The End of Baseball, the Start of Summer

This week marks the beginning of baseball playoffs for our Rockies team, and while I'm excited to see what the boys can do, I'll admit I'm also looking forward to turning the page to summer.

Coaching this season has been a privilege. As a first-year head coach, I definitely had a learning experience. There were plenty of moments where I was figuring things out as I went, but watching the players grow throughout the season made every challenge worth it. Seeing their confidence build, their skills improve, and their love for the game grow has been incredibly rewarding. No matter how the playoffs turn out, I'm proud of what this team accomplished.

With baseball winding down, my focus is shifting back to the sugarhouse and the seemingly endless list of projects waiting for us.

One of the biggest wins lately has been maple candy. After plenty of trial and error, sticky counters, and a few batches that didn't quite cooperate, I'm finally starting to get the hang of making candy on my own. It has been a messy learning curve, but that's part of the process. Every batch teaches me something new, and I'm genuinely enjoying the challenge.

Thankfully, the sugarhouse is one of the coolest places to be during the summer. While everyone else is searching for air conditioning, I'm often tucked inside, surrounded by stainless steel and maple goodness, experimenting with candy and planning what's next.

And there is a lot of planning happening.

One project that has completely captured my attention is the old sugarhouse. Our goal is to transform it into a small museum that tells the story of our family's maple heritage and showcases how maple production has evolved over the generations. It's a huge undertaking and, if I'm being honest, my current "delulu" goal is to have it open by this fall. Is that ambitious? Absolutely. Am I determined to make it happen anyway? Also absolutely.

There is still an incredible amount of work ahead, but every old artifact uncovered, every corner cleaned out, and every story preserved feels like a step closer to bringing that vision to life.

Outside of baseball and maple, our three littles are fully embracing summer. They spend their days swimming, playing outside, and soaking up every minute of sunshine they can find. Kurt and I often find ourselves simply watching them and appreciating this season of life.

One of the greatest gifts of farming is the childhood it provides. Our kids may work alongside us, but they also get something many children only dream about: wide-open spaces, homegrown food, room to run, jump, explore, and be loud. They learn responsibility through caring for animals, develop a strong work ethic by helping on the farm, and experience firsthand where their food comes from.

It's not always easy. The days are long, the work is hard, and there never seems to be enough time.

But it's a beautiful life.

As we head into summer, we're grateful for the opportunity to raise our family here, continue building the future of Pure Gold Sugaring, and share this little corner of Vermont with all of you.

Here's to baseball playoffs, maple candy, ambitious dreams, and another summer on the farm.

Stay sticky,

Regan