Maple 101 

Description: This course is designed for the backyard Hobby Producer who just wants to start out in maple syruping and wants to put out a few taps. This course will focus on bucket collection techniques and will get into some tubing lessons but will not go into much detail into commercial production. In this class, you will learn how to tap a tree, collect the sap, process the sap, and bottling.

Date: Sunday, December 15th
Location: Parmelee Farm, 465 CT-81, Killingworth, CT 06419
Time: 9:30 am to 12 pm
No fee. Max attendees is 20
Please pre-register here by sending an email with intent. 


 
                             COURSE OUTLINE 


                *Introduction, history of maple production
                * Planning your operation: time & cost consid-
               erations, purchasing equipment  
                * Tree health and management: species to
                tap, tree health issues, managing forest
                trees vs. roadside trees
                *Why, when and how sap flows
                *The tapping process 
                * Collection & storage of sap
                * Types of collection systems
                * Tubing materials, layout, maintenance &
                cleaning
                * Filtering and handling to maintain quality
                * Syrup production
                * Evaporator function, design, operation
                * Finishing standard density syrup
                *Filtering, grading, packaging
                * Marketing your products 
             
                Field session: we will tour a sugarhouse and help set up tubing.