Dear WV Maple Syrup Makers,
We are down to two less than two weeks before the Southern Syrup Research Symposium, September 28 and 29in Summersville, and I want to encourage all of you who can to make your way to Summersville for this event. We have the best and the brightest in the maple business coming to West Virginia with the knowledge we need to be more successful.
If you’re running vacuum we have Todd Palivec and Les Ober on the program. They worked with Stan Hess near Ashland Ohio. Stan gets over 1 gallon of syrup/tap. Last year, a bad year in Ohio, he only got 0.8 gallons/tap. Unless your production is somewhere near that, there might be something to be learned from Les and Todd.
If you produced some off-flavor syrup last year, and many WV producers did, we’re picking up where the May grading workshop left off. Mark Isselhardt and Tim Perkins, from the Proctor Maple Center in Vermont, will be talking to us about off- flavors and the control of microbes which are often the cause.
Running 3/16 tubing? You are going to want to learn about Steve Child’s (Cornell University), most recent research, and what Tim and Steve have to share on 3/16 sanitation.
Is marketing an issue? There’s Dr. Doolarie Singh-knight (WVU), Tom Hammett (VT) and our own Cindy Martel to Share their experiences and tips. Need more sources of revenue from your woods? Listen to what John Muncell (VT – Beginning Appalachian Forest Farmers Network), Jamie Schuler (WVU) and Jim Chamberlain (USFS) have to say.
And, this is just a sampling.
Friday is dedicated to talks by these researchers and maple experts. Saturday is designed around panel discussions, with interactions between you all and our invited experts. This is a time to bring up your questions and issues. And, don’t forget the Friday night “West Virginia Welcome” mixer, square dance, and opportunity to show our northern friends how we have a good time down in these parts.
Monday September 21st we have to let our hosts at the Summersville Convention Center how many people to expect so they can plan the breakfast and lunch menu. So, if you haven’t already, Register now http://www.syrupsymposium.com.
See you in Summersville.
Mike