WGXC-90.7 FM
That sweet time of sugar bushing's almost here
Feb 08, 2011 7:11 am
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="200" caption="Maple syruping, seen here in its traditional format, is traditional activity stretching back to the earliest days of our region."]
[/caption]The Daily Mail's veteran reporter Jim Planck, a Greene County native, has a sweet story up about the coming maple sugaring season that reaps tasty benefits from the weather fluctuations of February and March temperatures in our region of aged maple trees. "One day it’s 14 degrees, and three days later it’s 37," Planck writes. "When that pattern converts to above freezing during the day, and below at night, it means one thing to certain people — the sap is flowing in maple trees and it’s time to make maple syrup — a process that not only results in a great tasting product, but offers great days outdoors, a healthy, invigorating experience, and even a potential economic boost to the individual family budget. The whole story is predicated by an upcoming workshop taking place from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. this Saturday, Feb. 12 at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Greene County Agriforestry Center in Greene County's Acra, where Cornell University maple expert Steve Childs will speak about “The Basics of Maple Syrup Production.” Childs conducts applied research in maple production, marketing, and business management and his workshop will include demonstrations and an answer to the question, "Why maple syrup?" The Agroforestry Center is located at 6055 Route 23 in Acra. Registration deadline is Thursday, Feb. 10. For more information, call (518) 622-9820.
[/caption]The Daily Mail's veteran reporter Jim Planck, a Greene County native, has a sweet story up about the coming maple sugaring season that reaps tasty benefits from the weather fluctuations of February and March temperatures in our region of aged maple trees. "One day it’s 14 degrees, and three days later it’s 37," Planck writes. "When that pattern converts to above freezing during the day, and below at night, it means one thing to certain people — the sap is flowing in maple trees and it’s time to make maple syrup — a process that not only results in a great tasting product, but offers great days outdoors, a healthy, invigorating experience, and even a potential economic boost to the individual family budget. The whole story is predicated by an upcoming workshop taking place from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. this Saturday, Feb. 12 at the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Greene County Agriforestry Center in Greene County's Acra, where Cornell University maple expert Steve Childs will speak about “The Basics of Maple Syrup Production.” Childs conducts applied research in maple production, marketing, and business management and his workshop will include demonstrations and an answer to the question, "Why maple syrup?" The Agroforestry Center is located at 6055 Route 23 in Acra. Registration deadline is Thursday, Feb. 10. For more information, call (518) 622-9820.