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Branon Family Maple Orchards unveils pouch packaging
Peter Gregg | November 17, 2020
FAIRFIELD, Vt.—Branon Family Maple Orchards is the latest operation to come out with pouch packaging.
Called “Maple to Go!” the family farm says the new packaging system “allows maple lovers to bring pure Vermont maple syrup along with them wherever and whenever they travel.”
“We had people tell us they wanted to bring our maple syrup with them whenever they went someplace, but they couldn’t justify lugging a pint jug around,” said Cecile Branon, co-owner of 80,000-tap Branon Family Maple Orchards located in Fairfield, Vt.
Maple to Go! is a 3.4-ounce (100 ml) food-grade pouch of organic Grade A amber/rich Vermont maple syrup with a re-closable, no-mess twist cap that allows for multiple usage. [ MORE ]
Leader Evaporator and H20 Innovation partner up
Peter Gregg | November 11, 2020
MASON, Mich.—Leader Evaporator Co. and H20 Innovation will start carrying each other’s equipment at their respective U.S. dealerships.
“It’s an exciting opportunity,” said Leader’s chairwoman Mary Fogle Douglass, owner of Sugar Bush Supplies in Mason, Mich., a major Leader dealer.
Douglass hosted her annual fall open house virtually on Oct. 24, where she made the H20 announcement.
“We thought about what things we are missing and how people can get it quickly,” Douglass said.
Some of the big ticket items that Leader dealers will start carrying are H20’s line of large size tanks.
“They have a huge line,” Douglass said.
[ MORE ]
And then there were none... Last of the winter maple shows canceled
Peter Gregg | October 29, 2020
SYRACUSE, N.Y.—And then there were none.
The last remaining scheduled winter maple shows have now been canceled.
The 2021 New York Winter Maple Conference has become the latest maple event to succumb to the COVID -19 virus. Also canceled this week, the Wisconsin Winter Institute hosted by the Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Association.
The WMSPA will instead be hosting a virtual edition of the event, with a large agenda of educational seminars via Zoom. [ MORE ]
‘Tree Water’ company looking for permeate suppliers
Deborah Jeanne Sergeant | October 28, 2020
KATONAH, N.Y.—Asarasi Sparkling Tree Water is looking for more permeate.
The three-year-old water company has landed a deal with beverage giant Anheuser-Busch and is looking to add to its maple permeate supply base, said company founder Adam Lazar.
Asarasi has also collaborated with Goose Island Brewery producing the world's first 100% plant-based beer called Tree Water Pilsner with Anheuser Busch and the product sold out in under a week, Lazar said.
"This opportunity continues to lead to more significant volume sourcing and we are excited to bring this opportunity to all New York State Maple Producers," he said.
Asarasi said it is looking for permeate suppliers of 5,000+ gallons in any given maple season, Lazar said.
Interested producers can check out supplying opportunities at www.asarasi.com/permeate-supplier PASSWORD: PERMEATE [ MORE ]
Syrup sales through the roof at retail this fall
Peter Gregg | October 14, 2020
WOODSTOCK, Vt.—There’s a maple gold rush this fall.
“Our mail order has been through the roof,” said Ralph Luce of Sugarbush Farm in Woodstock, Vt. “We would typically see maybe 40 orders per month, we’re now getting 150 or more.”
Luce and the entire Luce family were scrambling over Columbus Day weekend tending to the crush of tourists to the 10,000-tap mountaintop farm, flocking to buy syrup and cheese and see the spectacular foilage.
“We’ll have thousands here this weekend,” Luce said, during a tour for The Maple News.
He said crowds were coming from more regional locations like New York and Boston, theorizing that tourists were opting for local fall vacations due to the pandemic.
Crowds were good about wearing masks, Luce said.
“We’re trying to keep people outside and spread out,” he said.
Luce said since the spring syrup sales have been stronger than ever.
[ MORE ]
States press on with fall maple events
Peter Gregg | October 6, 2020
SYRACUSE, N.Y.—Instead of apples and pumpkins, how about maple syrup?
States across the Maple Belt will be participating in a “Fall in Love with Maple” open house event throughout October, competing with traditional fall agritourism events.
“This year has been everything but normal, but one thing that has remained the same is the sweet golden syrup that we can celebrate as the autumn leaves color up,” said Helen Thomas, executive director of the New York State Maple Producers Association.
[ MORE ]
Birch season in U.S. down over last year
Peter Gregg | August 2, 2020
LAKE PLACID, N.Y.—The U.S. birch season was largely a bust this spring.
"At our facility and from what I have heard from many others, we had below average birch yields due to very cold weather and lack of rainfall in late April and early May," said Michael Farrell of The Forest Farmers in Mansfield, Vt. who oversees production on one of the largest birch operations in the U.S. with 16,000 taps.
"We also only tapped a portion of our trees in NY and none in Vermont due to issues around COVID."
Most producers said their production of birch, known as the little brother crop to maple, was off mostly due to bad weather.
[ MORE ]
Soaking old sap in pans an effective cleaner
Peter Gregg | July 14, 2020
HEBRON, N.Y.—It’s nasty and stinks but it works.
The old school way of pan cleaning after a season—letting last-day-of-the-season sap soak in the pans for five or six months—has been a proven method.
This season at The Maple News sugarhouse in Hebron, N.Y. we tried it for the second year in a row. We have had success after much smell enduring.
In April, we filled our pans and Steam-Away with skunked sap to the brim.
Through the spring, a bubbling, green, oozing crust grew like a science experiment.
By early July it transformed into an almost pleasant, brown cidery vinegar. [ MORE ]
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