Courtesy of Maple Days
By Paul Post
Trump Administration tariffs, scheduled to take effect April 2, threaten to undermine New York’s thriving maple industry as most of the equipment producers need is manufactured in Canada.
In addition, much of the syrup consumed in New York City comes from Quebec, the world’s biggest maple producer, because upstate New York sugar makers can’t make enough to meet demand. If tariffs boost the price of Canada’s syrup 25 percent, American producers might charge the same, possibly generating more short-term revenue, but discouraging sales over the long run as consumers grapple with constantly rising food prices.
“That’s certainly not one of our goals,” said Mary Jean Packer, marketing manager of Mapleland Farm in Salem, Washington County.
Canadian maple equipment manufacturers are sending tractor-trailers across the border now and stockpiling it in northern Vermont warehouses, to keep from losing business from U.S. customers after tariffs take effect.
“As long as you have the equipment now you’ll be fine, but it could be hard to get into the business if suddenly the cost of equipment is 25 percent higher,” Packer said. “Maple is a relatively easy agricultural crop to get started with. To be viable all you need is 100 taps, collecting and boiling it with a small evaporator after coming home from an off-farm job. There aren’t many agricultural pursuits that you can get started with such a low cost of entry.”
Meanwhile, area producers are gearing up for this month’s popular Open House Weekends that generate about one-third of annual sales and attract crowds that boost local economies. Such events promote and educate people about the industry, and the value of maple as a healthy food choice.
Thurman Maple Days, with five participating producers, brings thousands of people to Warren County each year, filling a tourism gap between Lake George Winter Carnival and the summer vacation period.
“We’re drawing people from New Jersey, New York City, Massachusetts and surprisingly, we even get people from Vermont coming to visit and from all over western New York,” said Randy Galusha, Toad Hill Maple owner.
Thurman’s maple celebration began March 15-16 and is held over three weekends continuing through March 29-30.
Many visitors plan overnight stays and patronize area restaurants and retail shops in addition to boosting sales for sugar makers and other nearby businesses that take part in Maple Days such as Martin’s Lumber, TEF Braids, Rustic Acres Farm & Bakery and Nettle Meadow farm, famous for its award-winning goat cheese.
Activities include pancake breakfasts, guided sugarhouse tours, wagon rides, vendor and craft fairs and a chance to sample delicious maple products such as donuts, chili, candies, cream and syrup.
“Maple Days is the first large event leading us into the summer season,” county Tourism Director Heather Bagshaw said. “It brings visitors to other towns in the county that wouldn’t normally receive this level of traffic during this time of year. We are excited to partner with maple producers to provide branded totes and our travel guide so visitors can carry these sweet savory goods home and plan their next trip back to the Lake George Area.”
Warren County Board of Supervisors gave several thousand dollars in occupancy tax money to Thurman Community Association to promote Maple Days.
“All of it goes directly into promotion that brings people to the town of Thurman,” Galusha said. “Lying way out in a rural area like we do it’s always a challenge to get people to come here. We do social media and print media. It brings customers to our farms and they become repeat customers over time. It really has given us a big leg up and helps all of our businesses.
The sugar making season got off to a slow start because of this winter’s extremely cold weather. “The ground was frozen so deep, the trees frozen so solid that they’re going to take a little while to warm up,” Packer said.
Ideal conditions for making syrup are warm days and cool nights, whose pressure fluctuations make sap flow within trees.
“We’ve boiled a couple of times,” Galusha said. “We’ve got syrup, our shelves stocked and we’re anxious to have people come visit. Last year was very good for us. We made the most syrup ever, all very high quality, so we were real happy with last year.”
New York is the nation’s second-leading maple state, surpassed only by U.S. industry leader Vermont. Last year, the state’s sugar makers produced a record 846,000 gallons of syrup.
Taste NY markets on interstate highway welcome centers are highlighting unique local maple products during March. The Adirondack Welcome Center, on the Northway in Moreau, has educational displays from the Upper Hudson Maple Producers Association with information about the history of maple production and modern production techniques.
In Granville, Grottoli’s Maple hosted the first of three maple weekends on March 15-16, continuing through March 29-30. “We have a lot of return customers who come back every year, but we’re always looking for new people,” Laurie Grottoli said. “My husband, Mike, shows them around the sugarhouse, all the ins and outs of maple sugaring, and we serve a nice maple breakfast.”
“We have people that come up from the Albany area and we actually get people driving through from Vermont, spring skiers, who have found us on the internet,” she said. “We’re right on Route 22 so it’s a good spot to put out signs and flags.”
The sixth-generation Maple Valley Farm, in Corinth, held one Open House Weekend on March 22-23, but takes the next one off so its owners can visit and support other local producers. In addition to on-site business, Maple Valley Farm wholesales some syrup and its product is found at retail locations throughout the area such as Kings Dairy, Saratoga Winery, Smith’s Bake Shop, Chestertown Farmer’s Market and the year-round Glens Falls Farmer’s Market.
The business is run by brothers Tim and Scott Monica whose late father, Don Monica, founded a popular Maple in April community-wide event in Hadley, scheduled this year for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 26. Activities run the gamut from a French toast breakfast to a car, truck and tractor show, food and craft booths, children’s face painting and a petting zoo.
For more information go to: https://upperhudsonmaple.com/ or www.visitthurman.com.