Showing 461 – 470 of all 712 resources in the database

Quality Control in the Sugarhouse: Knowing where things can go wrong, and making sure that they don’t.

The most helpful advice for producers concerned about damaging otherwise good syrup is the most basic; make sure to grade each batch carefully and don’t assume that just because everything went smoothly in the sugarhouse that the syrup doesn’t need to be checked. The following is a list of problems that can occur with the four primary qualities of syrup, and how to avoid them.

Quarter-Inch Tubing: Is it a Better Option for Gravity Sap Collection?

Ten years ago, 3/16” diameter tubing was introduced to the marketplace as an alternative tubing to 5/16” diameter tubing.  However, recent research shows that sap production in 3/16” tubing drops off as soon as the second year after installation due to microbial growth. A replacement for 3/16” diameter tubing in gravity systems could be 1/4” tubing. With almost twice the aperture of 3/16” tubing (0.049 sq inches compared to 0.0275 sq inches), 1/4″ inch tubing is less likely to plug from microbes yet is still able to create a full column of sap for gravity vacuum. Quarter-inch tubing is currently not available for maple producers but can be procured from other industries and, with modifications, will work for maple production.

Quebec Federation

The Federation of Quebec Maple Producers (FPAQ) was founded in 1966 to help Quebec producers bring maple syrup to market. Today, FPAQ represents 13,500 producers who collectively make ~72% of the worldÕs maple syrup crop. David Hall is one of the 13 Directors in the organization. He provides an overview of the organization and its various marketing efforts.

Radial growth of hardwoods following the 1998 ice storm in New Hampshire and Maine

Ice storms and resulting injury to tree crowns occur frequently En North America, Reaction of land managers to injury caused by the regional ice storm of January 1998 had the potential to accelerate the harvesting of northern hardwoods due to concern about the future loss of wood production by injured trees. To assess the effect of this storm on radial stem growth, increment cores were collected from northern hardwood trees categorized by crown injury classes. For a total of 347 surviving canopy dominant and subdominant trees, a radial growth index was calculated (mean annual increment for 1999-2000 divided by the mean annual increment for 1995-1997).

Recommendations for Proper Plate Filter Press Operation

New filter presses do not always include a complete set of instructions and the proper procedures in using a filter press are not always apparent. This publication is meant to provide guidelines for the proper use of plate filter presses.

Recycling maple plastic

Sugarmakers use a lot of plastic. Recycling is a much needed option to avoid disposing of tons of plastic each year.