Saturday, November 17, 2012

Working in the woods


Working in the woods is an important part of our job.  Lately, we have been spending a lot of time checking our tubing for damage, like animal bites & chews and downed trees on lines.  We examine every inch of tubing, every dropline, and the entire length of every mainline.  We make sure everything in each sugarbush is tip-top so it will be ready for sugaring season.  This way there will be optimal sap flow in the spring.
 
A section of a sugarbush
Many animals, like squirrels, chipmunks & deer, chew on the tubing.  Along with the obvious lines chewed in half, there are also many smaller chews and punctures that need replacement in droplines and the actual line itself.  It is crucial that we inspect all of our tubing and fix any damage, from animals or just what incurs through time & weather.  We have also found many trees, both big and small, that have fallen on our tubing lines. 


Kern cutting up a fallen tree on the tubing
 Some excitement that always abounds when working in one particular sugarbush comes from the "dog-next-door," Izzy!  Izzy, a hound/lab mix, always runs over, her ears flapping in the breeze, and greets us.  We can't leave the vehicle door open too long, unless we want big, muddy dog prints all over the seat!  She is always bursting with energy, chomping at the bit to go on an excursion in the forest.

Izzy, Kern, & Sue
Romping in the sugarbush


Izzy
Sue


 
Derek - after a days work



 

 
 
 

 
 



Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Fall Foliage

Almost all the leaves have fallen here and the Tamarack trees are losing their golden orange needles.  In the midst of the storm, with all the needles blowing around, you might have thought it was snowing.  With the color of autumn fading, giving way to bare trees, it will be only a matter of time until sugaring season is upon us once again.

Autumn maple leaves

Monday, October 29, 2012

Market Switch

Kern at the Tribeca market

To all our Tribeca friends, after this weekend we will be moving to the Greenpoint / McCarren Park Greenmarket.  Starting Sat. November 3 we will be at this new market, which runs from 8am to 3pm, located at Union Ave. between Driggs & N 12th Street, Brooklyn.  It was a pleasure to bring you our pure maple products and get to know some of you.  Hopefully you can still come to see us at the Columbia Greenmarket on Sundays or the Greenpoint / McCarren Park Greenmarket on Saturdays!

Tribeca
Tribeca


Monday, October 1, 2012

A new market - Columbia Greenmarket

In addition to Tribeca, you can now find all our products at another Greenmarket. Starting this Sunday, 10/7, we will be at the Columbia Greenmarket, located near Columbia University on Broadway at 115th St.  If you're in the area, come see us!

Thursday, September 27, 2012

A Walling Wedding

Drew and Reebe said their "I do's" this past Saturday at the Barn at Hogs Hollow, in Burlington Flats, NY.  After the outside ceremony, the reception was held in a former pig barn converted to a beautifully-decorated, airy space.  Each guest sat down to a wedding favor of molded maple sugar.  We also scattered some bags in the middle of every table.  The extra pieces went into a basket, free for the taking!  Each bag had 3 small, fancy pieces (including wedding bells and hearts), or 1 large maple leaf.

Molded maple sugar wedding favors... mmm

The wedding favors before being bagged

As part of the ceremony, the bride and groom chose to show their unity by blending our light and dark maple syrups together.



Drew & Reebe pouring syrups

A fitting addition to the place settings
The finished product


Saturday, September 8, 2012

New York Maple At The State Fair!

Did anyone get to the New York State Fair this year? If so, I hope you came and checked out the NYS Maple Producers Association booth, home to practically everything maple! Maple ice cream, maple nuts, maple barbeque sauce, maple popcorn, maple soda, maple cream, molded maple sugar, maple dog biscuits...and the list continues! Of course one cannot forget the jug upon jug of pure sweetness itself- the syrup!


The Maple Center inside the Horticulture Building

Four of us from Walling's Maple Syrup, along with other maple producers, worked in the booth on August 29th.  The four of us helped customers, gave cream samples, and worked with the ice cream, slushie, and snow cone machines.  It was a pretty busy day, with lots of people coming to get their maple fix...some for the whole year.
 
Kern with another maple producer
In the back, molded maple sugar is made fresh daily for you to purchase, and up front, several different maple products are available for sample. Let that cotton candy melt in your mouth or feel how smooth the maple cream is on your tongue.  So, if you didn't get a chance this year, put it on your list for next year and introduce yourself to NYS maple!

