The Sugar Maple tree produces a sweet sap that is used in making pure maple syrup. This tree is indigenous only to the Northeastern United States, Southeastern Canada and certain areas around the Great Lakes. This small area is therefore the only place in the world where maple syrup is made.
Nutrients are taken from the soil by the tree roots and delivered via the sap to the buds. This process occurs during sap flow. Sap flows best in the spring when the weather fluctuates, with warm days and freezing nights. In our area, this generally begins in February and ends in late March or early April when the buds swell and prepare to open. Once the trees have become “buddy” the sap no longer has a good taste.
The American Indians taught the first white settlers how to tap maple trees and turn the sweet sap into maple syrup. Removing sap from the tree is not injurious because only about ten percent of the sap is taken. If a healthy tree is tapped property, new wood will grow over the tap hole within one to two years, causing no permanent damage.
Firth Maple Products was established in 1971, starting with 1,000 taps. Buckets were used for sap collection. Today we have over 40,000 taps on about 800 acres of trees. Buckets have been replaced entirely by plastic tubing, approximately 100 miles of it! This tubing permits all the trees in a sugarbush to be connected, directing the flow of sap downhill to a tank located in the lowest part of the woods. From here the sap is hauled by truck to the sugarhouse.
Maple sap is approximately 98% water and 2% sugar. Maple syrup is 33.5% water and 66.5% sugar. Converting sap to maple syrup is done by extracting the excess water from the sap through filtering and boiling in an open evaporator. It takes 40 to 60 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup, depending on the exact sugar content of the sap. Typically one can estimate that each tap hole will produce enough sap for more than one quart of syrup.
The fascinating change of sap to syrup is done within our sugarhouse. Visitors are welcome to view the process during syrup season. All of our maple products are available year round.
Maple Syrup Products
Our syrup is now certified organic by NOFA-NY!
Most folks use Grade A Amber as a table syrup for topping on a variety of foods. Grade A Dark is a darker syrup most commonly used in cooking, but it has become popular as a table syrup for its stronger maple taste.
Syrup Prices
| Product | Grade A Amber | Grade A Dark |
|---|---|---|
| 100 mL | $4.00 | N/A |
| 1/2 Pint | $6.50 | N/A |
| 1 Pint | $9.50 | N/A |
| 1 Quart | $17.00 | N/A |
| 1/2 Gallon | $30.00 | $30.00 |
| 1 Gallon | $55.00 | $55.00 |
| 4 Gallon Bulk | $180.00 | $180.00 |
| 5 Gallon Bulk | $225.00 | $225.00 |
| 12 oz Glass Bottle | $7.50 | $7.50 |
| 25 oz Glass Maple Leaf Bottle | $19.00 | N/A |
Maple Syrup Sales Contact
For more information including shipping costs, contact Whitney Tenney at (814) 654-2435, or email syrup@firthmapleproducts.com.
