8th Annual Maple Open House Weekend March 27-29 2009

Vermont Maple Syrup Producers Hold Eighth Annual Maple Open
House Weekend
Visitors are welcome at sugarhouses all over Vermont

The Eighth Annual Vermont Maple Open House Weekend will be held at sugarhouses
throughout Vermont, March 27-29, 2009. The Open House Weekend is the public
celebration of the maple syrup season in Vermont and an opportunity for the public to
visit one or more “sugarhouses” throughout the state. Activities during Open House
Weekend will be different at each sugarhouse but will include the opportunity to watch
maple syrup being made (weather permitting) and to often sample maple products.
“Maple sugaring is a rich part of Vermont’s identity and heritage,” said Governor Jim
Douglas. “The Maple Open House Weekend is a quintessential Vermont event that
celebrates this timeless tradition.”

Some sugarhouses offer tours of their “sugarbushes” and some have special activities for
children. No two sugarhouses are the same so people are encouraged to visit more than
one. “There is nothing sweeter than visiting a local sugar house. From the tree to the
table, you’ll see firsthand why Vermonters make the finest maple syrup in the world,”
said Vermont Secretary of Agriculture Roger Allbee.

Maple season in Vermont is a special time when maple producers all around the state
collect sap from sugar maples and boil it down to pure Vermont maple syrup. Steam
billowing from sugarhouse roofs all around the state is a sign that sap is boiling.

Information about all of the participating maple syrup producers including which of the
three days they will be open and directions to their sugarhouses can be found on
www.vermontmaple.org or in the “2009 Vermont Ski & Year-round Maple Syrup Guide”
which can be picked up at any Vermont Welcome Center, or by calling the Vermont
Department of Tourism & Marketing at 800-837-6668.

Also, the Governor’s Tree Tapping event will be held at Middlebury College,
Middlebury, Vermont at 11:00 a.m. on March 6. Governor Jim Douglas is scheduled to
tap a sugar maple tree, celebrating sugaring season in Vermont. The Vermont mobile
sugarhouse will be there with sugar-on-snow, cotton candy and other maple delights
available for the public. There will also be a variety of displays about maple sugaring.

The Vermont Chamber of Commerce has selected the Vermont Maple Open House
Weekend as one of the “Top 25 Events for Kids”.

Vermont is the largest U.S. producer of maple syrup and approximately 500,000 gallons
or 5.5 million pounds of syrup is produced in Vermont annually.

Ice Storms Ruin Many Northeastern Farms

Maple Syrup Farmers Hit Hard by Ice Storm
By Miranda Grossman
Story Published: Jan 2, 2009 at 7:14 PM EST
Story Updated: Jan 2, 2009 at 7:14 PM EST

Things are getting a little sticky for maple syrup producers in Western Massachusetts. Local farmers are dealing with the aftermath of damaged trees from last month's ice storm.
Much of Tom McCrumm's 80 acres of sugar maples barely made it through last month's ice storm.

"To see this kind of damage is nauseating," said McCrumm.

McCrumm's been in the maple syrup business for more than 30 years, but he's never seen an ice storm devastate his South Face Farm in Ashfield like this one.

"Here are two other smaller trees that will never come into production because they've been uprooted," explained McCrumm pointing to fallen trees.

McCrumm and other Western Massachusetts syrup farmers worst fear came true, when the ice storm toppled trees, ripped down limbs, and tore apart the tubing that collects the sap. "Not only have I loss some trees entirely because it snapped off or uprooted, a lot of the ones that are damaged I won't be able to tap for 5 or 10 years until they recover," said McCrumm.

About 100 farms across Western Massachusetts are suffering losses, but those hit the hardest were ones at higher elevations. It takes about 50 years for a sugar maple to grow back to a tappable size, leaving many maple producers severely effected. "I would estimate that the state is going to have 50% of its normal production this year," said McCrumm.

see the rest at:

http://www.cbs3springfield.com/news/local/37020064.html

HUDSON-CHATHAM WINERY HOSTS
SWEET & SAVORY MAPLE TASTING

Saturday, November 15
11 am to 5 pm
FREE!
Sample an array of sweet and savory foods made wtih 100% natural maple syrup - great ideas for holiday menus or classic fall fare!

SEE YOU AT THE WINERY!

