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Acid Rain and Sugar Maple Decline

Through the increased combustion of fossil fuels, humans have dramatically increased pollutant additions of sulfur and nitrogen into the atmosphere wher eit combines with water to form sulfuric and nitric acids, creating acid rain. This article investigates the impact of this issue on sugarbush health.

Adding Profits Through Value-Added Products

The tried-and-true value-added maple products include candy and cream, and many producers have taken advantage of these products already. Some have gone further, adding maple products like ice cream, maple cotton candy, and maple-coated popcorn or nuts. More adventurous sugarmakers have begun making additional items, like salad dressings, hot sauces, and dog biscuits.

Advances in Understanding the Potential Health Benefits of Maple Syrup: The Path Forward

Over the past six years, my laboratory, and others, have been conducting research focused on identifying bioactive plant compounds (known as phytochemicals or phytonutrients) and evaluating the biological effects of maple syrup, maple water (i.e. maple sap), and maple plant parts and their derived extracts.

Agritourism: Education, Marketing, and More

Agritourism plays two important roles. First, it educates the public about farming and their local food system. Second, it supports farmers by increasing sales opportunities and building a loyal customer base. The term encompasses an array of on-farm attractions, events, or services. Events can take a simple Ð and limited Ð form such participating in a stateÕs maple weekend. Or it can be as complex as opening a restaurant. Agritourism includes anything from school field trips, to B&Bs, to pick-your-own, and wine tastings. Sometimes fun, sometimes educational, sometimes both, the common threads are connection and experience.

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.

An Alternative Measure of Yearly Maple Syrup Production

Typically, production is measured in terms of the number of gallons produced. In order to evaluate the effects of season length of maple syrup production I propose an alternative measure of seasonal maple syrup production, “Yield-per-Tap/Day.”

An Overview of Consumer Research Conducted to Determine Support for A Standardised Grading System for Pure Maple Syrup

In late summer, 2008 Cintech Agroalimentaire was mandated by the IMSI and the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers to undertake research on their behalf that would serve as input to a potential uniform grading system destined for consumers of maple syrup. It was felt that such a grading system would not only be useful to producers and packers but would also help stimulate sales to customers.

Antimicrobial Silver in Maple Sap Collection

Because of a new approach to using nano-silver, the fact that PFA has been banned, and the desire to control microorganisms in maple sap collection systems, the University of Vermont Proctor Maple Research Center investigated the use of spouts and tubing containing antimicrobial nano-silver for suitability for increasing maple sap yield.

Are NASS Maple Surveys Underestimating Production?

Some have questioned the accuracy of NASS’s Maple Syrup estimates. The most common criticisms typically include: some producers don’t return their report, some don’t report accurately, and some don’t receive a report. I will address each one separately.