A Taste of Nature HISTORY OF THE PENNSYLVANIA MAPLE SYRUP INDUSTRY

A Taste of Nature
1
HISTORY OF THE
PENNSYLVANIA MAPLE
SYRUP INDUSTRY
Native Americans first discovered how to make
maple syrup many years ago. They collected the
sap in containers made from birch bark. They
boiled it by filling a hollowed-out log with sap,
then putting hot rocks into it. The Native Americans did not have a way to store the sticky liquid
very well, so they boiled the syrup a little longer
to make maple sugar. They used maple sugar to
sweeten their food and added it to cold water for
a sweet summer drink. When the first Europeans
came to North America, the Native Americans
taught them about making maple syrup. As
time passed, the method for making the syrup
improved, but the basic process remained the
same. The annual tradition of making maple syrup
has been a part of Pennsylvania’s history for well
over 200 years.
THE MAPLE SYRUP TREE
The sugar maple tree is the natural resource used
to make maple syrup, and maple producers
need to take good care of these trees. They wait
until sugar maple trees are 10-12 inches in diameter (20-40 years old) before they start tapping
them. They also limit the number of taps they put
in one tree according to the size of the tree so
that it will not be damaged. Tapping maple trees
properly does not affect tree health. However,
a small amount of wood damage does occur in
the tree. The sap collected is only a small fraction
of the total amount of sap in the tree. The small
hole drilled into the tree usually heals within one
or two years. If the maple trees are taken care of
properly, the same tree can be tapped year after
year.
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A Taste of Nature
PRODUCTION OF
MAPLE SYRUP
Each year throughout Pennsylvania in early
spring, maple producers, also called “sugarmakers,” head to their woods for the start of the maple syrup season. Generally, the maple season
lasts from mid-February to early April. Maple producers drill a small hole into the trunk of the tree.
This is called tapping. They insert a small spout or
spile to catch the sap that begins to collect in
the hole. The spout may connect to plastic pipes
stretching through the woods, called tubing, or to
a bucket to collect the dripping sap.
MAKING THE SYRUP
Sap from the sugar maple tree is about 98 percent water and two percent sugar, other nutrients
and minerals. To make pure maple syrup, the
sap needs to be boiled to evaporate a lot of the
water away. Maple syrup is 33 percent water and
67 percent sugar.
The sap starts to “run” or flow out of the holes
when the weather is just right. Sugarmakers like
cold nights (with temperatures below freezing) and warm days (with temperatures above
freezing) so the sap will flow. Once the sap starts
collecting in the buckets or flowing through the
tubing, it needs to be processed right away.
Sugarmakers use evaporators to make maple
syrup. An evaporator consists of two or more
large, specially designed pans that are filled with
sap. These pans sit over a fire of burning wood or
some other fuel, which heats the sap and causes
it to boil. As it boils, some of the water in the sap
turns to steam, which rises out of the sugarhouse.
The sap becomes thicker and sweeter.
The sugarmaker has to watch the boiling sap very
carefully because it could easily burn in the evaporator. As the sap thickens, it gets hotter. The
A Taste of Nature
3
sugarmaker knows the maple syrup is ready when
its temperature reaches seven degrees Fahrenheit above the boiling point of water. This process
requires a lot of time and energy, because it
takes about 40 gallons of sap to make just one
gallon of pure maple syrup.
The boiling sap is tested with precise instruments
to determine if it is maple syrup. When it is thick
enough to be maple syrup, it is filtered to take
out “sugar sand” which accumulates as sap
boils. Sugar sand is just minerals and nutrients that
concentrate as the excess water is boiled away.
If it is not filtered out, the maple syrup will appear
cloudy.
THE FINAL PRODUCT
After the maple syrup is filtered, it is put in a container for sale, or made into other tasty maple
treats. Many maple producers process their maple syrup into maple sugar, maple candy, maple
cream and even maple jelly. Pure maple products have no additives, preservatives, or artificial
colors. It’s all natural, and some people even call
it a “taste of nature”
Pure maple syrup is great on pancakes, waffles,
or French toast. You can also enjoy it on vanilla
ice cream, on steamed rice and vegetables, or
other foods. It is a pure, all-natural product from
Pennsylvania’s woods.
