VOL. 17A, NO. 3 OCTOBER 2005...In the fall Michigan Newsletter a woman wrote in to say she was hav-ing a problem making candy. The problem being that it didn t harden, was taffy like

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VOL. 17A, NO. 3 OCTOBER 2005

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MAPLE SYRUP DIGESTOfficial publication of theOfficial publication of the

NORTH NORTH AMERICANAMERICANMAPLE SYRUPMAPLE SYRUP COUNCILCOUNCIL

DIRECTORYPublished and Edited by:

ROY S. HUTCHINSONP.O. BOX 240

CANTERBURY, NH 03224Phone: 603-783-4468

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Published four times a year(Feb., June, Oct., Dec.)

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DIRECTORY OF OFFICERSROGER SAGE, President

4449 Sage Road, Warsaw, NY 14569585-786-5684

ELIZABETH COLLINS, Vice President3095 230th Street, Marshall, MN 56258

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W1887 Robinson Dr., Merrill, WI 54452715-536-7251

DIRECTORSRon Wenzel. . . . . . . . . . . . . 860-649-0841

522 East St., Hebron, CT 06248Don Jewell. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 765-583-4865

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GREETINGS FROM YOURPRESIDENT

As our 2005 North American MapleSyrup Council meeting is fastapproaching we need to reflect onthe past year and we need to look for-ward to next year.

The 2005 maple syrup crop varieddepending on where you were locat-ed. In most areas the season waslate and short. However, the qualityof maple syrup was excellent leavinga shortage of the darker grades. Nextyear should be a challenge for themaple producers with skyrocketingfuel costs. We must strive to becomemore efficient.

The markets for maple syrup con-tinue to grow. The exciting trend thatis emerging is to see young peoplelooking for maple products. Thesepeople will be maple users for a longtime. We need to be confident thatpeople are willing to pay higherprices so that we can maintain ourprofit margin.

We have just finished our festivalsand fairs here in New York State withrecord sales despite smaller crowdsand higher gas prices. Maple syrupand the increasing variety of mapletreats bring back our customers yearafter year. How many times do wehear "I come to the fair every year formy maple"?

It has been a pleasure and anhonor to serve as your president overthe past two years. As the gavel ispassed to our new officers we contin-ue to need the support of each and

every sugar maker in the UnitedStates and Canada.

I look forward to seeing all of you atthe council meeting in Quebec.

Roger C. SagePresident

COMMENTS FROM THE EDITOR:

In the fall Michigan Newsletter awoman wrote in to say she was hav-ing a problem making candy. Theproblem being that it didn�t harden,was taffy like. T.D. responded that theMaple Syrup Producers Manual saidto cook the syrup to 248 degrees. Iam no expert at making candy butover the last forty years I have madethousands of lbs. of candy and neverhave I cooked it to 248 degrees.When I first started and stirred it byhand I cooked it to 238 degrees. NowI use a candy machine and I cook it to240-242 degrees and never had aproblem. I always use light ambersyrup and light amber syrup seems tohave the right amount of invert sugar.I suspect her problem is more of aninvert sugar problem than a tempera-ture problem.

If she used the fondant method ofmaking candy instead of stirring andpouring, she might have more controlof the finished product.

I always like to mention the fact thatwithout our advertisers, we would notbe able to publish the Digest, so con-tinue to support them, and they willcontinue to support the Digest.

Look forward to seeing old friendsin Trois Rivers.

Roy

October 2005 5

6 Maple Syrup Digest

IMSI NEWS

By Larry MyottExecutive Secretary

The Quebec planning committeehas been working hard for manymonths to prepare for the annualmeetings of the IMSI and NAMSC.We look forward to attending andonce again participating in these ses-sions. There is so much to learnabout our industries from theresearch reports, attending the gen-eral sessions, participating in thetours, and of course seeing the latestin technology at the trade show.

This is the first time that Quebechas hosted the joint annual meetings,I attended the last Quebec hostedannual meeting of the IMSI (1986)when David Marvin of Vermont wasthe chair. That was my introduction tothe IMSI and its workings. This yearmarks the 30th Anniversary of thefounding of the IMSI to �serve theinternational maple industry as anopen forum for the discussion ofindustry and government policies, atall levels, and to bring abut greateruniformity in the customs and usageof those engaged in the maple syrupindustry.�

The IMSI has been instrumental inmany facets of industry development,including serving as a cop on the cor-ner, to watch for adulteration andother methods of attempted cheatingby unsavory characters. Currently anIMSI committee has been studyingorganic certification and how this pro-gram is used within the industry,including current standards. Thisinternational committee is working toget the information needed to attempt

standardization on a world marketbasis.

The IMSI is sponsoring consumerresearch by Centre Acer (Quebec) onhow consumers see maple syrup andthe current grading systems. As thisIMSI work continues, in an attempt todevelop a standardized grading sys-tem for the international markets, thiswork is very important. The work willprovide a body of data to help desig-nate a standardized set of maple fla-vor descriptors.

For several years the IMSI hassponsored a maple syrup contest forpackers and gift shop producers.Although those who participated feltthat it was a viable contest and worth-while, participation never was verystrong. There will not be an interna-tional maple syrup contest in 2005 forpackers and gift shops. Perhapsanother idea will develop for promot-ing our continued quality products.

The Lynn Reynolds InternationalMaple Leadership Award will be pre-sented at the joint IMSI - NAMSCbanquet at Three Rivers, Quebec onOctober 26. This award was devel-oped eight years ago after theuntimely death of Lynn Reynolds aformer president of the IMSI andNAMSC. At the time of his death hewas Executive Secretary of the IMSI.Nominations have been solicited bythe IMSI Board of Directors. The cri-teria for nominating is that the nomi-nee must have been active in theinternational maple industry withinthe last five years. Further, the nomi-nee must have been a major influ-ence in the international industryleadership over an extended periodof time.

October 2005 7

MAINLY MAINE

By Alfred Bolduc

Hi there, Maine Maplers! By thetime you read this, fall foliage will bevibrant and (we hope) foliage trafficheavy. As I write, gas prices are skyhigh and rising. Best to check yoursyrup inventory. Product is tight allacross the maple states andChristmas sales are not far behindthe foliage season demands. So lockup what you need NOW. With gasprices what they are, prospecting fora drum here and a drum there will bean expensive proposition. However,the future is rosy thanks to addedtaps and great upgrades. Severallarge bushes in northern Somersethave been bought up and theyounger generation is coming onstrong. The land resolution there isnow stable with ten year leases andrenewable clauses now in the signa-ture phase.

