Sustainable Tapping
How to tap trees for long-term forest health and sustainable production.
Year: 2020
Showing 31 – 40 of 77 resources
Some quick tips to achieve higher sap yield
Increasing the yield of sap from maple trees is the goal of most maple producers. While getting there isn’t a matter of one simple thing, by
following best management practices and paying attention to detail it is possible to increase sap yields, often quite dramatically. Includes links to videos.
Researchers downplay fall tapping
Three-year study finds little payoff in sap yield for sugarmakers who tap in the fall.
Maple Performance Gel
Consisting of mostly sucrose, with some additional minerals, maple syrup is an ideal foundation for performance gels, and can satisfy a real need within the endurance running communities. We found that adding a thickening agent to maple, with the addition of flavoring and electrolytes, was the most ideal formula for nutritional benefits and consumer ease. A thorough processing step, clean and sterile packaging measures, and correct fill instructions are all vital in the shelf life and safety of these novel products.
Sugarbush Management Notebook
A sugarbush is a special type of woodland. Woodlands include a complex mixture of natural processes and attributes such as soil type, elevation, tree species, types of wildlife, history of use, tree age and more. Foresters can help maple producers gain an in-depth understanding of these factors to achieve a healthy and productivity sugarbush, but there are several steps a maple producer can take on their own.
Optimizing the Performance of My Vacuum Tubing System
When we talk about tubing systems, we have two roads to travel. One is a gravity system and the other is a vacuum system. A conventional 5/16” gravity system is not much different from running sap into a bucket. The yield is much the same as collecting sap in a bucket. When we add vacuum to a tubing system, we increase the sap yield 5% for every inch of vacuum we generate in our system. For example, if we produce 15 inches of vacuum in a line, we should be able to almost double our sap yield. The first year after installation is always the best. As time on a system accumulates, wear-and-tear hampers performance.
Allergens and Maple Syrup Production
Processing maple syrup into value-added products can increase product diversity, sales and producer profits. When considering the variety of potential value-added products, such as salad dressings, coated nuts, seasoning products, and sauces, it is important to evaluate the ingredients for their allergen risk potential and add the proper allergen statements to food product labels. This will ensure that you produce quality products and protect potentially susceptible consumers.
Grade Blending: A New Calculator to Get Blended Syrup in Grade
The Cornell Maple Program has developed a new, user-friendly tool to calculate how much of each syrup you would need to blend. This calculator will only help sugarmakers using digital light meters that give the percentage of light transmittance (%Tc) through your syrup.
State Regulations for Maple Production
Cottage food laws vary considerably from state to state, and are generally intended to be a way for small farmers and food processors to establish small businesses offering value-added food products. Some states require food producers to pay a fee, obtain a permit or license, or register with the town, county or state. Periodic health inspections of home kitchens and even product testing may also be required depending on location.
Filtering Maple Syrup
Methods, tips, and hints to properly filter maple syrup to achieve clarity.