Blog

17 Sep
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October 2016 Recipe of the Month

Since it’s that time of year, we thought you would enjoy this recipe using pear!

http://orebedmaplesugarshack.com/recipe/maple-pears/

22 Nov
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November’s Recipe of the Month!

Check out November’s recipe of the month: MAPLE PUMPKIN PIE

http://orebedmaplesugarshack.com/recipe/maple-pumpkin-pie

09 Oct
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October’s Recipe of the Month!

Check out October’s recipe of the month: VERMONT MAPLE AND APPLE PIE

http://orebedmaplesugarshack.com/recipe/vermont-maple-and-apple-pie/

19 Aug
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2013 Ice Storm Gemini

Pictures of the Ice Storm that we want to share – we will have more but are busy catching up on our work. We want to thank all the utility workers that were in the area working on the power outages.  We were only without power for  a short period of time (we were only without power for three days this time).  The Ice Storm of 1998 we were between 19-21 days without power.

10 Feb
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February 2012 Updates

I want to apologize since it’s been a while since I last updated the website. I’m currently doing the website myself and was experiencing some technical difficulties that I hope I’ve worked out. I’ve been in touch with an expert to get assistance with some of the aspects of the website since I’ve realized I’m not wonder woman and can’t do it all. Enough of that now onto what’s been happening in and around the Sugar Shack.

We’ve been quite busy in the woods for the last couple months checking the size of trees, running new lines, moving lines, and adding new trees to tap this year. It’s really hard to believe it’s been a year already! We had picked up limbs that had fallen on the lines over the past few months and thought we were in pretty good shape for the beginning of sugaring season. Then we got the mixed bag of weather (rain, snow, sleet and wind) mid-January. We had rain first that changed to freezing rain then we got a heavy wet snow mixed with sleet and it stuck to the trees for about three days. During that mixed bag of precipitation, we went to clean our vehicles off and the first tree snapped; needless to say I left Jeff to finish his project and went inside. This reminded me to much of the Ice Storm of 1998 and twenty-one days without power – thankfully we were only without power for about seven hours. It was an interesting few days, Jeff and I looked like two kids with no place to go and nothing to do. We’d both find ourselves just standing and staring out the picture window into the woods – wondering what was happening. We didn’t dare venture into the woods right away with the weight of the ice and snow on the trees, not to mention the howling wind.

About a week later, we did venture out and much to our surprise it wasn’t as bad as we thought it was going to be. There were a lot of small limbs down and only a couple large ones, but thankfully no major damage. We hope to start tapping our maple trees this coming month and soon after that start making after that making terrific New York State Maple Syrup, I can almost smell it boiling! I’m beginning to wonder if we have maple syrup flowing in our veins.

We are in the planning stages for Maple Weekend again. We try to make this event a special one for our visitors of all ages! It’s so fun to share our family tradition, four generations now, with others and let them experience what it’s all about from the maple tree to their dining room table. If you have visited in the past and would like to see or do something that we haven’t offered, please let us know as we are always looking for ways to improve and make it the best experience. We have confirmed the Alpaca’s will be here; we will also have a backyard evaporator set up and running! We have a couple more new ideas that we are hoping to pull off this year so be sure to watch for details.

To follow the happenings in and around the Sugar Shack, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook. There is a link right from our website so you can like us and get the updates. We keep it updated with what we are finding in the woods, when we are tapping, when we are making syrup, new recipes, interesting pictures, etc.

Until next time,
Lori

14 Sep
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Upgrades and Updates

We had a very busy weekend at the Sugar Shack but it was a great one!

Saturday morning we installed our new Water Jacketed Bottler and by Saturday afternoon we were using it. As with all new equipment there will be a learning curve. Jeff has put valves on so I can bottle one of two ways, either with the foot valve or manually. He is so clever because we can even have two people bottling at the same time which is great. Working in the Sugar House has some added bonuses it sure smelled good while we were working on Sunday because we also made Maple Cream and Maple Candy while the syrup in the bottler was heating.