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A Taste of Nature
contact any of the maple syrup
products producers listed by county
below for information, retail sales
or facility tours.
bradford
Beckwith Maples
RR 1 Box 107
Rome, PA 18837-9726
570-247-7475
www.beckwithmaples.
com
Bradley-Mann Maple
Syrup
RR 2 Box 401
Gillett, PA 16925
575-537-6676
Brown’s Syrup Shack
RR 2 Box 430
Rome PA 18837
570-247-7094
Cabot Hollow Maple
Syrup
RR 1 Box 279
Troy, PA 16947
570-293-3754
570-549-2824
Dewy Meadows Maple
HC 34 Box 31
Warren Center, PA
18851-9607
570-395-3458
www.dewymeadows.
com
Ed & Louise Eastman
RR 1 Box 271
Rome, PA 18837
Endless Mountains
Cabin Maple Syrup
RR 3 Box 3154
Rome, PA 18837
570-247-7212
www.endlessmtscabin.
com
Epler Farms Maple
Syrup
Bob & Scott Epler
RR 1 Box 51
New Albany, PA 18833
570-363-2064
bjepler@epix.net
Fay’s Maple Products
10640 Berwick Turnpike
Columbia Cross Roads,
PA 16914
570-596-2816
Greg & Allegra Grenier
RR 2 Box 344A
Athens, PA 18810
570-358-3520
A Taste of Nature
Kirk Manchester
RR1 Box 266
Rome, PA 18837
570-744-2956
Marty’s Maple
Nichols Road
East Smithfield, PA
18817
570-596-3641
Ed O’Connor
RR 3 Box 3148
Rome, PA 18837
570-247-2930
oco@epix.net
Roloson Brothers
Maple Products
PO Box 124
Troy, PA 16947
570-297-2791
570-297-2033
Russell Maple Farms
RR 1 Box 123
Rome, PA 18837
570-247-7360
Toll Free 1-888-429-4854
Seldom Seen Farm
RR 1 Box 268E
Rome, PA 18837
570-744-1791
Richard Tice
RR 3 Box 37
Troy, PA 16947
Wrisleyland Maple
Products
Mark & Rebecca Wrisley
RR 2 Box 108
Ulster, PA 18850
570-265-3250
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crawford
Bruce Burchard
15275 Sheets Road
Guys Mills, PA 16327
814-789-3130
Dave Carpenter
14533 Sheets Road
Guys Mills, PA 16327
814-789-3520
Firth Maple Products
22418 Firth Road
Spartansburg, PA 16434
814-654-7265
Richard Getty
23394 Gravel Run Road
Seagertown, PA 16433
814-398-4700
Howles Maple Syrup
Don & Jason Howles
27828 Patterson Road
Guys Mills, PA 16327
814-789-3569
David & Dennis
Livingston
7648 Linesville Road
Jamestown, PA 16134
724-927-2266
724-927-2255
Pat’s Sugar House
14611 Dickson Street
Guys Mills, PA 16327
814-337-2483
Jason Palmer & Trisha
Baker
17037 John Brown Road
Guys Mills, PA 16327
How Sweet It Is
Laura Dingler
19868 Greenleaf Drive
Saegertown, PA 16433
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Lost Acres Maple
Haven
Patrick Schmidt
22363 S. Beaver Road
Conneautville, PA
16406
814-587-2538
William’s Maple
Products
Dave Williams
17320 Thauret Hill Road
Saegertown, PA 16433
erie
Terry Bush
10686 Jamestown Road
Wattsburg, PA 16442
814-739-2667
Hurry Hill Farm
Janet Woods
11380 Fry Road
Edinboro, PA 16412
814-734-1358
Burton Kimball
9691 Kimball Road
Wattsburg, PA 16442
814-739-2720
A Taste of Nature
Northrop Maple Syrup
12337 Route 89
Corry, PA 16407
814-654-7175
Bill Phillips
2789 Dublin Road
PO Box 2
Waterford, PA 16441
814-796-6858
814-796-3699
Tripple Creek Farm
Gerhard Bilek
9225 Fillinger Road
Cranesville, PA 16410
814-756-4500
Greg Walberg
9437 Phillips Road
Union City, PA 16438
814-739-9422
Jeffery Yatzor
5860 Koman Road
Edinboro, PA 16412
814-734-6633
A Taste of Nature
indiana
Andy’s Own Pure
Maple Syrup
2440 Musser Road
Indiana, PA 15702
724-465-5324
mercer
Coryea’s Maple Syrup
Don Coryea
4268 Ivanhoe Road
Sharpsville, PA 16150
724-962-9510
Brian Montgomery
1510 Butler Pike
Mercer, PA 16137
724-815-1447
montgomery
Ridge Valley Farm
Jim & Sue Myers
Box 151
Sumneytown, PA
215-234-9334
215-234-9335
potter
Brydonson Farm
592 North Ayers Hill
Road
Coudersport, PA 16915
814-274-9680
anson@penn.com
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Sons of Dunn Family
Farm
1606 North Ayers Hill
Road
Coudersport, PA 16915
814-274-7247
papadunn48@hotmail.