2009 New York State Maple Producers Winter Conference

Planning is underway for the 2009 New York State Maple Producers Winter Conference
A grower-focused 2009 NYS Maple Conference will provide practical and hands-on information for maple producers to build into existing and expanding operations.
January 9th and 10th, 2009

Mark your calendar now to attend the 2009 New York State Maple Producers Winter Conference. Schedule these dates in your planner or in your computer or maybe even in your head but be sure you set aside January 9th and 10th to get together with lots of other maple producers. The 2009 Maple Conference will be held in the same great location, the Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School in Verona, New York on Friday evening January 9th and all day Saturday, January 10th. This central location provides plenty of meeting space as well as room for a large trade show with over 25 exhibitors displaying plenty of specialized equipment for meeting maple producer needs. With our new slightly more relaxed session schedule you will have access the latest in research and grower experiences regarding maple production, promotion, forest management and the making and marketing of a variety of maple products. This day-and-a-half event has something for every level of maple producer. A maple conference you will not want to miss.

The conference kicks off Friday evening with a featured speaker at 7:00 PM and industry trade show highlighting maple equipment, manufacturers, and vendors scheduled from 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM. Saturday’s program features 30 of the industry’s leading maple experts from throughout North America and Canada presenting in a variety of concurrent workshops. These workshops focus on several major areas of emphasis: beginning sugarmakers, new and advanced technologies, marketing, promotion, value-added products, maple tapping, tubing, vacuum, and forest management.

The conference is open to the general public, as well as maple producers, and is geared to all levels of sugar makers. Saturday’s trade show opens at 8:00 AM with workshops starting at 9:00AM. Held at the Vernon-Verona-Sherrill (V.V.S.) High School, Verona, New York, the conference is sponsored by the V.V.S. FFA, New York State Maple Producers Association and the Cornell Maple Program and Cornell Cooperative Extension. The V.V.S. High School is located between Utica and Syracuse, New York on State Route 31 just two minutes from NYS Thruway Exit 33.

For additional information contact V.V.S. FFA advisor Keith Schiebel at kschiebel@vvsschools.org. Registration forms will also be available at the New York State Maple Producers Website: http://www.nysmaple.com/ or the Cornell Maple Program website: cornellmaple.com in November and December.

For more information, please contact:
Keith Schiebel -
Stephen Childs - slc18@cornell.edu

Health Benefits of Maple Abound

Health Benefits of Maple Abound
All-Natural Sweetener is Low on Glycemic Index, High on Taste; Contains Key Minerals and Is Produced Sustainably, Domestically.

Brattleboro, VT (PRWEB) October 1, 2008 -- Coombs Family Farms, a seventh generation maple producer and champion of small family farming, today reminds consumers that maple is not only an all-natural and delicious alternative to refined sugar, but also a food that possesses several health benefits.

"We all know that pure maple is a delicious and all-natural sweetener," said Arnold Coombs, seventh generation maple farmer, Chairman of the Vermont Maple Industry Council, and General Manager of Coombs Family Farms. "But did you know that pure maple has specific health benefits and can be produced sustainably and organically on small family farms here in New England?"

According to the Proctor Maple Research Center at the University of Vermont, one tablespoon of maple syrup is only 50 calories, about the same as a tablespoon of refined, white cane sugar. However, maple syrup has a low glycemic index value (54), according to the original Glycemic Index of the University of Sydney. A glance at its nutritional composition reveals that it also contains minerals such as manganese (100% DV), riboflavin (37% DV), zinc (18% DV), magnesium (7% DV) and calcium and potassium (5% DV). Brown sugar, corn syrup and honey have higher glycemic indexes and contain more calories than maple.

Pure maple syrup is all-natural, it contains no additives or preservatives, and it can be produced sustainably, organically, domestically, and by using environmentally sound practices.
While American Diabetes Month isn't until November, it is important to be aware year-round that nationwide, 23.6 million people, or 7.8% of our population, have diabetes, 5/7% of whom are undiagnosed. The intake of high glycemic index foods, including processed sugars and sweeteners, is still one of the primary causes of diabetes, as well as heart attack, stroke, and obesity.