Friday, August 24, 2012

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

SkinnyOffice Features Us on Blog!

Check it out: Off to Market: Walling's Maple Syrup!  SkinnyOffice, a New York City based blog, has showcased us in their new weekly feature, in which they present to you a vendor from a farmer's market. 


Also featured is our favorite maple blueberry muffin recipe.  Delicious and easy to make, these muffins are sure to satisfy.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

Start Your Day Off Right - Maple Granola Coming Soon!

Whole Grains, Protein, Fruit, Healthy Fats & Sweetener!


Get ready, because soon we will be offering scrumptious & healthy Maple Granola.  The granola is made out of organic oats, and lightly sweetened with our pure maple syrup.  Also included is healthful organic coconut oil and organic unsweetened coconut. With a splash of organic vanilla, some chopped walnuts and almonds, and complemented with freeze-dried fruit, you can't get any better than this!

Have it with milk, sprinkle some in yogurt & on ice cream, or eat it plain....even if you don't like coconut, you are sure to enjoy this maple granola.  So go ahead, delight your senses and feel good about it!


ALLERGY CAUTION:  Contains tree nuts.

Sunday, June 3, 2012

NYC Greenmarket!

Yesterday was our first day as a vendor at the New York City Greenmarket.  Susan and Meg were busy all week in the sugarhouse preparing for the weekend, bottling up our golden syrup and crafting that syrup into delicious additional products.  On Friday we spent the day getting last-minute items together, and then Kern meticulously packed everything in the vehicle.  Drew and Diana awoke early and left around 2:30 AM, so they could make it to lower Manhattan and have time to set up by 8:00 AM.  Rainy drizzle greeted the morning, but soon the clouds cleared and blue sky prevailed.

There are many Greenmarkets in NYC, but we are located at the one in Tribeca, in the shadows of the World Trade Centers.  It is a medium-sized market, where we are fortunate enough to be able to share our all-natural products with more people and have the opportunity to educate people about real maple syrup.  We will be there every Saturday this  season - Come check us out and sample something pure maple!

The World Trade Centers shrouded in fog

The World Trade Centers welcome the sun 
 


Thursday, May 3, 2012

Vermont Maple Festival

This past weekend a portion of our crew once again spent the weekend in New York's neighboring state, Vermont, for their annual maple festival and open houses.  As well as selling some of our syrup to a large buyer and distributer, we attended several different seminars, visited the maple manufacturers, and learned more about the new equipment and technology that is being produced.  We also met up with some other NYS maple syrup producers, along with sales representatives from the various maple companies in northern Vermont.  As always, the festival was informational and entertaining!

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Shoot For Rogers!

Mark your calendars!  This Saturday, 4/21, from 10am-4pm, Morrisville State College's Conservation Tri-Society & Outdoor Recreation Club bring you a 40 target archery shoot, hosted by Palmer's Archery in Bouckville, NY.  It is only $5 to shoot the course, plus you receive a complimentary raffle ticket, hotdog, chips, and drink!  All proceeds will go to the Roger's Environmental Education Center in Sherburne, NY.  There will be many chances to win prizes- including our pure maple syrup!






Monday, April 16, 2012

Feathered Frenzy Grand Opening & Open House


This past weekend was the grand opening and open house at Southwind Farms in Otego, NY.  We were one of the vendors in their newly renovated shop.  Many families visited the farm, which has many animals and birds to enjoy.  They also have a very interesting greenhouse, in which hyrdoponic and aquaculture systems are utilized.  They have a variety of fresh locally grown vegetables and meats for sale.  We will be one of the many vendors here on the 2nd Saturday of every month.  Join us for a taste of maple!

Locally produced items in the shop

A few of the many visitors

Friday, April 13, 2012

Sugaring Season Comes to a Close

Tapped Maple Tree

Sugaring season has officially ended, and we are now in the cleaning process.  After maple season, cleanup is always a tedious, time consuming task in which everything is sterilized, from the tiniest tool or piece of equipment to floors and walls.

This season was not as productive as we had hoped.  The unseasonably warm weather and the number of consecutive nights it didn't freeze made it hard for the sap to continue to run.  However, we decided to stick it out and continued to draw sap as long as possible, collecting a total of 146,210 gallons of sap. This year's yield of approximately 2,200 gallons of syrup did not come close to last year's 3,000+.  Even so, we look forward to next year!



A Tap