Anticipating sugar... and FLIDS.

Photo courtesy of Tom Langton- family friend and lover of cameras

So I will be heading down to the farm this weekend to help with our Maple Sugaring demonstration days-- Friday is devoted to scouts and home-schoolers who will begin to arrive at 8 am, and stay for an hour and a half of maple lore and instruction, most finishing off the experience with a warm waffle and a drizzle of the good stuff!  Saturday is our walk-in day for the public, when families have an opportunity to come see sugaring on a VERY small scale.  Our angle at the farm is demonstration- in many things.  We are not big, and we aren't a 'produce farm' in the sense of producing any product in sizable quantity.  (possible exceptions being Strawberries in June and Pumpkins in October-- but even then, our quantities are limited.)  Working in this way is a perfect fit for my family of teachers.  It allows us to use our greatest talent-- sharing experience with kids and adults of all ages, passing on the fascinating details of this ancient lifestyle.  It's funny though, the expectation that some folks have, and their assessment of what we do in comparison to their expectation.  I hate to say it, but our setting has it's down side.  It is Long Island, after all.

I don't think I need to go into detail about the stereotype that is Long Island 'culture'.  It seems to be quite well known, as I've seen knowing nods in places as far as Europe, and certainly during my time in New Mexico, and here in New Hampshire.  The populace of Long Island seems to have found a special brand of self entitled- outspoken- judgement of all, at all times!  Sadly with a lack of willingness to turn that scathing scope in on themselves.  This is not true of all of Long Islands residents, and of course, is not unheard of in any town across the world, but the concentration of these people seems particularly dense on our little island paradise.  I had the pleasure of a few long distance phone calls this week to speak with some of these particular LI Residents... I've paused here, and deleted a short rant.  I am so trained to smile and soothe when I get these calls, to let the attitude buzz past my ears, and find a way to make the best of the situation, to translate the rudeness into a compliment.  These people really do love coming to the a farm, I should appreciate that, even if there approach is less than pleasant.  Still, there are moments when I close my eyes and wish this type of person would fade from view, choose to spend their Saturdays at the Mall, Building a Bear, or dressing an American Girl Doll.  Probably many of them do.  The vast majority of our farm guests are fabulous.  I miss them in fact, and when I get back to the farm I am truly happy to see them, as they are happy to see me.  But oh, some of the Flids* find their way in.

The conflict seems to me to stem from the odd perspective that all situations should be viewed as suspect.  So when you come to visit a small family farm, you assume these 'farmers' are trying to milk you for all that your worth (parden my play with words... couldn't help it).  Questions like, '"What do I get for my $6 admission?" or, "Is there anything else beside the farm?  A ball pit?  Juggling act?",  "Why should I come here?  What's in it for me?"  This is the exhausting piece of an otherwise pleasant day.  I don't mind the hard work, or the long hours, and believe me, I'm not in it for the money- none of us are!  But Oh, those Flids, they can really make it hard sometimes.

The weather outlook looks a little dreary this coming weekend.  That will help.  That keeps away those who are less rugged.  It will probably be a perfect couple days, with sweet treats, laughter and lots of "OH"s and "Wow, I didn't know that"s.  Either way, I'm excited to get back.  To don my tall rubber boots with fleece liners and trudge up the hill for some good'ol sugarin.

*FLID could be a post in and of itself I suppose.  A term we heard coined in upstate NY for tourists from Long Island who head north in the summers and swamp towns with antique bargain hunting and obnoxious requests... The acronym is not the kindest grouping of four words- Long Island is the middle two letters... you can fill in the F word, and the D word.  My family has embraced it as a quick and effective way to describe that special someone who occasionally crosses our path.  Really, we all have a little flid in us-- Let's just try to keep it to a minimum, hmmmm?