com
Hamilton’s Maple
Products
19 Bunnell Road
Ulysses, PA 16948
814-848-9853
Charles B. Nelson Sons
214 Grover Hollow Road
Genesee, PA 16923
814-848-7950
607-356-3146
cnlnelson@
pennswoods.net
Rathbun Farms
HCR 1 Box 118
Shinglehouse, PA 16748
814-698-2421
Sappy’s Sugar Shack
2426 Fox Hill Road
Ulysses, PA 16948
814-848-9760
www.sappyssugarshack.com
somerset
Arnold’s Sugar Camp
3861 Water Level Road
Rockwood, PA 15557
814-926-3443
bejane@quickconnect.
net
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George Baer
483 Sugar Cake Road
Somerset, PA 15501
824-445-8798
Frank S. & James Bocsy
216 Bocsy Drive
Stoystown, PA 15563
814-629-5187
Brantview Farm
365 Vanyo Road
Berlin, PA 15530
814-267-3273
Ronald D. Brenneman
6702 Mt. Davis Road
Meyersdale, PA 15552
814-637-8527
Brenneman’s Maple
527 Oakdale Road
Salisbury, PA 15558
814-943-8974
Covered Bridge Sugar
Camp
120 Covered Bridge
Road
Hyndman, PA 15545
814-842-6862
Dover Harbor Farm
321 Niver Junction
Road
Berlin, PA 15530
814-267-4429
Draksler’s Grove Pure
Maple Products
505 Longs Road
Homer City, PA 15748
724-479-0268
A Taste of Nature
David D. & Frances C.
Eckman
458 Zipfel Road
Hooversville, PA 15936
814-798-3881
deckman@floodcity.net
Ed Emerick
156 Ridge Road
Hyndman, PA 15545
814-324-4536
Fochtman’s Sugar
Camp
1002 Wambaugh
Hollow Road
Berlin, PA 15530
814-267-4302
Forbes Trail Camp
129 Kinsey Farm Road
Ligonier, PA 15658
724-238-4387
Lowell Friedline
287 Walnutdale Lane
Boswell, PA 15531
814-629-6032
Hemminger’s Sugar
Camp
180 Sugar Maple Road
Somerset, PA 15501
814-445-5009
Kyle Hillegas
538 Dividing Ridge
Road
Fairhope, PA 15538
814-267-5687
Aaron Kingsley
4738 Huckleberry
Highway
Berlin, PA 15530
814-267-5768
A Taste of Nature
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The Maples
17943 Bittinger Road
PO Box 262
Grantsville, MD 21536
301-895-5879
Floyd Reese
322 W. Bakersville-Edie
Road
Somerset, PA 15501
814-445-7074
Christopher Maust
125 Riverside Drive
Meyersdale, PA 15552
814-637-1526
Charlie & Ken Sanner
430 Resevoir Road
Rockwood, PA 15557
814-926-2269
814-295-4018
Milroy Farms
9818 Mason Dixon
Highway
Salisbury, PA 15558
814-662-4125
Oak Lodge Camp
108 Dance Hall Drive
Acme, PA 15610
724-593-7811
Piney Run Farm
450 Piney Run Road
Salisbury, PA 15558
814-662-2918
pineyrunfarm@pennswoods.net
George Pope
599 Springs Road
Springs, PA 15562
814-662-4344
Sechler Sugar Shack
Everett Sechler
7758 Kingwood Road
Confluence, PA 15424
814-395-3200
sechlersugarshack@
qcol.net
www.qcol.net/sechlersugarshack
Leo Shinholt
PO Box 138
Corriganville, MD 21526
301-724-1433
William A. Shoemaker
RD #1
Buffalo Mills, PA 15534
814-623-9785
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Keith Wable
149 Wable Drive
Fort Hill, PA 15540
814-662-2435
Wagner Sugar Camp
285 Tub Mill Run Road