For fifty years (1956-2006), BobSmith has devoted his time and ener-gy, not to mention personal financesto the Maine maple industry and theinternational maple arena. Now he isstepping down as a Director of theNorth American Maple Council.Jeremy Steeves has been selected toreplace Bob as Director; Al Bolduc asalternate. It will take both of us toeven begin to fill his shoes. Our hatsare off to you, Bob, and our hearts gowith you and Barbara as you slowdown a bit after fifty years of yeomanservice to the industry. His sugarbushin northern Somerset County is forsale. It lacks for nothing: a turn keyoperation. Hook onto this one before

it's too late. (call Al Bolduc at 207-265-2600)"

For those of you who have occa-sion to travel back and forth toCanada, the Homeland Security Actand Border Patrol and Immigrationwill be tightened up as of January 1,2008. EVERYONE MUST HAVE APASSPORT. No more crossing backand forth as we have in the past. Allyou have to do is cough up approxi-mately $90, find/acquire an originalbirth certificate (if you can�t find yoursyou can get a certified copy from thetown clerk in the town where youwere born.) and procure assistancefrom a probate court or post office tosend it to the National PassportCenter. The whole process takes 6weeks more or less.

Fair season is upon us. Our variousmaple organizations are in atten-dance, carrying the word and sellingthe products. Maine fairs start in Julyand culminate with the Fyeburg Fairin October. Maine Maple Producers�Association has been given the goahead to formulate plans for a largesugar house on the Franklin CountyFair Grounds in Farmington. Too latefor this year, but look for it September2006.

I had the pleasure of attendingSouthern Maine Maples� annual bar-becue and picnic at the Merrifield�sfarm in Gorham last month. It was avery pleasant social occasion and anumber of maple issues wereaddressed. The needs and assign-ment of the Cumberland Fair SugarHouse were considered along with amore general discussion about finan-cial directions. Their future looksstrong and bright. Are strongeralliances a possibility? Probability?


Perhaps. Charting new directions isslow work, but usually beneficial to allconcerned.

The Maine Somerset CountySugarmakers Association annualmeeting in June was a great success.A large turnout enjoyed Aubry Davis�(Director of the New EnglandAgricultural Statistics Service, USDA)comprehensive graphs and statistics.Mark Bigelow, Chief of Operations ofMaple Grove, St. Johnsbury, VT wasin attendance to propose a marketingplan for producers willing to makelong term commitments for futureproduction. The plan was wellreceived and we voted to elect acommittee to work with Maple Grovenext year. Maine Maple Specialist,Kathy Hopkins spoke on adulterationof syrup and the need for members topolice themselves. This engenderedserious discussion. The meeting con-cluded with a buffet of gargantuanproportions. Alain DuPlessus, ownerof the Four Seasons Restaurant,Jackman, ME outdid himself. Wethank him for this and for his longstanding provision of space for ourmonthly meetings.

In closing I want to dedicate thiscolumn to Albion Tracy who died thissummer. His roots are deep in Mainemaple history. The Tracys have beenfarming and mapling in Farmingtonfor more than 200 years. I would liketo think Albion and his famous teamare gathering sap from endless rowsof large girth perfect maple trees.

Sugar BushSupplies Co.

[email protected]

s since 1934

October 2005 9

14420 12th Ave., Merrill, Wisconsin 54452(715) 536-0501


MAPLE SYRUP PRODUCTIONDOWN 18 PERCENT NATIONWIDE

UNITED STATES

The 2005 United States maple syrup production totaled 1.24 million gallons,down 18 Percent from 2004. The number of taps was estimated at 7.10 mil-lion, up two percent from the 2004 total of 6.96 million, while the yield per tapwas estimated to be 0.175 gallons, down 19 percent from 2004. Vermont ledall States in production with 410,000 gallons, a decrease of 18 percent fromlast season. Maine�s production, at 265,000 gallons, decreased 9 percent from2004. Production in New York at 222,000 gallons, is 13 percent below 2004.Production is down 50 percent in Wisconsin, 31 percent in New Hampshire,27 percent in Michigan, 20 percent in Massachusetts, 12 percent in Ohio, and9 percent in Connecticut from last season. Pennsylvania, the only State withincreased production, is up 2 percent from 2004. An increase in taps in mostStates was more than offset by a decrease in yield causing production todecline. Temperatures in the maple producing States were generally unfavor-able for good sap flow and syrup production in 2005. Most of these Statesexperienced weather that was too cold for sap flow. On average, the seasonlasted approximately 24 days in 2005 compared to 30 in 2004. Pennsylvaniahad the earliest sap flow in 2005 with an approximate season opening day ofJanuary 20. New York had the latest sap flow in 2005 with an approximateseason ending date of May 1. Sugar content of the sap for 2005 was higherthan last year. Approximately 40 gallons of sap was required to produce onegallon of syrup. This compares with 42 gallons in 2004 and 41 gallons in 2003.More light syrup was produced than last year but overall most syrup producedwas of medium color. The 2004 United States average price per gallon was$28.40, up $0.10 from the 2003 price of $28.30. The United States value ofproduction, at $42.8 million for 2004, was 20 percent above 2003. The aver-age price per gallon increased in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Michigan, NewYork, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, with Maine, New Hampshire, Ohio, andVermont showing price decreases.

NEW ENGLAND (excluding Rhode Island): In New England maple syrup pro-duction for 2005 totaled 782,000, down 16 percent from last year. Vermontremained the largest producing State in New England and the Nation, with 33percent of the Nation�s maple syrup. Taps in New England totaled 4.1 million,up 1.0 percent from last year and making up 58 percent of the Nation�s mapletaps. The 2005 maple season was rated too cool in temperature, causing pro-duction decreases in all five New England states. Temperatures were report-ed at 57 percent too cool, 22 percent too warm, and 21 percent favorable. Theseason stared late because it was too cold and then warmed up too fast.Earliest dates for each State were as follows: New Hampshire � February 1,

October 2005 11

Connecticut and Massachusetts � February 2, Vermont � February 4, andMaine � February 14. Latest closing dates were Connecticut � April 15,Massachusetts � April 19, New Hampshire � April 23, Maine � April 29, andVermont � April 30. The sugar content of the sap was average, requiring 40gallons of sap to produce a gallon of syrup. The majority of the syrup pro-duced was medium amber followed by light amber and then dark syrup.

2004 PRICES AND SALES

Across New England, the average equivalent price per gallon for 2004 maplesyrup varied widely depending on the percentage sold retail, wholesale, orbulk. The 2004 all sales equivalent price increased $3.10 in Connecticut to$51.70 and $4.40 in Massachusetts to $46.30. The price dropped $3.10 inMaine to $19.40, $7.60 in New Hampshire to $35.40, and $0.50 in Vermont to$27.30. Maine�s price continues to be lower than the other States due to thehigh percentage of bulk sales within that State. New England�s 2004 gallonequivalent price of $26.87 reflects a decrease of $1.09 from the 2003 price of$27.96.

For complete information go to www.nass.usda.gov/nh/0605mpl.pdf


North American Maple Syrup Council, Inc. RESEARCH FUND

NAMSC Research Fund needs your support!

The NAMSC Research Fund receives more worthy, important project funding requests than there are funds to distribute. Regardless of the amount of syrup you produce,the research projects address common issues that affect all of us: tree health, insect infestation, product quality and production efficiencies � from tree to finished product, and a host of other concerns vital to maple�s future. Manyalready participate but we need everyone�s help since the fund depends solely on contributions.

