What in the Woods Is That?

Play our biweekly guessing game!

Whatever draws us into the forest—be it birdwatching or logging, hiking or hunting—all of us are unified by the sense of wonder we feel in the outdoors. The forests, fields, and streams of our region are full of mystery, and if you stop and look closely, you’ll see all sorts of oddities.

Below find a picture of one such woodlands curio. Guess what it is and you’ll be eligible to win a Northern Woodlands woodpecker magnet designed by artist Liz Wahid. A prize winner will be drawn at random from all the correct entries. The correct answer, and the winner’s name, will appear when the next column is posted and in our newsletter (sign up here!).

Hidden Chute?

High up in a steep stand of sugar maples, we found pieces of what appeared to be old metal roofing that someone, years ago, had lined up to create a chute. What is this?

Answer

This is a “bucket dump line” or “collection point conduit,” part of an old maple sugaring operation. This conduit allowed sugarmakers to transport sap from a collection point in the sugarbush, either downhill to the sugarhouse or to another holding tank, where they could transport the sap by horse-drawn wagon – on more level ground – to the sugarhouse.

This week’s contest winner was Aaron Glazer