Resource type: Practical Skills

Showing 81 – 90 of 310 resources

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.

Date:
September 17, 2020

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.

Publication:
Maple Syrup Digest
Date:
September 1, 2020

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.

Publication:
Maple Syrup Digest
Date:
September 1, 2020

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.

Publication:
Maple Syrup Digest
Date:
September 1, 2020

Filtering Maple Syrup

Methods, tips, and hints to properly filter maple syrup to achieve clarity.

Date:
August 17, 2020

Tubing Theory and Layout

The basics behind determining the best place to install a mainline and laterals in your sugarbush.

Date:
June 27, 2020

Tapping Below the Lateral Line for High Maple Sap Yield

Maple producers sometimes have a difficult time locating areas on the tree that will produce unstained wood and good sap yields. This video suggests approaches maple producers using vacuum can take to counter this problem.

Date:
April 20, 2020