How do I Tap a Maple Tree?
University of Maine Cooperative Extension educator Kathy Hopkins discusses the best method to safely tap a maple tree.
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Indicator Species, Fact Sheets: Red Maple, Acer rubrum
Red Maple is a deciduous tree that can be 50 to 60 feet tall at maturity. It is wide ranging, and native throughout the eastern half of the United States. Red maple can be used for syrup production. However, it tends to bud and flower very early in the season, which has a negative effect on the sap, making the syrup season for the red maple very short.
Indicator Species, Fact Sheets: Sugar Maple, Acer saccharum
Sugar maple is a deciduous tree that can grow to a height of 50 to 130 feet. It is native to the US, and found throughout the eastern states. Sugar maple is the primary source for maple sugar and syrup. Trees are tapped for syrup in late winter/early spring throughout New England. Sugar maple is also a valuable hardwood for a variety of products from flooring to cabinets.
Influence of experimental snow removal on root and canopy physiology of sugar maple trees in a northern hardwood forest
Due to projected increases in winter air temperatures in the northeastern USA over the next 100 years, the snowpack is expected to decrease in depth and duration, thereby increasing soil exposure to freezing air temperatures. To evaluate the potential physiological responses of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) to a reduced snowpack, we measured root injury, foliar cation and carbohydrate concentrations, woody shoot carbohydrate levels, and terminal woody shoot lengths of trees in a snow manipulation experiment in New Hampshire, USA. Snow was removed from treatment plots for the first 6 weeks of winter for two consecutive years, resulting in lower soil temperatures to a depth of 50 cm for both winters compared to reference plots with an undisturbed snowpack.
Maple Enterprise Business Summary Chart of Accounts
Sample chart of accounts for a maple business.
Maple Products Pricing Guide
A spreadsheet to calculate pricing and profit for maple cream, candy, cotton candy, and soda.
Maple Syrup: Natural and Nutritious
This consumer-facing resource can be used as a handout or poster, and features nutrition facts about maple syrup compared to other sweeteners.
Relationships Between Tubing System Component Age and Sap Yield: A Preliminary Assessment
Although a number of factors affect maple sap flow in vacuum tubing systems, it has become increasingly apparent that sap yields are largely a function of two major influences: vacuum level at the taphole and taphole and tubing sanitation.
Results from the 2012 New England tapping survey
Results of an annual survey conducted of New England sugarmakers, capturing information on production practices and results, such as types of equipment used, sap sugar content, sanitation practices, and other data.
Seasonal dynamics and age of stemwood nonstructural carbohydrates in temperate forest trees
Nonstructural carbohydrate reserves support tree metabolism and growth when current photosynthates are insufficient, offering resilience in times of stress. We monitored stemwood nonstructural carbohydrate (starch and sugars) concentrations of the dominant tree species at three sites in the northeastern United States. We estimated the mean age of the starch and sugars in a subset of trees using the radiocarbon (14C) bomb spike. With these data, we then tested different carbon (C) allocation schemes in a process-based model of forest C cycling.