”, he says.

The Hodgkins made 80 gallons of syrup this year, a one-third increase over last year, but still about 20 percent less than their annual goal of 100 gallons. Over the last five or six years, 100 gallons has been the average yield. This year’s syrup is excellent and they were well satisfied. Given the slow beginning, the season did turn out okay.

I noticed when I was over in Vermont during the weekend of April 11, that even the smaller sap houses there had trucks parked out front with large tanks installed in their beds. They seem to be hauling their sap from some distance where most of the small sap houses here are collecting sap from the surrounding trees.

Millions of gallons of Maine sap, by the way, is trucked to Vermont each year where it is boiled off and sold as Vermont syrup. There is a slight gap in the truth in advertising here.

Michael Romanyshyn has been making birch syrup this spring. It takes about 100 gallons of birch sap to make a gallon of syrup. Compared to maple’s 40 to one ratio, it’s a lot more work to make birch syrup.

The flavor is distinct too, more tart, savory, with just a hint of bitter. The difference, Michael tells me, is largely due to the difference in the sugar. Where maple syrup is primarily sucrose, the sugar in birch syrup is fructose and glucose. It is highly prized for sauces for pork and salmon, and like all birch products, has a wide variety of medicinal uses.

Birch trees are tapped later than the maples and the sap runs more slowly because the trees have lower trunk and root pressure. Birch syrup is quite dark in color, almost as dark as molasses though not so thick. It is tricky to boil down into syrup because its sugars are very heat sensitive and scorch easily. All in all, this is a very intriguing alternative to maple syrup.

Come Memorial Day weekend, Temple’s main road will again be graced with 36 American flags. Jean Mitchell reports that she has collected enough donations to replace all of the flags and at least ten of the poles that were first installed by the Boy Scouts. As donations continued to come in after she met the initial goal, she has purchased some additional flags and poles to have on hand as needed.

There were even sufficient donations that a flag will be purchased to replace the one flying at the Town Hall. That flag is not very old but it flies year round, and the weather has taken quite a toll. Jean hopes to be able to replace it with a sturdier one that will last several years.

Jean said that she was very pleased with the generosity shown by Temple’s residents. More than 20 families contributed and the largest donation was $250. Thank you to everyone who helped.

Selectman Michelle Clark has recently had to make some difficult decisions for the sake of her health. She has been coping for many years with Multiple Sclerosis, a very difficult disease as its symptoms will subside for long periods and then suddenly get worse. Several factors came together this winter to push Michelle into a serious relapse.

After a month of discussions with her healthcare professionals, Michelle has decided that her best course of action is to resign from her positions on the Temple Fire Department, Temple Fire Auxiliary and her Selectmen seat. She regrets having to do so but feels her health has to be her first priority.

Our remaining Selectmen, Austin Foss and Kevin White, are looking at a decision to hold a special election to fill the nine months remaining in Michelle’s term or to continue on as a two person Board until next March.

A special Town Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 2nd to attend to several items of business, and an election could be held at that time. Already on the Warrant for that meeting are a couple of items left over from the past March’s meeting.

First, we seem to have forgotten to re-elect our Representative to the School Board, and Betsy Hyde fortunately has been willing to continue in that position. Second, a budgeting issue that needs to be addressed arose due to a typo in the Warrant. The proper amount was included in the budget, but we voted for an insufficient amount.

The third issue again opens the question of changing the Town’s fiscal year to start on July 1 rather than Jan. 1. To allow sufficient discussion regarding this change, a Public Hearing will be held on the matter on Monday, May 18 at 6 p.m.

The position of Animal Control Officer will also become open sometime in the next few months. Our current Officer, Mike Wedge, has decided he’s had enough of Maine’s winters. Mike has sold his house, bought a hefty pick-up truck and a fifth wheel travel trailer to tag along behind. Come fall, he will be heading to Florida and won’t be back until spring.

The Animal Control Officer is an appointed position which pays $1,600 a year. The Officer is charged with ensuring humane and proper treatment of animals in the town by upholding the animal welfare laws of Maine. Primarily watching out for dogs and cats, the Officer investigates animal cruelty and neglect complaints, transports stray animals to the Shelter in Farmington, and chastises those among us who have dogs that are running at large. Training is provided.

Contact the Selectmen if you’d be interested in taking the position.

Temple residents, please feel free to call me at 778-3856 with news or announcements, or if you have become the new Animal Control Officer.