Make donations through your plastic, glass or metal container suppliers who participate in this program or send contributions to us directly. To those who already participate in this program we thank you for your continued support. To those who are not current contributors, it�s time to join in and support this important effort. If you have ideas about research, which is not being addressed, please contact us.

For more information regarding the Research Fund contact:

Richard P. Norman, Chairman, 387 County Road, Woodstock, CT 06281Phone 860 974-1235, Email: [email protected]

Kay Carroll, Treasurer, 79 East Chestnut Hill Road, Litchfield, CT 06759 Phone 860 567-3890, Email: [email protected]

The NAMSC-Research Fund is a non-profit, volunteer managed committee of the North American Maple Syrup Council, Inc. (9-05)

October 2005 13

New TappingGuidelines

By Brian F. Chabot, Professor,Cornell University

Ithaca, NY

A previous publication describedthe history of tapping guidelines inrelation to tree diameter (Chabot2004). There are several guidelinesthat exist (Koelling and Heiligmann1996, Guay 1999). All recommendnot tapping trees below a certain sizeand all permit more taps in largertrees. Here I explain why maple pro-ducers should know the growth rateof trees in addition to diameter todetermine the number of tapholesper tree.

Existing guidelines suggest limitingthe number of tapholes per tree toprotect tree health. A better reasonfor limiting number of tapholes is toallow the tree to put new wood overthe old taphole and thus avoiding tap-ping into old tapping compartments.Reducing the number of tapholes pertree to allow enough time to producenew wood is less well understood.

IMPORTANT FACTORSTO CONSIDER

Each taphole permanently dam-ages tree tissue in an area aroundthe taphole. Thus, to determine theproductive number of tapholes a pro-ducer should use, the important infor-mation required is: usable circumfer-ence, the growth rate of the tree, andtaphole depth. Some of these factorswere introduced by McIntyre (1932)and Buzzell (1987), but have beenforgotten in current publications.Guay (1999) recognized the impor-

tance of these variables in develop-ing modified guidelines based on treediameter. Gaston Allard (2004 pers.communication) includes these andother variables when he predicts thelong-term impact on sap yield of dif-ferent tapping approaches.

Although diameter and circumfer-ence relate to each other, producersneed to know the tapping space onthe surface of the tree.Circumference measures tappingspace more directly than diameter.This is especially the case if one sideof the tree is used preferentially, ifthere are damaged areas that needto be avoided, or if more than one tapis used on a tree.

Producers should avoid previouslytapped wood, wood that has been"compartmentalized" through thewound healing process. When thetree compartmentalizes the areaaround a taphole wound, it takes thisarea out of sap production. The natu-ral chemicals in the wound area canproduce off-colors and off-flavors inthe sap. The only sure way to avoidpreviously tapped wood is to placetap holes in a regular sequencearound the tree circumference orabove or below previous taps and notre-tap in a previously tapped areauntil enough new wood has been pro-duced to accommodate the usualtaphole depth.

TREE GROWTH RATEAND CIRCUMFERENCE

The radial growth of the tree deter-mines how much time is needed tobe able to re-tap the same location.A tree growing 1 inch in radius (2inches diameter) in 10 years will


require 20 years to accommodate a2-inch deep taphole at a previouslytapped location. Slower growingtrees will require more time to grow2 inches of new wood.

Producers can determine thenumber of tapholes with a simplecalculation. For example, let's use 1inch as the strip of circumferencedamaged by each tap hole. This isthe strip width used by McIntyre,based on a 0.5 inch hole width with0.25 inch of colored wood on eachside. Smaller tap holes produce lesscolored wood, but one inch apart iscloser than most producers spacetapholes. Smith and Walters (1972)determined that it is possible to tapwithin 1 inch of a previous tapholeand not affect sap yield. A 10-inchdiameter tree has a circumference

of 31.5 inches. A 10-inch tree, with-out additional growth, could betapped for 31.5 years at 1-inch holespacing before the original tappingpoint is reached. Although I don'trecommend tapping side-by-side, itis easiest to think about these rela-tionships if each new hole is placedone inch from the hole of the pre-ceding season. Placing holes insequence around the tree wouldinsure that the first hole drilled wouldhave a full 31.5 years to becomecovered by new wood.

Considering the tree's circumfer-ence, rather than diameter, is evenmore important when the entire cir-cumference is not used. This mighthappen if one side of the tree is pre-ferred, such as the south face, or if aportion of the trunk is unusable or

October 2005 15

inaccessible. Using only part of thecircumference for tapping increasesthe demand on the tree to producenew wood over previously tappedareas. For example, tapping only onthe south-facing quarter of the treecircumference will allow for 8 holes 1inch apart and 8 years of radialgrowth. No maple tree is growingfast enough in 8 years to produceenough new wood to accommodatea 2-inch deep taphole in a restrictedtapping space.

Increasing the distance betweentaps reduces the time it takes to getaround the tree and reduces theamount of new wood over the previ-ously tapped area. Two-inch tapholespacing on a 10-inch diameter treewill return to the starting point in 15-16 years. Few if any maples above

10-inch diameter are growing fastenough in 15-16 years to produceenough new wood to accommodatethe usual taphole depth.

Expanding the tapping face verti-cally so that two or three bands ofthe circumference are tapped willallow more time for wood growthover the old tap holes in each band.But this means that the producermust design a tapping plan andlength of drops to use two or morebands around the tree rather than asingle band. Those using bucketshave more flexibility in moving thetapping area vertically on the trunk.

GROWTH RATEAND MINIMUM TREE SIZES

Producers need to know thegrowth rate of trees to determine

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when a tree has reached a tapablesize. For example, a 10-inch diame-ter tree with 0.04 inch of annual radi-al growth, the average growth rate oftapped maples at Arnot Forest, willadd 1.3 inches of radius in 31.5years. This amount is much lessthan the usual tapping depth, whichmay be between 2 to 3 inches. A 10-inch diameter tree with 0.04 inchradial growth is too small to tapusing normal tapping depths. Itwould be enough if the tapholedepth is 1-1.5 inches. A tree with0.04 inches of annual growth wouldneed to be about 15 inches diameter(47 inches circumference) to pro-duce 2 inches of radial growth dur-ing the 47 years of tapping beforethe starting point is reached.Doubling the growth rate to 0.08inches per year would produce 2.5

inches in 32 years. So only with thehigher growth rate would a 10-inchtree be large enough to support 32years of tapping at a 1-inch spacingbefore the starting point is reached,at which point there would be 2.5inches of new wood to continue tap-ping within this band. The point isthat the growth rate and tap holedepth together determine what sizethe tree needs to be to support evenone hole per year of annual tapping.

Faster growth rates shorten thetime required for enough new woodto adequately cover old tap holes.Buzzel (1987) proposed tappingtrees with a minimum annual radialgrowth of 0.125 inches. The 0.125minimum is well above the growthrate of most trees in most years atthe two Cornell sugarbushes and atother sugarbushes in NY that we

October 2005 17

have sampled. Five sugarbushes inQuebec had average annual radialgrowth rates of 0.03 to 0.05 inches(Guay 1999). So we wouldn't be tap-ping many trees if Buzzel's guidelinewas followed.