Water-Jacketed-Syrup-Bottler-150x150

New Syrup Bottler

Installing the bottler required a little re-arranging of equipment, but things went smoothly. We are going to sell our old Reverse Osmosis (RO) so that was moved out. The RO we got last year was moved into that space. We will be adding a post to that so we will be more energy efficient and it will also be faster for us.

We filled more of the new styles of glass we picked up in April and they look really great. If you are in the Gouverneur, New York area on Saturday between 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. stop by the Park and check out some of the new items. I have some of them on the website and hope to get rest added soon. If I could only come up with a way to get more hours in a day.

Until next time …

Lori

24 Aug
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Maple Syrup Glass Deer Bottle

deer-bottle-150x150

Maple Syrup Deer Bottle

The outdoors person in your life is sure to love this unique gift filled with their favorite syrup.  They will have a gift to remember you by forever since once the syrup is gone they can fill the bottle with colored water and display on a windowsill.  They are absolutely beautiful!

This can be filled with their favorite Maple Syrup also.

To learn more about ordering.

16 Jun
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New York State 2011 Maple Production

King Whetstone, Director of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, New York Field Office, reports that New York’s maple syrup 2011 production increased 81 percent from last year. Syrup production is estimated at 564,000 gallons, up from the 312,000 gallons produced in 2010. Production was the highest it has been since 1947.

Read more :

http://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/New_York/Publications/Statistical_Reports/06jun/mpl00611.pdf

20 Apr
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Vermont Maple Festival 2011

We have recently returned from the 2011 Vermont Maple Festival.

It is always so much fun.  It’s like a huge family reunion.  You get the chance to talk with fellow Maple Producers and future Maple Producers from across the US and Canada.  We visited Leader Evaporator, CDL, and LaPierre.  The “actual Maple Festival” is in St. Albans and they have a variety of activities there.  We didn’t make it there this year as some of us like to talk more than others – it was a great time!

It amazes me how much technology has changed over the years.  I can remember growing up with 3,000 buckets, a gas powered tapping machine that fastened on your back (similar to the way a pack fastens on), a wood-fired evaporator, the list goes on and on.  I can remember just recently thinking we’d made great strives when we added a pre-heater and oil-fired evaporator, and then a hand held Ryobi tapper.  Now we are using Reverse Osmosis (RO), have a pre-heater hood for more efficiency, automatic draw offs, and battery powered drills (much lighter) to tap with, etc.  I’ve learned a couple of things:  1) there is always more to learn!  and 2) You can get to the end result in a variety of ways.

Well, not only did we have a great time socializing, we came back with some new items!  Please watch for future posts featuring these new items.

Until next time.~Lori

25 Mar
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Family Fun Maple Weekend Open House

We’ve had a very busy but exciting week!

We are all geared up and ready for Maple Weekend which is guaranteed fun for all who stop by.  Best of all it is FREE!  We will have free samples of Maple Candy, Maple Cream and Maple Syrup. See maple cream demonstrations throughout the day and maple granulated sugar demonstration around 2:00 p.m.

During your visit you can get a guided tour through our operation so you will understand how all of our maple products are made from start to finish!  We have a special activity for our young visitors – you’ll have to stop by to see what that is.

We will have alpaca’s from the “Dear Alpaca Farm” both days.  Out behind our Sugar House we will have an old fashioned wood fired evaporator set up and running.  We will also have the “Family Tree” joining us with their handmade soaps, lotions, etc.

Don’t worry about the weather since our Sugar Shack is heated and easily accessible.  We guarantee fun for all ages!  We will do our best to answer any and all questions you might have.

If  you aren’t from the area and are looking for a place to stay check out www.northforkbandb.net

We look forward to seeing you on either March 26 or March 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You can get directions on our website at www.orebedmaplesugarshack.comIf you have other questions, feel free to contact us at one of the phone numbers listed on the website.

Have a great day!

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