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Maple Products in the Finger Lakes

Maple syrup comes from the sap of the sugar maple (Acer saccharum). It is produced only in the regions where sugar maples grow--around the Great Lakes in Canada and the northeastern United States. New York is the fourth leading producer of maple syrup in the world. In 2004, it produced 255,000 gallons of syrup, 17 percent of all syrup produced in the United States. Much of this syrup comes from the Finger Lakes Region.

It takes an average of 43 gallons of sap to produce 1 gallon of syrup. Originally, the Indians collected sap in bark buckets from taps of alder or elderberry. Although sap is still collected in buckets, it's more common today to see trees connected by plastic tubing that drains into a common site.

Sap begins to run in late February when the days are sunny and above freezing and the nights are below freezing. (Watch the buds on the trees. They will begin to swell at this time.) Most syrup production is over when the buds begin to open around April 1.

New York maple syrup is graded. Here are the three grades sold to consumers:

Grade A Light Amber--mild, delicate flavor

Grade A Medium Amber--fuller flavor

Grade A Dark Amber--strong maple flavor

1 cup of white sugar=¾ cup of syrup

(Reduce the liquid in the recipe by 3 tablespoons for each cup of syrup substituted.)

Because most syrup as been tapped from trees that have not had herbicides or pesticides applied, maple syrup is considered to be organic. Once opened, a container can be expected to keep about 6 months if refrigerated.

Moldy Syrup

On occasion syrup can become moldy. Cornell Cooperative Extension recommends that you NOT throw out the syrup. Instead, skim off the mold, bring it to a boil, and then store in a clean container. This should restore the syrup to its original quality.

Crystals

Should you find crystals in the bottom of the syrup container, remove the syrup, add a little water, and heat. (Microwaving is acceptable.) This should melt the crystals, at which point the syrup can be returned to the container.

Did You Know...

When the weather warms up, squirrels, especially red squirrels, will bite off a bit of the tree's bark to start the sap running. This they will drink. The running of the sap from small wounds made by squirrels attracts birds and insects, who also enjoy the sweet liquid.

Recipe

Maple Walnut Pie

Central New York Maple Festival

Maple Weekend

Cayuga Nature Center Annual Maple Festival 

Where to Buy Maple Products

CAYUGA COUNTY

Schoolyard Sugarbush

5967 Appletree Point Rd.

Moravia, NY 13118

315-567-9900

Smokey Hollow Maple Syrup

8957 Pierce Rd.

Jordan, NY 13080

315-689-9833

Swayze Farm Sugar Bush

1354 Kings Corners Rd.

Union Springs, NY 13160

315-364-7855

CHEMUNG COUNTY

Archie & Ruth Larison

165 Cooper Hill Rd.

Van Etten, NY 14889

607-589-6278

Big Time Maple

95 Brink Rd.

Van Etten, NY 14889

607-564-3605

Mattison's Sugar Creek Farm

195 Sawdey Rd.

Horseheads, NY 14845

607-739-7849

R & M Maple Farm

443 Bannister Rd.

Breesport, NY 14816

607-739-2760

SISU Farms

45 Brink Rd.

Van Etten, NY 14889

607-589-6546

CORTLAND COUNTY

Button's Maple Products

4870 Telephone Rd.

Cincinnatus, NY 13040

607-863-3879

Delavan Farms

5034 Gee Brook Rd.

Cincinnatus, NY 13040

607-863-3822

Dutch Hill Maple

1429 Dutch Hill Rd.

Tully, NY 13159

315-696-6109

Jennison Maple Products

2861 Clarks Corners Rd.

Marathon, NY 13803

607-849-3518

John's Sugar House

90 Cortland St.

Marathon, NY 13803

607-849-3798

S & S Syrup

42888 Irish Hill Rd.

Marathon, NY 13803

607-849-6106

Sugar Ridge Maple Farm

5972 US Rt. 11

Homer, NY 13077

607-749-5714

Sweet Egg Farm

6448 E. Homer-Baltimore Rd.

Homer, NY 13077

607-758-3905

Walker Maple Products

4860 Knecht Rd.

McGraw, NY 13101

6070-836-4249

LIVINGSTON COUNTY

Rock Hill Maple Farms

9000 Scipio Rd.

Nunda, NY 14517

585-468-5781

Sugarbush Hollow

8447 Pardee Hollow Rd.

(Town of Springwater)

Wayland, NY 14572

585-943-3475

Mellander's Maple

Lower Reddy Rd.

Wellsville, NY 14525

585-584-3068

MONROE COUNTY

Kanarondack Maple Products

272 Elmdorf Ave.

Rochester, NY 14619

585-235-2734

Ross Brothers Maple Products

127 N. Spruce St.

East Rochester, NY 14445

545-586-7688

Trout Brook Sugarhouse

296 Taylor Rd.

Honeoye Falls, NY 14472

585-624-5648

ONONDAGA COUNTY

Alliance Properties

6941 Kassonta Dr.

Jamesville, NY 13078

315-527-1771

Bear Mountain Farm

2288 Case Hill Rd.

LaFayette, NY 13084

315-677-3690

Burdick Sugar Bush

1095 Hencoop Rd.

Skaneateles, NY 13152

315-685-5501

Cedarvale Maple Sugar Co.