As seen from these calculations,the growth rate is important in deter-mining how much time it takes to putnew wood over the old tapping area.Annual radial growth of a young treewith its canopy fully exposed to lightmight be 0.2 inch (= 4 inches ofdiameter growth per decade). Radialgrowth decreases with increasingtree size, poor sites, and environ-mental stress. The most generallyimportant environmental stress isreduced light intensity from competi-tion with other trees. Trees in sub-dominant canopy positions grow sig-nificantly more slowly than dominanttrees in the same woods and crowd-ed trees grow more slowly thantrees without overlapping canopies.

TAPHOLE DEPTH AND NUMBERAs described above, tapping

depth also is important in determin-ing the appropriate tree size andtaphole number. An annual growthrate of 0.04 inch produces 1 inchesof new wood in 25 years and 2 inch-es in 50 years. A 7.9-inch dbh treehas 25 inches of circumference or25 years of 1-inch deep tapping at 1-inch spacing. However, at thisgrowth rate a starting size of 15.9inch dbh would be required for one2-inch-deep taphole each year.

Guay (1999) recommends varyingthe tapping depth with tree size. Hisrecommendations are for a 1.6-inchtaphole depth with tree growth rateof 0.03-inch radial growth per year

increasing to a 2.4-inch depth forgrowth of 0.06 inches per year.Annual growth usually decreases astrees get larger so this does notmean that tapholes can be deeper inlarger trees.

As demonstrated above, at 0.04-inches of annual radial growth a 10-inch dbh tree is too small to tapunless taphole depth is approxi-mately 1 inch. Similarly, a 15-inchtree with this growth rate is also toosmall for two tap holes. A 15-inchdbh tree has 47 inches of circumfer-ence or 23.5 inches per taphole.Taphole depth would have to be lessthan 1-inch for 2 holes in a tree thissize. A 16-inch tree would be need-ed for two 1-inch deep tapholes; a20-inch tree would allow for two tap-holes each 1.25-inches deep. Itwould take a 33-inch dbh tree tosupport two 2-inch-deep tapholes.

NEW GUIDELINESUsing information about tree

growth results in more complexguidelines for tapping. Once growthrates are known within a particularsugarbush, it is possible to calculatetaphole depth and spacing, mini-mum tree sizes for tapping and thenumber of taphole a tree canaccommodate. The purpose of thisarticle is to help the producer tounderstand the interactions betweengrowth rate, taphole depth, and treesize. However, the simplest guide-lines are:

1. No tree should have more thanone tap unless it has a high growthrate or is very large. For those withvacuum, this should not be a prob-lem since Tim Wilmot is finding thatone taphole is sufficient to remove


much of the available sap in thetree. Those with buckets will collectless sap. However, if the producer iswilling to move the tapping area ver-tically on the tree surface to havemore than one tapping band, some-thing closer to the traditional guide-lines could be used.

2. Taphole depth should be closerto 1 inch and not more than 2 inch-es, especially in smaller, slowergrowing trees. Again, knowing thegrowth rate of your trees will helpyou determine the appropriate holedepth for your sugarbush.

3. Expand the taping area vertical-ly by 12-15 inches above or belowold tap holes. This increases thelikelihood of finding new wood andallows more time for wood growthover old holes.

4. Use a tapping pattern thatallows you to know what parts of thetree were tapped for as much as 20years previously.

REFERENCESBuzzell, G.L. 1987. Tapping guide-

lines. Maple Syrup Digest 27:12-18.

Chabot, B.F. 2004. A history of tapsand tree size. Maple Syrup Digest16:11-15.

Guay, S. 1999. Guide to SugarbushManagement. Syndicat des producteursde bois de la Beauce, Quebec.

Koelling, M.R. and R.B. Heiligmann,eds. 1996. North American Maple SyrupProducers Manual. Ohio StateUniversity.

McIntyre, A.C. 1932. The MapleProducts Industry of Pennsylvania.Bulletin 280, School of Agriculture andExperiment Station, The PennsylvaniaState College.

Smith, H.C. and R.S. Walters. 1972.How close can you tap to an old taphole.Maple Syrup Digest 11:14-15.

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October 2005 19

ATTENTION MAPLE PRODUCERS!!!FACTORY DIRECT EARLY ORDER DISCOUNTS!!

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Division of Lapierre, Waterloo, Small Inc.


11TH ANNUALNEW YORK

MAPLE PRODUCERSWINTER CONFERENCE

A grower-focused 2006 NYS MapleConference will provide practical andhands-on information for growers toincorporate into existing and expand-ing operations. Plans are being madefor the 2006 New York State MapleProducers Winter Conference. TheMaple Conference will be held in thesame great location, the Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School inVerona, New York on Friday eveningJanuary 6th and all day Saturday,January 7th. This central locationprovides plenty of meeting space aswell as room for a large trade showwith over 25 exhibitors displayingplenty of specialized equipment formeeting maple producer needs.Session topics include the latest inresearch and grower experiencesregarding maple production, promo-tion, forest management and themaking and marketing of a variety ofmaple products. This day-and-a-halfevent has something for every levelof maple producer. A maple confer-ence you will not want to miss.

The conference kicks off Fridayevening with featured speaker LarryMyott, Executive Secretary of theInternational Maple Syrup Instituteand retired University of VermontMaple Extension Specialist. He willbe relating international develop-ments in the maple industry. Also fea-tured Friday evening, an industrytrade show highlighting maple equip-ment, manufacturers, and vendors is

open from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM.More than 25 exhibitors are anticipat-ed to display a complete line of mapleequipment including evaporators,vacuum pumps, tubing supplies, andvalue-added processing equipmentand supplies.

Saturday's program features 40 ofthe industry's leading maple expertsfrom throughout North America andCanada presenting some 45 differentworkshops. These focus on severalmajor areas of emphasis: beginningsugarmakers, new and advancedtechnologies, marketing, promotion,value-added products, maple tappingand tubing, forest management anda special emphasis this year on theforest tent caterpillar and managingforest pests. During each of five timeslots, there will be ten individualworkshops presented concurrentlythroughout the day.

The 2006 value-added productworkshops are "Making maple giftbaskets,� "Making maple cotton,�"How we make molded maple sugar,�"Beyond maple sugar and cream, theother maple value added products,�"Value added products and income atthe NYS Fair"' and "Adding value tomaple products." For beginners andhobbyist presentations include"Making molded maple sugar for thehobbyist,� "Simply syrup,� "Woodlotbasics and tree I.D.", "Hot tips forthose new to selling maple syrup,�and "When is it really syrup, gradingand quality control for the beginner."For those interested in tapping andtubing workshops take in "How wewash tubing,� "Basic tubing,� "What'snew in tubing testing and research,�and "Update on spout size." Forestmanagement workshops will focus on

October 2005 21

recent insect problems as well asvarious aspects of forest manage-ment including "Ecology and man-agement of the forest tent caterpillar,�"Forest tent bio-control,� "Principles offorest health,� "Lecanium scale,�"Principles of thinning you sugarbush,� and "Deer in the sugar bushwhat are my options?." Presentationsrelating to promoting your maple busi-ness include the maple queen con-test, "Developing maple food andcooking partnerships,� "Working withtourism organizations to promote yourmaple enterprise,� "Working the crowdat farmers markets, fairs and shows,�and "Get ready company's coming."Research topics consist of "Flavorgrading syrup,� "Research topics fromVermont,� and "Grading syrup by color- you won't believe what we found."