Salisbury, PA 15558
814-662-2904
Arnold Weidner
517 Benning Road
Berlin, PA 15530
sullivan
Harvey Vough
RR 4 Box 4185
Dushore, PA 18614
570-924-3354
susquehanna
Burman’s Maple
Products & Supplies
Reed Burman
RR 2 Box 112
Thompson, PA 18465
570-756-2914
A Taste of Nature
Callender’s Sugar
House
Spencer & Ardith
Callender
RR 2 Box 174
Thompson, PA 18465
570-727-2982
Homestead Farm
Thom and Tootie
Helmacy
RR 2 Box 314
Meshoppen, PA 18630
570-833-2138
Loch’s Maple Syrup
RR 1 Box 177A
Springville, PA 18844
570-965-2679
www.lochsmaple.com
Robada Farms
Robert & Ada Hess
RR 7 Box 7330
Montrose, PA 18801
570-278-3285
tioga
Brookfield Maple
1120 North Fork Road
Westfield, PA 16950
814-367-5284
bud@brookfieldmapleproducts.com
A Taste of Nature
Jody & Jennifer Butler
282 Elkhorn Creek Road
Tioga, PA 16946
570-835-4983
Kenneth Heyler
317 Linch Hill Road
Morris, PA 16938
570-324-2100
Miller’s Purely Maple
2766 Hills Creek Lake
Road
Wellsboro, PA 16901
570-724-7907
www.millersmaple.com
Lynn Mistifer
60 Urban Road
Liberty, PA 16930
570-324-3745
Misty Morning Maple
6 Heise Run
Wellsboro, PA 16901
570-724-4764
clarkwp@ptd.net
Gilbert Owlett
750 Locey Creek Road
Middlebury Center, PA
16935
570-376-5261
Patterson Farms
PO Box 216 Gurnee
Road
Sabinsville, PA 16943
814-628-3751
www.pattersonmaple.
com
James Sweely
140 Sweely Lane
Millerton, PA 16936
570-549-7731
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James & Dora Tice
427 Tice Road
Mainesburg, PA 16932
570-549-5275
ticejd@npacc.net
venango
Dennis Farms
765 Russell Road
Cooperstown, PA
16317
814-374-4318
Keith Klingler
1729 N. Main Street Ext
Titusville, PA 16354
814-589-7175
warren
Maple Ridge Farm
Loren Kable
1920 Fox Hill Road
Russell, PA 16354
814-757-5449
wayne
Journey’s End Farm
Kristin Curtis
410 Sterling Road
Newfoundland, PA
18445
570-689-7552
Maple Hill Farm
Roger Bell
1069 Bell Road
Lake Ariel, PA 18436
570-698-5287
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Maplewood Acres Farm
Ron & Karen Hayden
1032 Lake Henry Road
Lake Ariel, PA 18436
570-698-6906
Morning Sun Farm
Bob & Peggy Simons
141 Holgate Road
Honesdale, PA 18431
570-224-4607
Nebzydoski’s Maple
Farm
Tom & Sharon
Nebzydoski
8 Maple Ave.
Pleasant Mount, PA
18453
570-448-2386
Shemanski Maple
Ron Shemanski
35A Belmont Street
Waymart, PA 18472
570-488-6095
Yatsonsky’s Farm
Market
Jim & Julie Yatsonsky
1009 Owego Turnpike
Honesdale, PA 18431
570-488-5683
A Taste of Nature
Andersen Maple Farm
August, Irene, Peter and
Patti Andersen
534 Andersen Road
Long Eddy, NY 12760
845-887-4238
Justus Asthalter Maple
Sean & Dawn Boyes
865 Aden Road
Parksville, NY 12768
845-292-8271
Muthig Farm
Ray & Dot Muthig
681 Muthig Road
Parksville, NY 12768
845-292-7838
Wilcox Farm
Harry, Eleanor, and
James Wilcox
555 County Road 93
Roscoe, NY 12776
607-498-4302