Prepping for a better maple season in the North Country
Keith Otto, Technician at the Cornell University Uihlein Research Forest, installs maple sap collection tubing in preparation for the upcoming maple season. Photo: Adam Wild
Some of the largest maple syrup production areas had a poor season last year, and they're hoping to make up for it this spring. In places like Vermont, production was off by just over 21%, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The drop in production was due to poor sugaring weather, including a run of 70 degree days during prime sugaring season and low sugar content in tree sap. That resulted in one of the shortest maple seasons in over a decade for producers in Vermont, New York, and Quebec.
So, what about this year? The team at the Cornell University Uihlein Research Forest, near Lake Placid, is already out in their woods checking and installing maple sap collection tubing to prepare for this spring's harvest.
Todd Moe spoke with director Adam Wild about the expanding maple industry in the North Country, and last season's poor harvest.
