Three generations tap maple trees during Saint Patrick's season

[gentle music] [birdsong] – Jennifer Richart: There is nothing like being in the woods this time of year.
Spring is here before it’s anywhere else.
Something about it just is grounding.
The sun hits you just right.
And it’s warm out here.
You’re in the 10 acres that we do maple syruping in.
In order for us to tap trees, a lot of the snow melts.
Moss starts to grow.
– Bridget Wenman: It’s just a absolutely beautiful place to be in this time of year, in the spring.
– Dave O’Brien: Well, we’re here at the O’Brien Maple Grove.
It’s where we grew up.
Our grandparents settled out here.
And most of the families in this area of the county are all settled from Ireland.
[pipe band playing “Amazing Grace”] – Jennifer: The parade in New London is pretty amazing.
– Bridget: Every year at Saint Patrick’s weekend, they change New London to the city of New Dublin.
They change all the signs.
My parents were pretty involved in that celebration.
– Reporter: I’m here with Bob O’Brien, the commentator and color host for today’s parade.
– Bridget: My dad emceed that parade for years.
– Bob O’Brien: And here comes a bunch of Irish farmers.
Those Irish farmers are very, very good farmers, you know that?
They spread an awful lot of fertilizer, and that’s what makes them so good.
[co-emcee laughing] – Dave: My dad tapped about 125 trees.
We would can 100 quarts a year.
And my dad just did it as a hobby.
Now, for us kids, it was a chore.
– I was out here from five, six, seven years old, as were my brothers and sisters.
I didn’t like it.
[chuckling] – Charlie O’Brien: When I was four years old, sitting on the tank, and just there while everyone else was doing the hard work, pouring the buckets into the tractor.
[syrup splashing] – Bridget: We have three generations of people that come out and enjoy the property, spend some time collecting syrup.
– Dave: So my dad died in 1988, and at that point, my oldest brothers were getting closer to retirement.
And they really took it from there, and it’s expanded substantially.
They said, “We have more of us that can help.
Let’s tap 750 taps.”
And it really turned it to start where we’re at today, which is we built this beautiful, brand-new sap shed, thanks to my brother Gene.
And it went from being a place that we gathered in the spring to 12 months out of the year.
As more of the family members get involved, they invest their time, their kids get involved, and it really brings the family together.
– It was never about making money.
It was about making maple syrup for the family.
– And really working hard and playing hard.
And that’s what we do when we’re out here.
[lively Irish folk music] – Dave: Saint Paddy’s Day, though, it’s kind of like a family reunion.
– Jennifer: Saint Paddy’s weekend is really about coming home, and it’s all family.
And so the conversations are deeper.
You know everybody.
Even if there’s 100 people, you still know everybody.
Once we step in to the gathering into the sugar shack, I mean, as soon as we’re in there, it’s food and companionship.
– Betty: We thank you for the beauty of this surrounding.
The forethought of our ancestors that came to this country.
– Jennifer: Our family has a lot of storytellers, and it took the storytelling and put it up on the walls.
– I picked out this one, and my four stones there are for my daughters.
I have four daughters.
[gentle harp music] – Its whole purpose is to keep us together.
– I’m sure that’s why our family has remained as close as we have been.
If we didn’t have this, it would be weddings and funerals.
– Bridget: It’s all about passing it to the next generation and spending time together.
There’s nothing better than that.
[gentle music] [birdsong]