CONWAY — With maple cookies and samples of fresh syrup from Chestnut Lot Farm, representatives from the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) kicked off a tour of Franklin County sugar houses Thursday morning to promote upcoming Maple Weekend festivities.
The tour started in Conway, followed by stops at Winston’s Sugar House in Buckland and Davenport Maple Farm in Shelburne. MDAR Commissioner John Lebeaux, Massachusetts Maple Producers Association Coordinator Winton Pitcoff and others gathered around boilers to talk about the experiences of sugarers this year as warmer-than-usual weather threatens to shut down operations early.
“We’ll survive a warm couple of days,” said Chris Herrmann, owner of Chestnut Lot Farm on Main Poland Road in Conway. “We’ll make it through this weekend into next week. I think we’ll be OK.”
Optimal sugaring conditions usually take place in 40-degree days with 20-degree nights, according to the Massachusetts Maple Producers Association.
Thursday’s tour was organized by MDAR to promote maple sugaring businesses across Massachusetts as the state enters Maple Weekend, an initiative inviting people into sugar houses to see how maple syrup is produced.
Herrmann explained to the group that his sugaring process, while small, is able to efficiently churn out approximately 75 gallons of maple syrup per year — of which the farm has produced about one-third already — and he hasn’t run into too many difficulties yet, even as other sugarers are struggling with a shortage of syrup jugs.
Herrmann started sugaring on a pan with his family as a child and before he knew it, Chestnut Lot Farm had formed in 1990. He now produces maple syrup from late February to early April, and tends livestock throughout the rest of the year.
“Like all fun hobbies, it grew,” he said, adding that the farm “might as well do something” while waiting for better haying and cattle-tending weather.
Lebeaux said the maple industry, despite only lasting about one month, is a massive boon to the agricultural economy of Massachusetts as agrotourism drives millions of dollars into the pockets of farmers and sugarers. He added that the roughly 300 maple producers across the state pull in about $12 million to $15 million per year, and produce about 70,000 gallons of maple syrup.
“We’re not known for our quantity, but for our quality” Lebeaux said. “It’s a big boost for these guys to get some capital and roll into their next season.”
Additionally, Lebeaux said maple farms keep forests protected and the state often works with maple farmers on energy initiatives because of the enormous amount needed to run boilers, evaporators and reverse osmosis machines.
“Because of the energy needed to make syrup,” Lebeaux explained, “a lot of our ag-energy” policies and programs work with sugarers in western and central Massachusetts. These include grants for solar arrays and other alternative energy sources.
“Climate change is an issue,” he continued. “If we can get some folks off the grid, that’s a good thing.”
With a small jug of syrup in hand, Lebeaux hopes people can get out this weekend, visit their local sugar house and enjoy the “bounty” of maple trees in the region.
“We want to give folks a flavor of the season,” Lebeaux said, “pun intended.”
For a list of sugar houses participating in Maple Weekend, visit bit.ly/3CQBQ32.
Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.