Sweet Talk: All Things Maple

This month, Aaron and Adam get together with their colleague at the Cornell Maple Program, food scientist Dr. Catherine Belisle. Catherine went through the process of getting the Arnot Forest kitchen certified by New York State under Article 20-C. This certification can provide maple producers the opportunity to create a variety of food products for sale, granting access to a wider market. And the certification process is simpler than one might think. Though this episode focusses on experiences with the New York State certification system, the information should translate well to similar regulations in your state. As always, we're here to help. Contact Catherine, and others at the Cornell Maple Program at www.cornellmaple.com, and send us a message through the "Contact Us" page. Episode Produced by Ailis Clyne. Music - Long and Low Cloud by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

This month, Aaron pays a visit to Dan Weed's sugarhouse, located just over the hill from the Arnot Forest. Dan wears many hats, as owner and operator of Schoolyard Sugarbush in Newfield, NY, along with his wife Holly, as a CDL equipment dealer, and as President of the New York Maple Producers' Association. Learn more about Schoolyard Sugarbush: https://www.schoolyardsugarbush.org/ Learn more about the NYSMPA: https://nysmaple.com/ Episode Produced by Ailis Clyne. Music - Long and Low Cloud, Funk and Flash, both by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

This month, Aaron and Adam review some highlights from this year's re-launch of New York's annual Maple Conference. Special thanks to the New York State Maple Producers' Association, Commissioner Ball and the New York Department of Agriculture and Markets, the Trumansburg High School Sugaring Program, and to all who attended the conference. We hope to return with an even bigger and better conference in 2025. Episode Produced by Ailis Clyne. Music - Long and Low Cloud, Funk and Flash, both by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

This month, Aaron and Adam give a preview into the 2024 NY Mid-Winter Maple Classic - the largest maple conference of the year. The conference will be held on January 5 and 6 at the Oncenter in Syracuse, NY. Register and learn more at: https://nysmaple.com/mapleclassic/ Episode Produced by Ailis Clyne. Music - Long and Low Cloud by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

This month, Adam interviews Philippe Breton, Corporate Relations manager for Lapierre, a large maple equipment manufacturing company based in Quebec. Breton is also chair of the newly formed Maple Industry Manufacturers' Association. They discuss past, present, and future challenges facing manufacturers, producers large and small, and the industry as a whole. Episode Produced by Ailis Clyne. Music - Long and Low Cloud, Funk and Flash, both by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

Aaron interviews Dr. Joey Aloi, director of the Appalachian Program and Assistant Professor at Future Generations University in West Virginia. They talk about a recent economic development project that created a regional maple syrup brand for Appalachian sugarmakers, and educates the public about all things maple. They also discuss the outsized impact maple syrup has on the regional economy and agritourism. To learn more, contact Joey at: joey.aloi@future.edu Episode Produced by Ailis Clyne. Music - Long and Low Cloud, Funk and Flash, both by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

Aaron interviews Helen Thomas, executive director of the New York State Maple Producers' Association (NYSMPA), about marketing research conducted in partnership with the New York State Department of Ag & Markets and funded by the Acer Access and Development Program. To learn more about the research, visit: https://sugarmakers.nysmaple.com/acer-market-research-results/ Episode Produced by Ailis Clyne. Music - Long and Low Cloud, Funk and Flash, both by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

This month, Adam once again interviews Dr. Timothy Perkins before he retires from his position as Director of the Proctor Maple Research Center at UVM. Together they remember Dr. Perkins' fruitful career: the ups and downs, the mistakes learned from, and the discoveries and innovations that made it all worth it. We thank Dr. Perkins for his contributions to the maple industry and wish him well in his retirement. Episode Produced by Ailis Clyne. Music - Long and Low Cloud, Funk and Flash, both by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

This is our second installment of "Ask a Maple Specialist." Aaron and Adam answer some of your most frequently asked maple questions, and even call up some friends of the show to help provide answers. To have your question featured on the show, visit the Sweet Talk webpage at www.cornellmaple.com (https://blogs.cornell.edu/cornellmaple/sweettalk/). Or, submit your question directly on the Spotify app by scrolling down on this episode. Episode Produced by Ailis Clyne. Music - Long and Low Cloud, Funk and Flash, both by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

This month, Adam catches up with a regular guest of the show, Dr. Abby van den Berg who is a Research Associate Professor at UVM and the Director of the Proctor Maple Research Center. They discuss and dispel some of the myths surrounding sugarmaking with Red Maple trees, including: tapping technique, productivity, flavor difference, and timing of onset of buddy flavor. Spoiler alert - go ahead and tap your Red Maples! Episode Produced by Ailis Clyne. Music - Long and Low Cloud, Funk and Flash, both by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

This month, Adam interviews Dr. Tim Perkins, director of UVM's Proctor Maple Research Center. Topics range from best tapping practices and techniques, to the truth about tapping myths, and updates on the development of a new kind of spout. Just in time for tapping season. You can find plenty of recent maple research findings and the newly published 3rd edition of the North American Maple Syrup Producers Manual at mapleresearch.org. Episode Produced by Ailis Clyne. Music - Long and Low Cloud, Funk and Flash, both by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

Aaron interviews Derek Simmonds, a Business Development Specialist at the NYS Center of Excellence for Food and Agriculture, Cornell AgriTech. They talk about the resources available for product development at the Center of Excellence in Geneva, NY, and about the steps a business owner should take when developing a new food product. Check out what the Center of Excellence has to offer at https://cals.cornell.edu/cornell-agritech/partners-centers-institutes/center-excellence-food-agriculture. Have a question for a maple specialist? To submit your question, visit the Cornell Maple Program website at https://blogs.cornell.edu/cornellmaple/sweettalk/, or if using the Spotify mobile app, simply scroll down now to submit directly. Episode produced by Ailis Clyne. Music - Long and Low Cloud, Funk and Flash, both by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

Aaron interviews Mark Cannella who is an associate professor at the University of Vermont where he serves as the Farm Business Management Specialist. The interview covers many of the challenges facing maple producers regarding economics and business management, but it also provides a ton of information on the resources available to producers coming out of the University of Vermont Extension Program. Mark Cannella has developed much of this available material which can be found at www.maplemanager.org Episode produced by Ailis Clyne. Music - Long and Low Cloud, Funk and Flash, both by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

In this episode, Adam interviews Mike Rechlin who is the Maple Commodities Specialist at Future Generations University in West Virginia. Instead of the usual maple sweet talk, today they discuss walnut syrup, an equally sweet but newer alternative tree syrup whose production poses some unique challenges. Adam also discloses some of his most recent research findings while experimenting with making beech syrup at the Uihlein Forest. The world of alternative tree syrups is vast, with many more still to explore in future episodes. Episode produced by Ailis Clyne. Music - Long and Low Cloud, Funk and Flash, both by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)

In this episode, Adam interviews representatives from two major bulk maple syrup buying and packing operations: Butternut Mountain Farm in Vermont, and Bascom Maple Farms in New Hampshire. Both businesses have their own sugaring operations, on top of purchasing syrup from other producers and distributing it to customers like major grocery store chains and large food manufacturing businesses. Adam learns about common issues bulk buyers come across in the maple industry, which processing grade syrups can be used in which manufacturing settings, and about the challenges of the bulk packing side of the maple business. Learn more about the hugely important role that packers play in the maple industry. Episode produced by Ailis Clyne. Music - Long and Low Cloud, Funk and Flash, both by Blue Dot Sessions (www.sessions.blue)