Rick Theriault- Your Maine Real Estate Guide is an expert in living the Maine lifestyle. Here at his homestead in Northern Maine he talks about converting the ornamental plant life around his home from nice to look at, to functional crop bearing options such as blueberries, raspberries, fruit trees and more. Not only are these plants nice to look at, they produce a significant harvest in a smaller amount of space than you might think!

Rick Theriault- Your Maine Real Estate Guide is thinking ahead! Getting that wood shed full before the snow flies. He explains some of the science behind a good quality firewood. Plus he gets to play on his Kubota tractor, so there's an added bonus.

Its a bad day to be a drone! The good news is Rick Theriault-Your Maine Real Estate Guide is here to educate and entertain us on the ins and outs of bee keeping.

Rick Theriault enjoys fishing in Costa Rica

 

Rick Theriault checks out the activity surrounding his bee hives. One didn't survive the winter, but the other two are thriving and bringing in their first run of pollen for the season. Beekeeping update.

Maine Spring Recreation

I know it doesn’t quite look like spring is here yet in many areas of Maine, but we know it is coming. For some, spring brings with-it pent-up demand to get outside and recreate. Here are some ideas for recreating in early spring.

Hiking Trails

Spring time hiking offers the reward of uncrowded trails, views not available when the leaves are on and wildlife sightings from unpressured animals. In many places you will need to bring a variety of foot wear possibly including snowshoes. North facing slopes of mountain trails can be a nice challenge, just be prepared for the ice and snow.

Open Water Fishing Season – April 1^st

Yes, it is still cold and most of our lakes remain covered in feet of ice, but some of our rivers and streams are open and produce good fishing. In eastern Maine you can try your luck at Grand Lake Stream for landlocked salmon and brook trout. Just south of Baxter State Park the West Branch of the Penobscot River is fishable, though I recommend you watch the weather forecast and pick a nice day. It can turn winter like this close to Mount Katahdin. Most anglers this early in the season concentrate their efforts in Nesourdnahunk Deadwater for salmon and trout. Be sure to check the rules before you head out on an outing at this link to open water fishing regulations.

 

Late Season Snowmobiling in Northern Maine

While most of the world is starting to bloom in mid to late March, far northern Maine is still heavily covered in snow and for those still in need of a snowmobiling fix, the Fort Kent area should be on your radar. The trails can vary in quality depending on the weather, but for those hardcore riders, long sunny days and no crowds can make it worth the effort.

Spring Turkey Season

For those that like calling in a gobbler the spring turkey season opens April 29^th in WMD’s 7 – 29. The season for WMD’s 1-6 have special season and dates see this link to Maine IF&W site for all the details. Follow this link to the MIFW information on spring turkey hunting.

Make Some Maple Syrup

Collecting sap from maple trees on your property can be an early spring activity with a sweet reward. Here are links to a two-part video by our own Rick Theriault, the Maine Real Estate Guide, showing the entire process.

Tap to Table 1  Tap to Table 2

Buying Recreational Property

 If you are looking for a recreational property for hunting, fishing, hiking, trail riding and other outdoor adventures see our property listings organized for recreational use with prices to fit any budget with small country lots and homes to thousands of acres of wild land in Maine. Start your recreational property search HERE.

Rick Theriault- Your Maine Real Estate Guide is back with another update on his honey bees. After a long winter its time for them to get out, stretch their wings and cleanse their tiny bodies. In the next few weeks they should start feeding on the same maple trees he has been making his maple syrup

The sap has been gathered and its time to boil some syrup!

Pro Tips: 
* Don't boil syrup start to finish in your home you will turn it into a sauna!
* Filter your sap- no one wants bark on their pancakes!
* Temperature matters- an end temp of about 220 degrees is ideal. 
* Remember the 40-1 ratio: 40 quarts of sap = about 1 quart of syrup
* Always keep some ice cream on hand (This one might be the most important)