Maple has broken like the first dawning, and the commonwealth celebrates next weekend with Massachusetts Maple Weekend. 

And celebrate we shall, by heading to the hilltowns to meet some of the folx that are being recognized not just locally, but internationally for the way they handle sap. Boyden Bros Maple in Conway has been sugaring for 4 generations, and it’s current stewards are utilizing methods old and new to create a wide swath of maple products all season long and beyond. 

We meet Howard Boyden, the latest of his line to helm the endeavor, and learn much more about the nuances of sugaring, including his role in supporting maple producers across the continent, his family’s history in the business, his wife Jeanne’s award winning candy and more, and some of the ways their production differs from others. . 

And our weekly chat with congressman for the 2nd district Jim McGovern traverses the weirdness of the state of the union, venturing into the comments and behavior of the president at the event, and the ripples they have into the many issues that affect all of us. Plus a great listener question on fact checking.

Note: We inccorectly refer in this episode to Mass Maple Weekend as happening on this weekend Feb 27-March 1st. Mass Maple weekend is actually occurring on March 7 & 8th.