3769 Pleasant Valley Rd.

Syracuse, NY 13215

315-469-6422

Dan Beasley

5663 Stevens Dr.

Cicero, NY 13039

315-699-3855

Donald Streib

4910 Howlett Hill Rd.

Marcellus, NY 13108

315-673-7083

Komrowski Maple

7584 Tater Rd.

Memphis, NY 13112

315-635-9365

Pied Piper Maple Products

1335 W. Valley Rd.

Preble, NY 13141

315-636-8569

ONTARIO COUNTY

Day Bros. Dairy & Maple Farm

2292 County Rd. 6

Phelps, NY 14532

315-789-0883

Everson's Pure Maple Products

3121 Bunker Hill Rd.,

Clifton Springs, NY 14432

315-462-9251

Peter Cornelius

4054 State Rt. 245

Rushville, NY 14544

585-554-6268

Schoff 's Sugar Shack

1064 Willis Hill Rd.

Victor, NY 14564

585-924-3769

Timberbuck Maple

7707 Tilton Rd.

Bloomfield, NY 14469

585-229-9713

Karen Woodhouse

223 Heather Lane

Farmington, NY 14425

315-985-1503

SCHUYLER COUNTY

Arnot Forest

611 County Rt. 13

Van Etten, NY 14889

607-589-6076

Please note: Arnot Forest is a teaching and research facility belonging to Cornell University. It is open to visitors and offers seminars and workshops. Syrup from the forest, as well as other products produced by the University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, are sold at the Cornell Orchards, 709 Dryden Rd. (Rt. 366), Ithaca, NY 14850.

Breakneck Creek Farm

4181 County Rd. 1

Valois, NY 14841

607-546-2311

Jerry Crainey

5820 State Rt. 13

Cayuta, NY 14824

607-594-2164

Fagnan's Farm

2351 Oak Hill Rd.

Alpine, NY 14805

607-594-2062

Great Oak Farm

2529 Jennings Rd.

Watkins Glen, NY 14891

607-535-7055

Larry and Mary Huntley

3977 Bailey Hill Rd.

Dundee, NY 14837

607-292-6318

Jesse Pully

4955 Tuttle Rd.

Burdett, NY 14818

607-546-9073

Straight-Way Farm

3411 County Road 8

Montour falls, NY 14865

607-546-4302

Tug Hollow Farm

4180 Robertson Rd.

Burdett, NY 14818

607-546-8235

Windsong Farm

5051 Tuttle Rd.

Burdett, NY 14818

607-546-5408

STEUBEN COUNTY

Hager's Maple Products

8298 Oak Hill Rd.

Arkport, NY 14807

607-295-7951

Sugarbush Hollow

8447 Pardee Hollow Rd.

Wayland, NY 14572

585-943-3475

Trout Creek Farm

10045 Mattoon Rd.

Prattsburgh, NY 14873

585-346-6889

Tuscarora Maple Syrup

743 Thompson Rd.

Addison, NY 14801

607-359-2199

TIOGA COUNTY

Hamley's Maple Farm

1242 Oak Hill Rd.

Barton, NY 13734

607-565-3731

Klossner Maple Syrup

66 Ott Rd.

Candor, NY 13743

607-687-9679

Mandeville Farm

894 Ithaca Rd.

Spencer, NY 14883

607-589-4399

Max Leonard

127 Turkey Hill Rd.

Berkshire, NY 13736

607-657-2679

Sugarbush Run

1928 Howard Hill Rd.

Newark Valley, NY 13811

607-642-8750

Sweetrees Maple Products

761 Glen Rd.

Berkshire, NY 13736

315-699-3855

West Candor Maple

707 Spencer Rd.

Candor, NY 13743

607-659-7263

TOMPKINS COUNTY

Cornell Orchards

709 Dryden Rd. (Rt. 366)

Ithaca, NY 14850

607-255-4542

Reed's Farm

697 Millard Hill Rd.

Newfield, NY 14867

607-564-3561

Sapsquatch

Ramp Hollow Community Farm

2247 Mecklenburg Rd.

Ithaca, NY 14850

607-208-8498

WAYNE COUNTY

Cummings Family Farm

2814 Harris Rd.

Palmyra, NY 14522

315-926-7021

Hi-Lo's Maple Grove

4809 Reitz Rd.

Red Creek, NY 13143

315-594-2197

Packard Valley Farms

438 Macedon Center Rd.

Macedon, NY 14502

315-986-2539

Para-Deys Acres Maple Syrup

724 Victor Rd.

Macedon, NY 14502

315-986-7098

Shadow Hill Maple Syrup

7285 Lakeside Rd.

Ontario, NY 14519

315-524-2190

YATES COUNTY

Clute's Maple Products

405 Clute Rd.

Naples, NY 14512

315-536-6393

Crestview Farm

3528 Ferguson Corners Rd.

Penn Yan, NY 14527

585-526-5650

Italy Hill Maple Syrup

2115 Pulteney Rd.

Branchport, NY 14418

607-522-4519

Shiek's Maple Products

873 Ridge Rd.

Penn Yan, NY 14527

315-536-6393

The Sugar House @ The Loomis Barn

4942 Loomis Rd.

Rushville, NY 14544

585-554-3154

Updated 20 September 2011