Rick's Sugar Shack

Rick's Sugar Shack Just Pure CT Maple Syrup and maple products. We produce Pure Connecticut Maple Syrup. Normal season is From February to April each year. starting the 3rd Sat.

During the season we are opened from 10 am to 4 pm each weekend. During the summer we have a Farm Stand along with vendors each Sat. in July and go through the end of Sept. Time each Sat. is 9 AM to Noon.

05/26/2026

Hello all again. Well more folks came and got flowers yesterday and with what went and I put in flower beds I'm about out. However I'm not a fan of PETUNIAS. So I have 3 trays that are at the end of the driveway on a small table, and for anyone local that wants them for FREE come and grab. I don't want to put them in compose pile.

05/25/2026

Good evening all. Well I just finished another perennial garden, that is filling in with annuals. Of the 36 gardens I only have 3 more to get done. That will be tomorrow. But I want to THANK

05/24/2026

Rick's Sugar Shack
Good evening all. Well we sold more annual flowers at the church this morning which was great, but I still have a large amount left over. Many 4.5 inch pots. Mainly geranium plants, all colors. Have flats of 6 pack annuals as well, plus 11 and 12 inch hangers. More than I can use. I will be in our yard tomorrow from 11 AM to 1 PM. All I want for each is what it cost me from the green house. If interested stop on by. THANKS

05/23/2026

Hello all. Well the flower sale today ended up as a wash out. We still have many hanging baskets and a lot of annuals that didn't sell since the rain started at 11 AM. So each year we bring in the remaining plants and see what sells after church the following day. I will be there and it's open to the public from 11AM to NOON tomorrow since we have many more plants available. Keep in mind the price is cheaper than one finds at farm stands. So come and do your plant shopping at the Congregational Church of East Hampton on Main Street inside tomorrow from 11 to Noon.

05/22/2026

Good evening all. Well I did the interview for the Agriculture Commission this evening. It will be awhile before I find out if I was selected. Will post as soon as I find out. Thanks to the folks that asked me to please file the application and see if I could become a member. For me though it's more about keeping the Rick's Sugar Shack in business.

Good evening all. Well it's been fun in the perennial gardens here at the farm. I know I posted a shot of the first tabl...
05/19/2026

Good evening all. Well it's been fun in the perennial gardens here at the farm. I know I posted a shot of the first table almost full. Well since then it has grown to 3 full tables. All are ready for the East Hampton Garden Club flower sale at the Congregational Church of East Hampton annual flowers and craft sale this coming Sat. 23 May. Yes Memorial Day weekend is early this year. I lost count at 240, but even another 24 got added today. Majority are in 6 inch pots. Come and support the Church which will have hanging baskets and flats of annual flowers and of course the Garden Club with all perennials.

05/13/2026

Good evening all. Well after my last post I was asked by a number of folks to submit an application for the Agriculture Commission. I did so this past Monday, but was disappointed not much was talked about the commission on Tuesday night at council meeting. Only thing was that 8 had summitted applications. So I waited to hear and today I was called and now have an appointment next Thursday evening for an interview. So I will go and see what happens. I will now hold off till 1 July and see what comes of the commission and if I will close

04/29/2026

Well been researching things and now I know why I couldn't pull up the meeting with the information I was given. That is because the meeting actually was on 7 April. At that meeting town council voted 6 to 0 with 1 member absent to table the Right to Farm Ordinance. No new date has been set. So come next week I will start the process to dissolve my business "Rick's Sugar Shack". Starting with the CT Secretary of State and DRS. It will go into affect at midnight on May 31, 2026. It seems that East Hampton Town Officials just don't want small farms or that they could care less about them and just destroy ones that have been farming in town for near 30 years, but of course not under town Farm Status, but still paying tax on the name of the business and all the equipment it takes to operate the business.

On a good note tonight, potting my perennials have started. Yes for the East Hampton Garden Club. As many of you know I ...
04/29/2026

On a good note tonight, potting my perennials have started. Yes for the East Hampton Garden Club. As many of you know I started the Memorial Day weekend flower sale at the EH Congregational Church about 20 plus years ago. My landscaping business got the annuals and hangers for the church to sell and they got the profit. Well since I had to close down the landscaping to take care of my wife I now use the Rick's Sugar Shack to get the flowers. As for the garden club I've been helping them for years, even before the flower sale started and still doing so today. But if I have to close the sugar house I'm not sure if I will be able to do the flowers for the church or the Garden Club next year. I will loss my farm sales tax status with the state and wont be able to buy wholesale anymore. So today I started the Garden Clubs flowers for this year, these are ones I started myself from seeds or clippings last fall, still got more to pull out of veggie gardens tomorrow, but the first 80 6" pots are ready.

04/28/2026

Evening all, well spent the last hour trying to tune into the Zoom meeting at East Hampton, CT town hall for a special meeting. Was not able to tune in, keeps saying waiting for meeting to start but nothing happening. Reason I wanted to listen was #8 b "Discussion and Set Possible Public Hearing for Rights to Farm" It would impact me and hopefully give me farm status and be able to keep Rick's Sugar Shack going. My deadline is still 1 June 2026. If no farm status than I will permanently shut down and take down the buildings. Which means I can't sell syrup or all the other products I make. I will as well cut back on what I grow since I wont have the need for the items I make with them. I was interviewed about the sugar house and what is happening as well as what will happen. It should be on Fox 61 news at 10 and 11PM tonight. The reporter wanted to visit with me before going to the meeting. So maybe I'll lean more at 10PM.

04/22/2026

Hello all again. Well I was given a lot of info yesterday on what I could do and try to get farm status for Rick's Sugar Shack. As well as check on building permeants they say I pulled, which I didn't for the sheds. So this morning I went and it seemed to be a total waste of time. They will refuse farm status even if I file. Has to do with my lot size and the size of our home. And that it's totally residential and can't do farming. Basically I guess I don't have enough space for another building and area to farm. Yet I already have a sugar house and a sales building. I don't need to add another building. Been doing business now since 1996. But the wired thing is even though the property isn't qualified for farming and sales, I was told as long as I keep paying residential tax's I can keep doing sugaring. So I'm going to check with 2 CT state departments and see what they think. At this point, depending on what the state says, the closing date will be 1 June 2026. When one totals in what I make selling the products and what it cost for equipment, cord wood, everything I need to finishing processing the pure syrup, and on top of that what the new tax on the property will be, I will be thousands of dollars in the red for the business every year. Which means my whole social security check each month is gone and a big chunk of the Air Force retirement gone as well to pay the tax and keep the business going. So I don't see a light at the end of the tunnel which would convince me to keep the business going. But like I said I will keep the equipment and tear down the buildings and do sugaring out in the open. But wont be able to sell what little I make. If things change to the better prior to 1 June I will let you all know, if not I will post the day I turn in paperwork to the USFDA, Secretary of State of CT and of course the Town of East Hampton, with the reason being the outrages increase on our property and tax's

Address

69 Collie Brook Road
East Hampton, CT
06424

Telephone

(860) 267-7117

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Rick's Sugar Shack posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Place Of Worship

Send a message to Rick's Sugar Shack:

Shortcuts

Share