Friday was our second volunteer day to prepare for the launch of Driftless Curiosity. I’m thankful for family and friends who join beneath the maple branches, simultaneously preparing for the maple syrup workshop and managing the onset of the first sap run. We put the finishing touches on the outdoor classroom, split wood, and go over logistics. Papa Rich has full on “sap fever” and would love nothing more than to tie every maple on the hillside into his tap line, but we’ve got some repairs to make first. I’m a bundle of nervous energy, but the simple satisfaction of seeing sap gushing from behind bark offers a remarkable sense of composure. If Mother Nature has smiled on us with perfect weather, the rest will fall into place.

~Joy