In fact, the childhood obesity epidemic which, according to a survey conducted by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and published in the May 21, 2008 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, has hit a plateau in recent months, still affects more than 32% of our country's children and cites the consumption of refined sugars and processed foods as the major culprit.

"Maple offers health benefits, but you have to make sure it's 100% pure and/or organically certified," continued Coombs. "There are many products in the mass market today that are positioned as maple syrup that are non-pure products that are simply maple flavored corn syrup with additives and preservatives, as well as a high glycemic index. Plus, pure maple atop pancakes, oatmeal, and yogurt is a motivator to not skip breakfast. And that's another health benefit."

Maple has a long history of being celebrated for its health benefits. The Master Cleanse diet was created by Stanley Burroughs in 1941 and later popularized by Peter Clickman in his book (2005) Lose Weight, Have More Energy and Be Happier in 10 Days. The Master Cleanse claims to be a way to cleanse the body of toxins and remove cravings, and involves drinking lemonade with Grade B maple syrup and other ingredients.

Health practitioners may argue about the efficacy and healthfulness of The Master Cleanse Diet; regardless, maple continues to be lauded for various health reasons.

About Coombs Family FarmsPure maple has been a way of life at Coombs Family Farms for seven generations. Coombs Family Farms has produced 100% pure maple since 1840. Since 1988, Coombs Family Farms has produced certified organic maple syrup. A champion of small family farming, Coombs Family Farms also sources 100% pure organic certified maple from other small, independent farmers who share the Coombs commitment to quality, environmental stewardship, and sustainable forestry management.

To learn more about Coombs Family Farms maple, please visit http://www.coombsfamilyfarms.com/.

Business Week Covers Rising Maple Syrup Costs

Why Maple Syrup Costs So Much
Mild spring weather in Canada and rising demand for syrup as a natural sweetener are making things sticky for bakers

September 27, 2008, 12:01AM EST by Pallavi Gogoi

It's hard to swallow: Since May, Mark Menning has watched the price of maple syrup soar to $6 a pound—up from $2 a pound a year ago. That's a problem for Menning, since the maple syrup is a key ingredient in the cookies his San Francisco-based Lotus Bakery supplies to some Whole Foods Market (WFMI) outlets and Bay Area specialty grocery stores.

Add in rising costs for everything from oil to flour, and you've got a recipe for disaster. Says Menning: "These price increases can make or break you."

What's going on? Is there a shadowy syrup cartel manipulating prices? Has someone figured out how to turn maple sap into fuel? Not quite. Unfavorable weather in Quebec—the source of 80% of the world's maple syrup—have depressed output to a 10-year low. At the same time, demand for maple syrup, which is slightly lower in calories than cane sugar and corn syrup, has been growing in recent years, as more Americans seek alternatives to processed and artificial sweeteners.

A Scarcity of Sap
Blame it on global warming, perhaps. But for the past three years, Quebec has seen cold winters turn very quickly into warm springs, which played havoc with sap collection. (Under ideal conditions, temperatures rise during the day and then dip back below freezing at night. This pattern encourages sugar maples to release their sap). That has cut sap production season in half, to two to three weeks. Quebec's output slipped to 58.7 million tons this year, down from 61.7 million in 2007 and 86.4 million tons in 2004.

Read the whole article at:
http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/content/sep2008/db20080926_008831.htm

Vermont Discontinues Maple Syrup in Cans By Some Manufacturers

These can are still good! Pure Vermont Maple Syrup - This Vermont Maple Syrup Package In Vermont is Certified by the Maple Sugar Makers Assn. Cans

Vermont discontinues sale of maple syrup tins
Thursday October 9, 2008
WATERBURY, Vt. (AP)
Vermont Public Radio News
The Vermont Agency of Agriculture is recommending that certain metal maple syrup cans be discontinued because of their odor.

Officials tested the cans and determined the smell came from petroleum compounds.
The Health Department said the health risk is negligible.

The distributor of the cans, New England Container Company of Swanton, has agreed stop selling the pint and quart containers.

Officials say less than 15 percent of syrup produced this year in Vermont has been packaged in these metal cans. They were distributed to various states and Canada.

But the Agency says protecting the purity of Vermont's signature crop is paramount.

© Copyright 2008, Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Read more at:

http://www.vpr.net/news_detail/82409/

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081008/NEWS02/81008050/-1/rss