The organic sugarbush
In attempting to establish criteria for organic certification of maple operations, there are still some wide disagreements among certifying agencies over how to regulate behavior that is unique to maple.
Institution: UVM Extension
Showing 51 – 60 of 68 resources
Starting small
How sugarmaples regenerate themselves to produce successive crops.
The North American Maple project
The North American Maple Project, begun in 1988 with the goal of evaluating and monitoring trees from Nova Scotia to Minnesota, was initiated to answer many questions, which could be summed up as: what is the current health of sugar maple in these various regions, and is it getting better, worse, or staying the same?
Salvaging your Sap: Checking Vacuum Lines for Leaks
A vacuum pump attached to a well-designed tubing system will significantly boost sap flow compared to gravity sap collection, by increasing the difference in pressure between the tree, the source of the sap, and the tubing, where we want the sap to flow. A vacuum pump, however, will not deliver much, if any, vacuum to the trees if the tubing system is not tight and leak-free. This article gives basic instructions on how to check for those leaks, and how to fix them.
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.
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.
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.
Invaders in the sugarbush
Invasive exotic plants are becoming more prevalent and can have a negative impact on sugarbushes. Maple producers need to know how to identify and eradicate invasives.