Other workshops include "UV steril-ization of sap,� "The new creammachine,� "Syrup grading techniquesand equipment,� "Advanced sugarhouse management,� "Managingbuckets efficiently,� "Money frommore than maple - ginseng in yoursugar bush,� and "What do the maplesurvey results tell us about our-selves?.� This is just a taste of all theprograms offered at this years MapleConference.

The conference is open to the gen-eral public, as well as any maple pro-ducer, and is geared toward all levelsof sugar makers. Saturday's tradeshow opens at 8:00 AM with work-shops starting at 9:00AM. Held at theVernon-Verona-Sherrill (V.V.S.) HighSchool, Verona, New York, the con-ference is sponsored by the V.V.S.FFA in conjunction with the New YorkState Maple Producers Associationand Cornell Cooperative Extension.

The V.V.S. High School is locatedbetween Utica and Syracuse, NY onState Route 3, two minutes from NYSThruway Exit 33. Overnight accom-modations are within five minutes ofconference site. More information onconference topics and presenters,contact V.V.S. FFA advisor KeithSchiebel at (315) 829-2520 ext.262, email at [email protected], or visit the school'swebsite at: www.vvscentralschools.org.


October 2005 23

AUBREY DAVIS,DIRECTOR OF NEW

ENGLAND AGRICULTURALSTATISTICS TO RETIRE

By Angie Considineand Sherry Deane

On January 3, 2006, Aubrey Daviswill retire from the NASS after 39years of federal service, including twoyears in the military.

Aubrey was born in Arizona, butgrew up on a cotton farm in CentralTexas. He graduated from Texas A&MUniversity in January 1967 and imme-diately started his work with theStatistical Reporting Service (SRS) inAustin, Texas. In less than a year, hereported to Fort Knox, Kentucky, forOfficer's Basic Training and then off toGermany for two years. After beingdischarged from the Army, Aubreyresumed his position with SRS inAustin, until his transfer to Richmond,Virginia. It was there that he met hiswife Ruth, who was the AdministrativeTechnician at the time. Aubrey hasalso worked in Washington, D.C. andNASS's California field office. He wasthe State Director in Hawaii beforeaccepting a transfer to Concord, NH,in June of 1988. During his time inNew England, Aubrey has workedhard to improve the name recognitionof New England Agricultural Statisticsand NASS and has spearheadedefforts to gain the trust and respect ofagricultural producers throughout theregion. Aubrey has participated inmany NAMSC/IMSI meetings andwas a frequent guest at state mapleproducer association meetings. Heenjoyed touring the various maplesugarhouses throughout New Englandand will miss visiting with the many

producers he has met over the years.Upon retirement, Aubrey is planning avacation to Hawaii. Aubrey is lookingforward to his retirement, specificallyenjoying more time with his grandsonDrew, visiting his mother in Texas andpracticing his golf swing on coursesthroughout New England.

We invite you to join the NewEngland Agricultural Statistics fieldoffice as we honor Aubrey for his con-tributions to NASS and the agricultur-al community at a retirement dinneron January 7, 2006. The festivities willbe held at The Cat 'n Fiddle restaurantin Concord, NH, beginning with asocial hour at 6:00, and dinner at 7:00.The buffet will feature Prime Rib,Seafood Newburg, Baked StuffedChicken, potatoes, vegetables, sal-ads, desserts and non-alcoholic bev-erages. The cost will be $27.00 perperson, including tax and gratuity.

We will be putting together a bookof letters to be presented to Aubrey atthe dinner. Aubrey's work has affectedmany people as he has traveledacross the U.S. and throughout NewEngland, we would love to presenthim with the biggest book of lettersever compiled. Please send us a storyor note for inclusion in the book of let-ters. Please send letters of reminis-cence unfolded on 8 ½ x 11 inchpaper to: NE Agricultural Statistics,c/0 Sunshine Club, PO Box 1444,Concord, NH 03302-1444. For ques-tions contact Angie Considine orSherry Deane at 1-603-224-9639.

A block of rooms are reserved at theHoliday Inn, Concord, NH, at $78.00(plus applicable tax) under the nameof "Aubrey Davis Retirement Party."Call 1-603-224-9534 and make yourreservations with the hotel. The dead-line at that rate is Dec. 15, 2005.


Grand OpeningOctober 7th and 8th, 2005

October 2005 25

A HISTORY OFTHE GOOSENECK:THE BROWER SAP

PIPING SYSTEM ANDTHE CARY MAPLESUGAR COMPANY

By Matthew M. Thomas

The initial application of plastic tub-ing for gathering maple sap in the1950s was indisputably one of themost significant technological devel-opments of the maple industry in thetwentieth century. However, the firstviable tubing system was introducedover forty years earlier as a gravitydrawn system made completely ofmetal. Invented in the shadows of theAdirondack Mountains near Mayfield,New York, by William C. Brower, Jr.,the system carried sap directly fromthe tree to the sugarhouse throughan interconnected series of special-ized taps, tubes and connectors.Formally known as the Brower SapPiping System, the pipeline was pop-ularly referred to as the Goosenecksystem because one of the key seg-ments of the pipeline resembled thecurved neck of a goose.

Born in Mayfield, New York in 1874,Brower was the consummate Yankeetinkerer and inventor. As a machinist,mechanic, and jack of all trades, hiseducation did not come from theclassroom, but rather, from trying tosolve and improve on the problemsand dilemmas he and his neighborsfaced every day. Brower was also asugarmaker, making him well awareof the difficulties of tapping and gath-ering sap with buckets and teams of

horses or oxen in deep snow and onsteep slopes.

After coming up with the idea ofusing the natural gravity of the moun-tains to eliminate the laborious task ofhand gathering sap, it took Browernearly three years of trial and error toperfect the system. The initial patentapplication occurred in December1914. A year and a half later in June1916, the United States Patent Officeawarded Brower patent number1,186,741 for his "Sap-CollectingSystem". Likewise, an identical appli-cation by Brower was awarded aCanadian patent in August of 1917.

In order to support the weight of thefolded sheet metal tubing and the sapflowing through it, the Gooseneckpipeline was suspended by smallhooks on a network of wires strungthrough the sugarbush supported byposts and trees. The wire used wasusually a heavy gauge fence wire orreused telegraph wire. The laborrequired for set up at the beginning ofthe season was greater than that oftraditional gathering systems usingmetal spouts, pails and covers; butthis cost was easily made up with areduction in labor for gathering aswell as the elimination of sap lost byoverflowing buckets that were difficultto tend to in deep snow and on steepslopes.

