ATC in the Maple Syrup Business?????????

[Blissful]

I've seen the blue plastic sap lines criss-crossing the trail before (either AT or Long Trail - most likely the LT). I was wondering who owned the property that the trail was going through at the time, too.

I saw the lines quite a bit while hiking the AT.

Nothing beats the real stuff on French Toast.

[Slo-go'en]

.

, I heard "I didn't think you had real maple syrup in Maryland.." Like those places in New England, I bought it straight from a farm i.e. no middle man

The Grand View Lodge and cabins here in Randolph sells its own locally made syrup and the bottles are labeled "Made in NH". One day a tourist comes in and sees the syrup and says "I didn't know New Hampshire made Maple Syrup". To which Tommy, an old timer originally from Maine and who happen to be behind the desk at the time says "Well, where do you think it comes from?" The tourist says "From Vermont". To which Tommy replies "So those SOB's are making it now too?"

[peakbagger]

Some sap trivia. The Brown company research lab in Northern NH was a very large facility. At one point they had a some spare time and decided to help out the local maple syrup industry by trying to find a way to reduce the energy required to boil sap. They set up an experiment where they used some method of vacuum distallation where they lowered the pressure over a liquid so it would boil at a lower temp. It worked quite well to to drive off the water, but the end product was completely tasteless, basically like sugar water. It turns out that the taste of maple syrup come from boioing and caramelizing the sap and that doesnt occur at low temps. I expect thats why they use RO to remove most of the moisture but switch over to open pan boiling for the final stages.

By the way, the largest supplier of artificial vanilla extract was the paper industry for years. The industry switched over to a new way of making pulp in the 50's and 60's and stopped making it. I used to catch the odor of maple syrup on occasion at the Berlin pulp mill.

By the way backwoods producers have been known to add beet sugar to the mix to bump up their output. I believe the commericial grades are tested for it but the small producers who deal in cash apparently have done it on occasion.

[weary]

I've seen the blue plastic sap lines criss-crossing the trail before (either AT or Long Trail - most likely the LT). I was wondering who owned the property that the trail was going through at the time, too.

One thing for sure the land wasn't owned by ATC (Appalachian Trail Conservancy). With the exception of a few very tiny private parcels, the AT trail corridor is mostly government owned. mostly the United States, and administrated by federal agencies, the National Park Service and the the US. Forest Service. ATC is not a land-owning organization, but an administrative agency with a contract with the National Park Service to run the day to day trail matters.

In places the government ownership is shared with private entities. and especially in Pennsylvania and Maine a lot of the basic ownership rests with state agencies under formal or informal contracts with the NPS.

[Cookerhiker]

BTW, among all the other maple products available in Vermont, I really liked the maple soda sweetened entirely with maple syrup - and I usually don't drink soda.

And then there's TommyKnockers maple-flavored ale. I've bought it here in Lexington and last summer the night before beginning the Colorado Trail thruhike, our dinner was at Tommyknocker's brew pub in Idaho Springs - had some right where's it's (the brew) is made. Don't know where they get their syrup. AFter the hike, I returned to the pub, procured 2 sixpacks for the 1,200 mile drive home.

[peakbagger]

There is a local product called maple taffy. Its positively addictive. It doesnt ship or store well so I have to buy it direct. Its really thick syrup, sort of like cold honey.

[SwitchbackVT]

Ever had maple butter?

[Maryelle]

For the last several years Medora Indiana has hosted the National Maple Syrup festival the first two weekends of March. The high hills of southern Indiana have maple trees that produce high quality sap for syrup. There is a commercial processing operation, plus re-inactors making syrup like the pioneers and the native Americans. Also, lot of music from local musicians. Just a fun event. If you are in the area and want to come, just do a search for National Maple Syrup to get directions, etc.

[joedannajr]

it doesn't matter to mee....what's your point?

Just thought it was a funny sight, nothing more.

[Nearly Normal]

syrup bucket....is that like a red solo cup?

[Cookerhiker]

Ever had maple butter?

Yes - yum!!

For the last several years Medora Indiana has hosted the National Maple Syrup festival the first two weekends of March. The high hills of southern Indiana have maple trees that produce high quality sap for syrup. There is a commercial processing operation, plus re-inactors making syrup like the pioneers and the native Americans. Also, lot of music from local musicians. Just a fun event. If you are in the area and want to come, just do a search for National Maple Syrup to get directions, etc.

Great - sounds nice.

Festivals also in Meyersdale, PA and Highland County, VA