A production survey of sugarmakers
A summary of the current state of maple production in New England is based on surveys returned from approximately 163 sugarmakers in April, 2009.
Year: 2009
Showing 1 – 10 of 20 resources
Maple best management practices
A handbook of best management practices for maple producers to help commercial producers identify possible enhancements to their sugaring operations that maintain high standards of cleanliness in all phases of the process, reduce to the lowest extent possible the potential for contamination of the finished product, and achieve the highest possible quality pure maple syrup.
Recycling maple plastic
Sugarmakers use a lot of plastic. Recycling is a much needed option to avoid disposing of tons of plastic each year.
Which side of the tree should you tap?
Thoughts and data on how setting taps on different aspects of a tree can impact sap yield.
Development and Testing of the Check-Valve Spout Adapter
The goal of this project was to find alternative ways to reduce microbial contamination of tapholes. One approach we investigated was to use a check-valve to prevent microbial contamination of tapholes by preventing backward movement of sap from the tubing system into the taphole.
Metabolism Off-Flavor In Maple Syrup – Part II: Remediation of metabolism off-flavor in maple syrup
The objective of this study was to examine several possible remediation techniques to determine which, if any, was most effective in reducing or removing metabolism off-flavor from maple syrup.
Sugar maple growth in relation to nutrition and stress in the northeastern United States
Sugar maple, Acer saccharum, decline disease is incited by multiple disturbance factors when imbalanced calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and manganese (Mn) act as predisposing stressors. Our objective in this study was to determine whether factors affecting sugar maple health also affect growth as estimated by basal area increment (BAI). We used 76 northern hardwood stands in northern Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and New Hampshire, USA, and found that sugar maple growth was positively related to foliar concentrations of Ca and Mg and stand level estimates of sugar maple crown health during a high stress period from 1987 to 1996. Foliar nutrient threshold values for Ca, Mg, and Mn were used to analyze long-term BAI trends from 1937 to 1996. Significant (P <= 0.05) nutrient threshold-by-time interactions indicate changing growth in relation to nutrition during this period.
Sugaring in the Fall
Sap can be collected and syrup produced in the fall, but sugar content is low and the practice raises additional challenges for the spring crop.
Alternative fuels for evaporators
Wood chips, wood pellets, and used vegetable oil can all be used to fire properly adapted evaporators. Each has advantages and challenges.
Industry Review Air Injection Technology and Its Use in the Production of Maple Syrup
In recent years, some maple equipment manufacturers have sold air injection (AI) technology equipment for the production of maple syrup. For purposes of the recent industry review conducted by the International Maple Syrup Institute, air injection technology is defined as the forced introduction of air through a series of perforated pipes submerged in boiling sap in the front and/or back pan of a maple syrup evaporator.