Sixty-year-old Howard Boyden has been maple sugaring for as long as he can remember, picking up the trade from his grandparents and passing it on to his own sons.
Having wrapped up the 2019 season last month, Boyden said this year’s season was above average in his family’s experience.
“It was a long season, I thought,” Boyden said. “Long and cold.”
He said he had 3,000 taps that produced 892 gallons of syrup, a little more than usual. He actually had fewer taps this year, but reached his gallon target, anyway.
“We started Feb. 15 and ended April 1,” he said. “We probably could have gone until the middle of April.”
Winton Pitcoff, coordinator for the Massachusetts Maple Producers Association, said reports from sugarers across the state reflect Boyden’s sentiments in that most of the sugarers had an average or above average year.
“They all reported that the season started late, but then ran constantly for a few weeks, keeping everyone busy,” Pitcoff said. “Producers reported that flavor is excellent this year, and they all have plenty of syrup in all grades.”
Sugaring season in Franklin County typically starts in late January or early February, when nights are still cold, but days are warming up, Boyden said. It typically ends around mid-April — some years earlier, some later. The entire month of March is usually the peak of maple sugaring season, earning the distinction of being Massachusetts Maple Month.
The longtime Conway resident said he and his sons, Josh and Matt, do the sugaring. They tap trees on their own property and lease from others throughout Conway.
This year, like others past, the Boydens ended up with everything from light to medium to dark syrup. He said he uses light on pancakes, medium for candy and maple cream, and dark in his baked beans.
“You start with light, and you end up with dark as you collect,” he said.
Boyden said his grandfather and grandmother on both sides of his family were sugarers.
“I can’t help myself — it’s in my blood,” he said. “I’ve been doing it all my life, and now my boys are doing the same.”
Boyden said he doesn’t see the family stopping any time soon, noting they just invested in a $33,000 evaporator.
“I just go slow and steady at this point,” he said. “I like to spend time with family and my granddaughter.”
On the other side of the county in Wendell, Laurel and Bill Facey, both 75 years old, continue to tap and create maple sugar for sale each year. They own Sugarbush Farm at 47 Davis Road.
“We love it,” Laurel Facey said. “We stared late this year, so it was a little nerve-racking early on. We weren’t sure if we’d have enough time to do an average run.”
Like Boyden, the Faceys started a little late, but the season went a little longer for them, so they installed 600 taps and got 100 gallons of syrup — just what they’d hoped, she said.
“Last year, we had 150 gallons, so we were a little behind,” she said. “You’ve got to have those cold nights and warm days, and that didn’t happen as early this year.”
Facey said it’s a lot of work for her and her husband, but they do it because it’s their passion. She said they are both retired, so it provides some extra income.
“It keeps us busy,” she said. “We really look forward to it every year.”
Boyden’s maple syrup is sold at Baker’s Store and Natural Roots, both in Conway, Pekarski’s Sausage in South Deerfield and Food City in Turners Falls. The Faceys’ maple syrup can be purchased at Diemand Farm in Millers Falls, Wendell Country Store and at a farmers market-type event in the center of town on the third Saturday of each month.
You can reach Anita Fritz at: afritz@recorder.com or 413-772-0261, ext. 269