The pipeline quickly caught theattention of many sugarmaker's in theregion; however Brower continued tomanufacture the tubing and spiles outof his small workshop, limiting hisability to mass produce the system.According to his grandson, Browerwas a man more interested andskilled in working with his hands thanin promoting and selling his invention.

Following completion of the


pipeline design in 1914, Brower trav-eled from his Mayfield home to St.Johnsbury, Vermont to try and inter-est George C. Cary of the CaryMaple Sugar Company in using thepipeline in the large sugarbush onCary's 4,000 acre farm. Initially, Carywas not interested, but Brower per-sisted, finally convincing Cary to trythe system on 1500 trees during the1915 maple season. As president ofwhat was then, the world's largestmaple sugar business, and as ownerof one of Vermont's largest sugar-bushes, Cary had the wealth, liberty,and interest in experimenting withmore efficient and cost effectivemethods and equipment. After onlyone season of use, Cary was sold,placing an order for enough tubing toconnect 9000 more trees. UltimatelyCary would have 15,000 trees on the

pipeline at his North Danville sugar-bush.

Continued satisfaction with the sys-tem led the Cary Maple SugarCompany to form a partnership withBrower in 1918, with the companyproviding the facilities and financingto expand production and sale of thepipeline. Although his family stayed inNew York, Brower temporarily relo-cated to St. Johnsbury to direct pro-duction in this new venture.According to a promotional brochure,during the first year of production inSt. Johnsbury, sales more than dou-bled and orders were coming infaster than they were able to manu-facture the pipeline. The brochuregoes on to say that many producerstried a small amount of the tubing atfirst but were so satisfied that theyfollowed-up with much larger orders.

October 2005 27

Owners of larger sugarbushes wereespecially interested in the system. Inone instance an estimated 30,000feet of pipeline was used in one1,700 tap sugarbush.

With mass production in full swing,the 1920 prices for the systemranged from thirty-five to forty-twodollars for one thousand feet of halfinch to one inch diameter pipeline,and seven dollars per one hundredfor both spouts and Goosenecks. Thehalf inch and one inch diameterpipeline sections came in three footlengths with a manufacturer' estimat-ed costs of sixty to seventy cents pertree.

An impressive endorsement of thequality of maple sugar one couldmake using the pipeline came fromM.J. Corliss, the Secretary andTreasurer of the Vermont

Sugarmaker's Association. At theannual meeting of the Association in1926, Corliss noted that he had"been taking careful note and for thelast two or three years it is a fact thatthe men who have carried off most ofthe blue ribbons or first prizes are themen who have used the piping sys-tem". One of the greatest strengths ofthe pipeline was the elimination ofdebris and the near immediate deliv-ery of clean, fresh sap, which wasespecially important in the 1920s and1930s when and our understandingof bacterial growth in sap and the tapholes was in its infancy and sap gath-ering was traditionally done with outthe aid of engines and machines.

With the Cary Company's assis-tance and wide reaching influence,the pipeline began to make a dent inthe equipment market. While, the


pipeline system never became aspopular as tubing has today, it wasadded to the sap gathering processin a number of maple operations. A1925 study of 457 maple producingfarms in Vermont found that 18, orroughly four percent, were using thepipeline on some of their trees. Inthose 18 sugarbushes, an average of28 percent of the trees were tappedwith the pipeline, ranging from as fewas 8 percent to as many as 75 per-cent of the trees. In that same year,pipeline users averaged 400 taps ontubing and had been gathering sapwith the system for an average of 4years. This study also found the aver-age estimated value of the pipeline tobe $268 or 67 cents per tap, whichwas consistent with the price esti-mate promoted by the CaryCompany.

It is not clear when the Cary MapleSugar Company discontinued its pro-duction of the pipeline; however, itmay have been as early as the mid-1920. By the late 1930s, it appearsthat the Gooseneck system had fall-en out of favor and was no longerused by many maple producers.George Cary himself went bankruptand died in 1931, leading to the reor-ganization of the company and thesale of his farm and sugarbush. Withthe end of production of the pipelinein St. Johnsbury, William Browerreturned to his family in New York,where he lived until his death in 1940.

The pipeline was used primarily inthe northeastern states of Vermont,New York, and New Hampshire; how-ever, the system also made it as farwest as Wisconsin. Evidence of itsuse was recently found in the north-

October 2005 29

ern part of the state on theChequamegon-Nicolet NationalForest. Archaeologists discoveredspiles, Gooseneck connectors, rollsof wire, and thousands of sections ofpipe from the Brower system at theformer location of a late 1920s toearly 1930s sugarhouse.

Like plastic tubing, it was importantto not have any sag in the systemwhere sap could collect in low spotsand get sour. Some pipeline usersreported that freezing was some-times a problem, but that the metalwarmed easily when the sun cameout, quickly thawing the frozen sap inthe pipeline. It was sometimes notedthat at the end of the season sapgathered with the system was slight-ly sour and often had to be thrownaway. Fallen limbs, ice, and deeroccasionally disconnected sectionsof the pipeline, and the contraction ofthe metal in very cold conditionscould result in the separation of theinserted pipe ends. Some maple pro-ducers stopped using the systembecause it was made from a kind ofsheet metal known as Tern Plate,which was a combination of tin andlead. As one maple bulletin describedit in 1949, "the use of such metal wasstrongly discouraged by State andFederal authorities for the processingof any food". In spite of these draw-backs, the benefits at the time wereclear. For sugarmakers with large,steep, and hard to get to sugarbush-es who kept their equipment cleanand processed their sap quickly, theGooseneck system was an excellentinnovation. While the system addedmore work at the beginning and endof the maple season with longer setup times and additional cleaning, it

eliminated the laborious task of gath-ering sap once or twice a day.

Improvements in sap gatheringmethods have long since replacedthe Gooseneck system, but thepipeline has not completely fadedinto memory. On the Lent family farmnear Mayfield, New York, the pipelinecontinues to be used on a few hun-dred taps to gather and transport sapfrom their mountainside sugarbush. Itis no coincidence that the family stilluses the system or that their sugar-bush is near Mayfield, the communitywhere Brower first invented thepipeline. In fact, the Lent family hasused the pipeline for over 80 yearswith their farm and sugarbush locat-ed next door to Brower's former prop-erty. Many years after his death, theLent family purchased WilliamBrower's former home and the work-shop where the pipeline was invent-ed. Today, a New York State historicmarker points out the location of theworkshop alongside Mountain Road(Highway 123) northeast of Mayfield.

According to Lent family history,their ancestor, Edward L. Lent,worked with his neighbor Brower inthe early 1900s to develop andimprove the pipeline system, usingthe Lent sugarbush as a test site.Over the years the Lent family triedother methods of sap collection likemetal pails, plastic bags, and plastictubing, but has always kept a portionof their sugarbush on the Goosenecksystem. At their peak in the 1980s,the Lent's gathered sap with thepipeline from approximately 2500taps. More recently, they have dis-continued commercial productionand scaled back their operation to afew hundred taps. The spring of 2004


was one of the first years that theydid not tap, out of respect for the ter-minal illness and recent passing ofthe family patriarch, Edward W. Lent,grandson of Edward L. Lent. The2005 season saw a return to the Lentfamily installation of the Goosenecksystem.

