The Sugarmakers Companion

An Integrated Approach to Producing Syrup from Maple, Birch, and Walnut Trees Michael Farrell $39.95 Paperback 8 x 10 352 pages ISBN 9781603583978 Pub Date: November 1, 2013

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The Sugarmakers Companion is the comprehensive guide maple producers have been waiting for in their pursuit of a profitable and sustainable business.

In The Sugarmakers Companion, Michael Farrell, sugarmaker and director of Cornell Universitys Uihlein Forest, documents the untapped potential of American forests and shows how sugaring can turn a substantial profit for farmers while providing tremendous enjoyment and satisfaction. Farrell combines the wisdom of traditional sugarmakers with the value of modern technology (such as reverse-osmosis and vacuum tubing). His balanced view of the industry offers a realistic picture of how modern technology can be beneficialeconomically and environmentally. This unique book includes:

A focus on maple syrup as a healthy, local, sustainably produced alternative to corn syrup and other highly processed sweeteners; Discussions about organic certification, sugarhouse registration, and the new international grading system; Marketing ideas to help develop a profitable business; Valuable information on tree sap as a healthy and profitable beverage; Information on ways to process and market other tree saps, including birch and walnut; Effective strategies for adapting sugaring operations to a changing climate; and more. In addition, readers and sugarmakers will learn plenty of practical, how-to skills, such as: how to find trees for tapping; the essentials of sap collection; sap-processing techniques that save time, money, fuel and frustration; valuable information on pricing maple syrup and other value-added products; and, how to build a community-based sugaring operation. Appealing to foresters, farmers, homesteaders, and, of course, sugarmakers, this book is applicable to a wide range of climates and regionsit is sure to change the conversation around syrup production and prove invaluable for homescale and commercial sugarmakers alike.
Michael Farrell serves as the director of Cornell Universitys Uihlein Forest, a maple syrup research and extension field station in Lake Placid, NY. There he taps approximately 5,000 maples, 600 birch trees, and a couple dozen black walnut and butternut trees every year. He has authored more than fifty articles on maple syrup production and forest management and often presents to maple producer and landowner organizations. Michael earned his bachelors in economics from Hamilton College, his masters in forestry from SUNY-ESF, and his PhD in natural resources from Cornell University.

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