Maple Syrup Season 2015, off to a poor start here.

Avondale · Mar 20, 2015

We have made 5 Liters so far.

SPIKER · Mar 22, 2015

I didn't tap this year, (it has been 3 years now) and just today ran out of my syrup. The last jar was a great layer os BIG sugar crystals in the bottom so I got a bonus treat out of the last of my good syrup.

So I took a few pics of the last (crying a bit as now I'm stuck buying it) but will enjoy this sweet treats for a while.

Ate last of my home made syrup today but had a Great Bonus (knew it was there but got a big crystal came ot onto the waffles.

Good crystals left in last jar of syrup.

Put in a bit of hot water to soften and free the crystals form the jar.

The crystals out & drying some before saving for later.

Will have to try and see who if anyone made any locally (Amish Neighbor usually makes some too.)

Anyhow I have a few sweet treats to snack on with the crystals of pure sugar.

M

Industrial Toys · Mar 22, 2015

Under the category of "I've never seen anything like it". I got to the end of our road a couple of days ago and saw a forty something foot tank truck, looked like it was jack knifed. Turned out it was for Maple Syrup. I had seen black lines going back into that property in the Fall and thought they were some hydro cables placed there waiting for installation. I guess they were Maple Syrup lines. I had absolutely no idea that this syrup business was conducted on that kind of scale!

dave1949 · Mar 22, 2015

Industrial Toys said:
Under the category of "I've never seen anything like it". I got to the end of our road a couple of days ago and saw a forty something foot tank truck, looked like it was jack knifed. Turned out it was for Maple Syrup. I had seen black lines going back into that property in the Fall and thought they were some hydro cables placed there waiting for installation. I guess they were Maple Syrup lines. I had absolutely no idea that this syrup business was conducted on that kind of scale!

Quebec Province is the OPEC of maple syrup. They have enough syrup warehoused to control the market.

Much as the United States keeps a stock of extra oil buried in underground salt caverns to use in case of a geopolitical emergency, the Federation of Quebec Maple Syrup Producers has been managing warehouses full of surplus sweetener since 2000. Sep 1, 2012

Why Does Canada Have a Strategic Maple Syrup Reserve?
On Friday, news broke that thieves had stolen $30 million dollars worth of Quebec's strategic maple syrup reserves

Jstpssng · Mar 22, 2015

In addition to Dave's comments, Canada (Quebec) has worked hard to create a stable MS price, much as OPEC does the price of oil. Producers on this side of the border are really just riding on our neighbors coattails for free.

Industrial Toys · Mar 22, 2015

I always see signs emphasizing "FRESH" Maple syrup. So is it safe to assume that when it comes to these huge stockpiles and their commercial use, that "FRESH" isn't a factor?

dave1949 · Mar 22, 2015

Industrial Toys said:
I always see signs emphasizing "FRESH" Maple syrup. So is it safe to assume that when it comes to these huge stockpiles and their commercial use, that "FRESH" isn't a factor?

I'm not clear if they store raw sap, or finished or maybe partially finished syrup in the reserve? I'd never heard of the reserve until a year or two ago. Pretty amazing.

There is a maple place nearby in Madison, Maine that takes in bulk raw sap by the truckload I think besides having their own 80,000 tree sugarbush.
https://www.mainemapleproductsinc.com/productcart/pc/about.asp

I never knew syrup could stored in the freezer:
Pure Maine maple syrup contains no preservatives and should be refrigerated or kept in a cool dry place after the seal is broken. Properly prepared maple syrup will not freeze, and the freezer makes an ideal storage place.

motownbrowne · Mar 23, 2015

dave1949 said:
I'm not clear if they store raw sap, or finished or maybe partially finished syrup in the reserve? I'd never heard of the reserve until a year or two ago. Pretty amazing.

There is a maple place nearby in Madison, Maine that takes in bulk raw sap by the truckload I think besides having their own 80,000 tree sugarbush.
https://www.mainemapleproductsinc.com/productcart/pc/about.asp

I never knew syrup could stored in the freezer:
Pure Maine maple syrup contains no preservatives and should be refrigerated or kept in a cool dry place after the seal is broken. Properly prepared maple syrup will not freeze, and the freezer makes an ideal storage place.

They store finished maple syrup. At the final concentration, it has a very long shelf life.

dave1949 · Mar 23, 2015

motownbrowne said:
They store finished maple syrup. At the final concentration, it has a very long shelf life.

Thanks.

Jstpssng · Mar 23, 2015

They store it in large drums (35 gallon?), then reheat it to 185' F when they package it for retail use. When they sell wholesale it's by the pound, not by the gallon.) Unprocessed sap is like milk, it will go sour in about the same time and getting warm will make it spoil sooner.

I had always considered having a small operation when I retired; but my neighbors Chandler's Sugar Shack - Maine Maple Syrup started doing it a few years ago, and after seeing how much effort they take to get a product which I would use, to a product to sell (i.e., no "sand" in the bottom) I think I'll stick with my little 2 gallon operation...expanding just enough for Christmas gifts.