Showing 131 – 140 of 378 resources

Managing for a Healthy Sugarbush in a Changing Climate

Severe and extreme weather has significant impacts on sugar maples. This article discusses how to look for signs of stress, and how to manage sugarbushes for resilience.

Identifying and Preventing Maple Syrup Off-Flavors

Maple syrup has a unique flavor that sets it apart from other specialty foods. Its characteristic for exhibiting different subtle flavors depending on where it was produced, and, at times, how it was produced make it a product that everyone, regardless of their taste preferences, can enjoy. However, this characteristic also makes syrup flavor susceptable to flavors that are not conisdered typical. These off-flavors can occur anywhere from the tree to the containers. Not only do production methods affect the flavor, but Mother Nature has a hand in it too. Following are some common off-flavors that have been encountered, their likely causes, and ways to avoid these problems.

Sweet Signs Help with Marketing

Research shows that signs are the most effective means of communication. This article offers tips on how to make the best signs to attract people to your sugarhouse.

Maintaining a Healthy Sugarbush

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.

Managing for delicious ecosystem service under climate change: can United States sugar maple (Acer saccharum) syrup production be maintained in a warming climate?

Sugar maple (Acer saccharum) is a highly valued tree in United States (US) and Canada, and its sap when collected from taps and concentrated, makes a delicious syrup. Understanding how this resource may be impacted by climate change and other threats is essential to continue management for maple syrup into the future. Here, we evaluate the current distribution of maple syrup production across twenty-three states within the US and estimate the current potential sugar maple resource based on tree inventory data. We model and project the potential habitat responses of sugar maple using a species distribution model with climate change under two future General Circulation Models (GCM) and emission scenarios and three time periods (2040, 2070, 2100).

Ask Proctor

Filtering syrup in small batches is a huge pain. Any advice on how to make it easier?

The Work of Maple Associations

A panel discussion at the NAMSC annual meeting offered a number of suggestions for ways state and provincial associations can help their members.

Is Tapping Below the Lateral Line A Good Idea?

This research was conducted to determine whether tapping below the lateral line in vacuum tubing operations results in the same quantity of sap from a taphole as normal (above the lateral line) tapping, and thus whether tapping below the lateral is a reasonable management alternative which might be employed to increase the size of the tapping band in maple sap production. It will also inform us as to any tradeoffs (reductions) in yield that might result from this approach.

Maple’s Changing Story

Why and how maple producers can shape their stories to connect with potential customers.