As the preferred method of sapgathering in the modern sugarbush,plastic tubing has become common-place over the last forty years.However, the basic idea, structure,and terminology of a sap gatheringpipeline were established with theGooseneck pipeline, setting thestage for the experiments with plastictubing pipelines in the mid-1950s. Infact, one could argue that Brower

would have probably chosen plasticrather than English Tin had flexibleplastic PVC tubing been inventedand available in the early 20thCentury. In a flexible form, PVC tub-ing wasn't available for non-militaryuse until after World War II. It wasn'tuntil it became commercially avail-able in the 1950s when pioneers likeNelson Griggs, George Breen, andBob Lamb began to explore its appli-cation for gathering maple sap.

Information for this article camefrom historical research and inter-views with members of the Browerand Lent families. Any questions orcomments are welcome and shouldbe addressed to Matt Thomas [email protected].

The Gooseneck metal sap pipeline in use during the 2005 sugaring season in the Lent Family sug-arbush, Mayfield, New York. Copyright Matthew M. Thomas

October 2005 31

MARCLANDANNOUNCES

TWO NEW PRODUCTSMarcland introduces two new prod-

ucts for next sugaring season.

A Proportional Level ControlSystem will let a producer adjust panlevel in inches and a digital controllerwill modulate a full port ss ball valveto allow a continuous flow of liquid tomaintain a set level.

The system which consists of a dig-ital controller, a level transmitter anda modulating ss ball valve, can bemounted on existing float boxes ordirectly to evaporator pans.

A Sugar Bush VacuumMonitoring System measures vacu-um in mainlines and transmits vacu-um status via satellite to a cell phoneand a computer. Constant monitoringof mainline vacuum allows for thedetection and pinpointing of mainlinevacuum problems within minutes.Service crews can save valuabletime and labor to correct faults, andthe precious sap loss will be reduced.

Keith A. DufresneDufresne�s Sugar House

113 Goshen RoadWilliamsburg, MA 01096

Ph/fax [email protected]

DEALERCDL, IPL, DALLAIREEvaporators, ROs, tubing,

fittings, etc.


DID YOU KNOW . . .

(Taken fromthe Fall Michigan Newsletter)

Do you ship Maple Products tocustomers? Do you want to shipthem easily and reasonably? Run,don�t walk to your local Post Officeand ask for O-FRB1 and O-FRB2.They are free shipping cartons. Oneis 11� x 8 1/2� x 5 1/2� and the otheris 12� x 3.5� x 14�. Nice FREE ship-ping cartons. Now, fill these boxeswith anything you can fit in them(cannot be over 70 lbs.) and shipthem to your customers inCalifornia, Hawaii or Alaska or any-where in the U.S. or to the Militaryanywhere for $7.70. A gallon can willfit nicely or 3 half gallons (weighing19 lbs) or 6 quarts in cans. 12 plas-tic pound jars of Maple Cream will fit

with room to spare. Ship anything for$7.70. Your customers will love youand the two day delivery.

Delancey, N.Y. 13752Phone: (607) 746-6215

Fax: (607) 746-8367www.catskillmountainmaple.com

In Stock: Jugs,Tubing, Glass Containers, Bottlers, Evaporators and Much More

USED EQUIPMENT3� x 10� wood-fired Waterloo evaporator with new pre-heater

and steamhoods � $4,5003� x 8� wood-fired evaporator, stainless syrup pan, tin flue pan � $900Grimm Pre-heater for a 4� x 7� flue pan � $2005� x 12� Leader wood-fired evaporator SS syrup pan, tin flue pan, home made

hood and pre-heater � $16505� x 14� Vermont Tin pans aluminum hoods and pre-heater � $1,1003 1/2� x 8� Small Brothers stainless steel hood with built-in

pre-heater � $1,100Stainless steel syrup pans 4� x 3� and 4� x 5� � $300 & $5006� x 13 1/2� wood chip burner evaporator with pre-heater, stainless steel pans

� $3500 Check Out Our Website for Updates

NEW YORK STATE LICENSED SYRUP BUYER BARRELS AVAILABLE

Your Full Service Maple Equipment Dealer

October 2005 33

MAPLE SYRUPRECIPES

By Courtney DonnellySt. Lawrence County

Maple Queen 2005-2005

MAPLE EGGNOG

6 eggs3/4 cup maple syrup2 cups light cream2 cups milk

Beat separately the egg yolks andwhites, adding 1/2 cup maple syrupto the yolks while beating and 1/4cup maple syrup to the whites. Mixegg whites with yolks, add creamand milk. Chill thoroughly. Servewith a dash of nutmeg for garnish.Note: 2 ounces of rum and 1 pint ofbrandy may be added for a morefestive drink.

MAPLE APPLE SAUCE

Tart apples1 cup maple syrup1/2 cup water

Bring maple syrup and water to arolling boil in a large saucepan. Fillwith cut up apples. Cook only untilfork tender for a chunky applesauce.

MAPLE POPCORN RECIPE

1 cup maple syrup1/2 to 1 cup walnut pieces

9 cups popped plain popcorn

Heat the maple syrup over mediumheat until syrup reaches 236degrees F. on a candy thermometer.Lightly oil large mixing bowl, mixpopcorn, nuts and syrup with lightlyoiled spoon. When mixture coolsbreak off and eat.Yield: about 10 cups

MAPLE MILKSHAKE

2 scoops vanilla ice cream1 cup milk1/2 cup maple syrup

Place ingredients in blender andblend until well mixed or shake allingredients thoroughly in a tightlycovered container.

MAPLE FUDGE

1 cup maple syrup1/2 cup light cream2 cups sugar2 tablespoons butter1 cup walnuts, broken (optional)

Combine all ingredients except thenuts in a saucepan. Stir over heatuntil the sugar is dissolved. Boil gen-tly, without stirring, to 238 degrees F.or to the softball stage. Cool to luke-warm: beat until the color changesand the candy begins to set. Stir inthe broken nuts; turn into a butteredpan; mark in squares when firm.

FOR MORE SAP & HIGHER PRODUCTION,CONSIDER A VACUUM SYSTEM FOR 2006

Bascom Maple Farms is the source for allyour maple sugaring equipment and supply needs.

Call or visit us today.

