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Our 39th Year!
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February
2, 2014 – Ground Hog Day. Above average warmth as I write and sap could
be running. Of course we are not tapped out yet as it is still early.
Sap will run whenever there are freezing nights and daytime
temperatures above freezing. Even in November, December, and January!
Experience has taught us that the best time to tap is late February.
That is when the weather is consistent for good sap flows and the sap
has its highest sugar content.
Yes, this is our 39th Year of maple syrup production here in Concord.
We are Concord’s oldest and only continuously operating sugarhouse. It
is fun to wonder how many visitors we have had and how many thousands
of gallons of sap we have boiled to make Mother Nature’s sweetest
liquid in those 39 years.
January gave us a wide variation of temperatures. On the warm days we
were able to clear storm damage from existing sap lines and run whole
new main lines in some of our woods. We will continue to install new
tap lines and expand our sugarwoods as weather allows. On those bitter
cold days in January we spend time working in the sugarhouse. Our
evaporator is ready for the first sap run!
We agree with the old saying that you are never too old to learn so we
attended the Vermont Maple School held in Northern Vermont last month.
One workshop on tubing sanitation confirmed our belief that clean
tubing makes for superior flavor in syrup. The labor-intensive method
of cleaning tubing that we have used forever still brings the most
positive results. We learned some new techniques on tubing
installations and ways to enhance our gravity tubing system. We also
learned more about the changes coming in maple syrup grading. Would you
believe no more Grade B? Vermont has adopted the new International
grade system. When New Hampshire adopts this new grade system we will
give you more information. On another note, Vermont has adopted a
voluntary sugarhouse inspection process. We have reviewed Vermont’s
criteria and feel confident that we would easily pass their inspection.
If New Hampshire had a voluntary inspection process, we would happily
participate.
It distresses us to see maple producers use re-purposed and non-food
grade equipment in maple syrup production. We will continue to use only
food grade, lead-free, and chemical free equipment in our maple
production. All of our maple equipment was purchased for the sole
purpose of making maple syrup and it is only used in maple production.
This year our Annual Open House Weekend is March 22nd and 23rd which is
the traditional Maple Weekend. Come see how our maple syrup is made,
filtered and packaged. Visit our quaint, yet modern, sugarhouse and
walk through the planted maple orchard. Watch the sap dripping into
buckets and traveling down the tubing network into the sugarhouse.
Sample our maple products including maple syrup, maple cream, sugar on
snow, and maple cotton candy. Enjoy the self-guided educational orchard
tour (bring your camera!). And as always feel free to ask us questions.
We love to tell people about maple!
If you are unable to attend the Annual Open House and wish to visit at
another time, please call to see when we will be boiling. We welcome
visitors throughout the season. When the sap is flowing we typically
gather in the morning and boil in the afternoon. A quick call to us
will confirm what is happening (603-224-0820).
So watch the Concord, NH weather in later February. When nights
consistently freeze in the 22°-26° range and days are 38° to 46° you
can be assured that our sugarhouse will be busy.
The maple season will be upon us. Don’t forget our Maple Weekend is March 22nd and 23rd from 10 am until 4 pm.
Come and have a Blast!
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Welcome
to Mapletree Farm. We have been producing
quality
NH-made maple products for over 30 years from our sugarhouse in East
Concord, New Hampshire. Making maple
syrup is a craft
requiring skill, knowledge and an eye for perfection.
Combining
practices passed down through the generations with the latest
technology available allows us to make exceptional maple products, with
a difference that you can taste.
Maple makes a great
gift. We ship our products all over the world, and will be
happy
to work with you on your order whether you are interested in a
gift for yourself, a loved one, or for corporate promotions.
We
hope you come by and visit us during sugaring season to see our
operation and our maple products. You can also
check out
our products page to see the variety of authentic maple products
available.
Sincerely,
Meg and Dean Wilber
This year's Open House will be on March 22 & 23, 2014.
Hours: 10am to 4pm.
We Hope To See You There!
Visit Concord's best-kept maple secret! You'll be able to:
- Get free samples
of syrup, coated nuts, sugar on snow, and now maple cotton candy
- See
the sugar house in operation
- Learn how syrup
is made!
- Watch the sap
flow through hundreds of feet of tubing
- Take
a self-guided walking tour of the orchard and woodland
- Stock
up on maple products
Fun
for the whole family!
Click here
for directions!
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