易胜博官网

Steve Roberge says that equating real maple syrup to store-bought is like comparing apples and oranges. Or more aptly, tree sap and corn syrup. Those who have tasted both will likely agree.

Depending on the weather, the sugarmaking season in 易胜博官网 runs from February until April. This year, because January was so mild, it started early. Warm days followed by below-freezing temperatures at night are needed to get and keep the sap flowing.

鈥淪ome people did catch some sap and made a little bit of syrup,鈥� says Roberge, a field specialist with . 鈥淚t鈥檚 not a big deal that some people tap early; we鈥檝e been seeing the season pushed up in recent years. It would only be an issue if it didn鈥檛 get cold again.鈥�

Roberge has been conducting free maple-sugaring workshops around the state since February. Two of them focused on first-time tappers. An upcoming will discuss small-scale syrup production.听

In 2016, 易胜博官网 produced 169,000 gallons of maple syrup, up from 154,000 gallons in 2015 and 112,000 gallons in 2014. A gallon of Granite State syrup cost $59.10 in 2015; at around $87, Connecticut had the highest price that year.

鈥淩eal maple syrup is one of the most natural products you can get,鈥� Roberge says. 鈥淎nd the industry has a whole local economy behind it.鈥� In 易胜博官网, that local economy is supported by more than 500 sugarmakers. Conceivably there could be more given 易胜博官网鈥檚 status as the second most forested state in the country but not all trees are accessible.

鈥淭he reality is that not all the sugar maples should be tapped nor can they be. Some sugarbushes may be good trees but you can鈥檛 get to them,鈥� Roberge says. 鈥淪ugar maples make good wood. There are people who grow maples for timber not tapping. Eighty percent of 易胜博官网鈥檚 forests are privately owned and all the owners have different philosophies on what they want to do with their land.鈥�

Maple syrup begins with the starch maple trees store in their trunks and roots. That starch converts to sugar and, in the late months of winter and early spring, rises up in the sap. Sugarmakers place a tap in the tree to collect the sap, which is then boiled down until it becomes syrup.

Says Roberge, 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to make a big investment to enjoy your own maple syrup. It鈥檚 a fairly easy process. If you can boil water, you can make maple syrup.鈥�

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