56 Sugarhouse Road, Alstead, NH 03602603-835-6361 � FAX: 603-835-2455

www.bascommaple.com


USED EQUIPMENT FOR SALE2� x 4� Vt evaporator w/stainless

pan (cracked front) $ 9502� x 6� Small Brothers evaporator

w/stainless pans $2,10030� x 8� Set of Small Brothers stainless

pans (pans only) $1,9003 Bbl Grimm round gathering

tank (excellent) $ 450500 Gallon stainless bulk tank

w/manhole $ 800500 Gallon Zero stainless

vacuum tank $1,1004� x 7� Aluminum hood w/preheater &

stack (fits King pan) $ 9007� Grimm cast iron filter press $ 85010� Aluminum filter press

w/hose $1,200SIHI 5 hp water-cooled vacuum

pump (no motor) $1,200Osmonics horizontal RO machine

750 gph (needs new membranes)sold as is $2,000

October 2005 35

COMING EVENTS

NEW ENGLAND MAPLE GRADING SCHOOLDecember 7, 8, & 9, 2005

For more information contact:Sumner Dole (603) 527-5475 or [email protected]

NEW YORK STATE MAPLE PRODUCERS CONFERENCEJanuary 6 and 7, 2006

Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Central School, Verona, NYFor more information contact:

Keith Schiebel at (315) 829-2520 ext. 262e-mail: [email protected].

STURBRIDGE AREA MAPLE DAYSMarch 17-19, 2006

Sturbridge, MassachusteetFor more information contact:

Lee Schelin at Phone: (508) 347-0210, Fax: (508) 347-0375

NAMSC / IMSI ANNUAL MEETING 2005October 23-26, 2005, Delta Trois-Rivières Hotel

1620, rue Notre-Dame, Trois-Rivières (Quebec), Canada G9A 6E5

All rooms reservations must be done with the Reservation Center of theTourism Office of Trois-Rivières which will dispatch your reservation to thehotel. If the Delta Hotel has no room available, you will be referred to another hotel not too far away in order to benefit of the shuttle service.

Specify name of group: MAPLE 2005Phone: (800) 313-1123 (ext. 224)

(819) 375-1122 (ext. 224)Fax: (819) 375-0022 E-Mail: [email protected]

For more information, contact the organizing committee at:Phone: (819) 362-3241 (ext. 238)Fax: (819) 362-2830E-Mail: [email protected]

Many are asking us if they can pay in US Funds. Yes . . . you only haveto take the total amount in Canadian $ and multiply it by 0.84 and you will getthe US amount to pay.

Don�t miss this occasion to visit us.


CLASSIFIED

FOR SALE: Equipment & Supplies from Bakers Maple. Lamb tubing, Bacon jugs,Marcland controls, Carrageenan for maple jelly, 1 1/2 lbs. for $19.95. Used BeckettCF 2300 Oil Burner, used syrup pans. Bainbridge, NY (607) 967-7229.

FOR SALE: New hobby evaporators, new plastic and glass containers, new maplesupplies - maple equipment company closing - must sell inventory at cost prices.Call Steve or Bill at (802) 868-9289. E-mail [email protected].

FOR SALE: 5� x 12� Lightning style reversible evaporator. All TIG welded SS pans,SS valves, SS chimney, older woodfired arch. No steam hood. $5000 Canadianlocated in Ontario. (519) 869-8467.

FOR SALE: Complete 3� x 8� arch, needs work (no rust) $400, sap pails in lots of25, cover, spout & pail $4.00/ea. 3 stainless steel tanks 200 gal. $225/ea. ormake offer on all 3, 1 Garland gas stove, 10 burner, 2 ovens, good condition ask-ing $800, various rolls new tubing (5/16�, 1/2�, 1�) call for price. (413) 623-6021.

COMPLETE MAPLE SUGARING OPERATION FOR LEASE: Sugarhouse, 6� x16� Leader dual oil fired evaporator, stainless welded pans, rear drop flue 6� x 10�,front 6 x 6 cross flow, 6� x 10� Steamaway (arch and pans used for 2 seasons).10,000 gallon heating oil storage tank, 60 gallon stainless propane finishing pan,10� filter press, (6) 40 gallon stainless storage barrels, (25) 30 gallon epoxy linedstorage barrels. Small Brothers electric hot water jacketed canning unit (4 nozzle),6000 gallon vacuum storage tank, Travaini liquid cooled electric vacuum pump,3,000 taps on line, could be expanded to 7,500+, 2� main line, 1 1/2�, 1 1/4� and 1�branch lines, IPL rigid 5/16� used 1 season. All lines have been pressured cleaned.Complete production records for last 30 years available. Please call (603) 523-4838for details.

FOR SALE: 4�X 12�Stainless Small Brothers evaporator complete with woodsavergrates and blowers, stainless stack base & cap. Makes .05 lead content syrup.Good Condition (705) 789-8569.

YOU�RE ONE STOP SHOPPING FOR MAPLE EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES

Over 100 years experience in the maple industry The #1 Manufacturer of Maple Sugaring Equipment in Canada

Evaporators, R.O.�s, Vacuum Pumps, Sap Tanks, Tubing, Mainline, Air Injector for pans, Glass & Plastic containers

D.G. USA Inc Dominion & Grimm Inc.

164 Yankee Park Rd Fairfax, VT 05454 Tel: 802-524-9625 Fax: 802-524-9643

October 2005 37


IN MEMORIUM

Nelson H. Widrick

Nelson H. Widrick, 89, of Croghan NY, died August 14. 2005. He wasthe widower of Esther Widrick, and had been in declining health followinga stroke three years ago.

He was born near Croghan and spent his life since 1937 at the WidrickMaple and Dairy Farm. In the 1940's he tried also raising turkeys.

He was one of the first members of the NYS Maple Producers Assn.,and member and President of the Lewis County Maple Producers Assn.He took the lead in locating bulk markets for neighbors, and often surprisedhis neighbors with the breadth of his contacts among maple producers andbuyers. In 1981, while navigating a flatbed load of bulk syrup toWisconsin, he wore out a set of chains getting through an early blizzard.He later became one of the most active Directors of the NY Farm BureauMarketing Committee, and became invaluable in organizing the NNYMaple Producers Co-op. He served on the Advisory Board of the local KeyBank in the 1980's and 1990's, and was very active in the creation andorganization of the non profit American Maple Museum, in Croghan NY.He had an amazing recollection of local history.

As an early and busy dealer for Lamb, Grimm, and Beaver River, hegenerously gave credit and advice to producers inside and beyond NYState. Almost like on Noah's Ark, he could usually go off into the gloom ofhis garages and find one or two of almost anything a producer could want.He was inducted into the NAMSC Hall of Fame in 1981, and the 1999 NYSMaple Tour booklet was dedicated to him.

Surviving are two sons and a daughter in law, Arlon and Karen, andWillard (of Croghan), two daughters and sons in law, Karen and JamesVilliere (of Port Leyden) and Patrina and Gregory Ashely (of Lowville), asister Mabel Mayer (Lowville), nine grandchildren, six great-grandchildren,and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, andcousins. He was a lifelong member of Croghan Mennonite Church. In hismemory, the NYSMP Assn. is making a donation to the American MapleMuseum, and the Lewis County Maple Producers Assn. is making a dona-tion to this Museum's Elevator Construction Project.

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VOL. 17A, NO. 3 OCTOBER 2005...In the fall Michigan Newsletter a woman wrote in to say she was hav-ing a problem making candy. The problem being that it didn t harden, was taffy like