Institution: UVM Proctor Maple Research Center

Showing 1 – 10 of 164 resources

Variation in Sap Sugar Content Across States

There is little information about how sap sugar varies across the maple producing region.

In most cases, absolute changes in SSR from one year to the next averaged 6.3%, but occasionally changes in SSR of up +20% (ME from 2013 to 2014) and -13% (NH from 2014 to 2015) were found. Some states (MA, NY, MI) exhibited relatively stable or minor changes in SSR across the three years.

In examining these results, northern states appeared to have slightly lower SSR (sweeter sap), while more southern states tended to have lighter SSC (less sweet sap).

Publication:
Maple Syrup Digest
Date:
March 15, 2025

Tapping Below the Lateral Line for a Sustainable Use of Maple Resource

In recent years, someproducers have seen the benefit of tapping maples below the lateral line for multiple reasons. The main reason is to access a larger area of healthy wood on the trunk. This is because the maple tree produces a compartmentalization zone inside the trunk following tapping, which isolates the wound left by the tap hole.

By opting for a tapping pattern that respects the necessary spacing of taps from year to year based on their size and number, the likelihood of tapping into compartmentalized wood is minimized. If, in addition, the tapping area is expanded by allowing tapping below the lateral line, the exploitation of the trunk surface is further optimized, ensuring the sustainability of sap collection.

Publication:
Maple Syrup Digest
Date:
March 15, 2025

Effects of the January 1998 Ice Storm on Stem and Root Carbohydrate Reserves, Radial Growth and Tree Vigor in Two Vermont Sugarbushes

The ice storm of January 1998 damaged well over 17 million acres of forest in the northeast, including nearly 1 million acres of forests in Vermont (Figure 1, Miller-Weeks and Eagar 1999, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation 2000). Many of the areas which experienced damage were active sugarbushes, with severe damage to tubing systems in affected zones.

Publication:
Maple Syrup Digest
Date:
June 15, 2024

Characterizing maple sap flows

Individual sap flow events are highly variable and dynamic, ranging from slow, weeping flows that last for days to short bursts of high flow that last for only a few hours.

Publication:
Maple News
Date:
May 24, 2024

Bark removal and taphole closure with arc-barb spouts

The Arc-Barb Spout (UVM Patent Pending) is designed with a shortened barrel to allow improved sap flow from the shallower, more productive sapwood zones in maple stems.

Publication:
Maple News
Date:
April 30, 2024

Drop and spout sanitation review

Considerable research has been conducted by the Cornell Maple Program and University of Vermont Proctor Maple Research Center on the effects of spout and tubing sanitation on improvements in sap yield and economics.

Publication:
Maple News
Date:
April 30, 2024

Maple Research & Outreach Professional Profiles “Dr. Tim” Perkins

Tim Perkins was born and raised in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. As a youth, he, along with his seven siblings (5 brothers, 2 sisters) and father, helped on their grandfather’s (and later Uncle’s) farm in Westmore, Vermont. His chores included gathering sap from buckets, carrying firewood, and, of course, tasting syrup.

Publication:
Maple Syrup Digest
Date:
March 15, 2024

Ask Proctor: Tiny Bubbles

Maple producers using tubing often observe bubbles emerging from the tree within the spout or first few inches of tubing when the sap is running. If the spout is not seated properly, leaks may occur.T hese are most noticeable as rapidly moving streams of small or large bubbles. At other times, these are not leaks, however repeated or overly aggressive attempts at seating spouts to make the bubbles stop can create leaks that further attempts at spout seating will only make worse.

Publication:
Maple Syrup Digest
Date:
March 15, 2024