NORTHERN, NY - A Northern New York annual winter tradition has begun anew. January 2010 “Maple Schools” will educate novices and experienced producers about the latest information, technology and equipment for making maple syrup and value-added maple products.

The 2010 Northern New York Maple Schools include:

• January 22, 6:30-8:30pm – Beginner Maple School, Lowville Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) of Lewis County, 315-376-5270
• January 23, 9am-3:10pm – Lewis County Maple School, Lowville; Lowville Central School, c/o CCE at 315-376-5270
• January 29, 4-8pm – Clinton County Maple School, Chazy; William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute, c/o CCE at 518-561-7450
• January 30 – 8am-3pm, St. Lawrence County Maple Expo, Potsdam; Potsdam, c/o CCE at 315-379-9192

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Lewis County Executive Director Michele Ledoux says, “The Northern New York Maple Schools present a great opportunity to attend workshops on a variety of relevant maple syrup industry issues and topics.”

“The Northern New York Maple Schools showcase our regional maple industry not only for producers but for potential new backyard and commercial-scale syrup makers,” says Cornell Cooperative Extension of St. Lawrence County Natural Resources Educator Stephen VanderMark.

Region has $10 Million Potential

Cornell University Maple Specialist Michael Farrell will be teaching at all the NNY Maple Schools. He conducts research on the North American maple industry and says New York’s six northernmost counties – Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence – have enough sugar maple trees to grow into a $10 million a year industry.

“The Northern New York Maple Schools will not only educate producers about the latest techniques for producing pure maple syrup as a natural, ‘locally-grown,’ North American heritage product, but support the growth of the region’s maple industry,” Farrell says.

The farmer-driven Northern New York Agricultural Development Program Maple Producers Subcommittee has prioritized maple industry research in the region to assist producers with sugarbush management, improving sap production, and making value-added confections.

At the January Maple Schools in Northern New York, Farrell will present information on the “Get Involved with Maple” project that is helping connect producers and landowners who are interested in leasing maple trees or selling or boiling sap. The project is developing a website that will provide landowners with a map of producers interested in leasing maple trees or buying or boiling sap from neighboring landowners. Watch the Maple section at www.nnyagdev.org <http://www.nnyagdev.org>  for more information.  

• Tubing systems and tap hole sanitation
• Controlling beech in the sugar bush
• How to turn your maple hobby into a profitable business
• Sugar bush thinning
• Flame weeding
• How to filter syrup
• Maple marketing
• The economics of leasing taps vs timber production
• NYS maple producer and landowner survey results
• Tips and tricks for increasing sap production.

Friday, January 29  Clinton County Maple School
When: 4-8pm, registration at 3:30pm
Where: William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute, Chazy, NY
Contact: Michael Farrell, 518-523-9337
Cost: Pre-registration by Jan. 28 with CCE Clinton County: 518-561-7450; $15 by pre-registration by January 20, limited walk-in $20 at door. Fee includes lunch and four workshops.
Target Audience: producers of any scale and landowners interested in maple
Sponsors:  Adirondack Maple Producers’ Association, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Clinton County, Cornell University’s Uihlein Forest, Northern New York Agricultural Development Program
Topics/Speakers:  

• Effective strategies for expanding maple production on neighboring properties, Michael Farrell, Cornell Maple Program
• Making maple candy & other confections, Jen Parker, Parker Family Maple Farm
• Controlling beech and invasive species in the sugarbush, Dr. Peter Smallidge, Cornell Maple Program
• Maple syrup production tips and tricks for beginners/intermediates, Robert Atwood, David Lucia, Michael Farrell
• Research highlights from Proctor Maple Research Center, Dr. Timothy Perkins, Director, Proctor Maple Research Center, Underhill, VT

Other:  Light dinner of pizza, salad, beverages and dessert will be provided free.

Saturday, January 30  St. Lawrence County Maple Expo
When: Registration begins at 8am
Where:  Potsdam High School, Potsdam, NY
Contact:  Steve VanderMark, 315-379-9192, http://staff.Potsdam.k12.ny.us/~dsipher/
Cost:  Pre-registration by Jan. 22 encouraged: $15 includes 4 classes, trade show, pancake-style lunch. Additional attendees from same operation/family/farm need only buy lunch. Public visitors may attend trade show, meet producers, & buy lunch only.
Target Audience:  Producers of any scale and general public
Sponsors:  Potsdam FFA, St. Lawrence County Maple Producers’ Association, and Cornell Cooperative Extension
Speakers:            
Experts from maple industry
SUNY-ESF Ranger School
Cornell Maple Program
Cornell Cooperative Extension
Topics:            

• Parker Family Maple Farm’s Sugaring & Value-added Products Operation
• Sugarbush Thinning Research Update
• Producer/Landowner Collaborations to Boost Production
• Syrup-making for Novices
• Chainsaw Safety and Use
• Producer Use of the New Promotional Maple Website
• Invasive Species Update for Sugarbush/Forest Owners.

Highlights:            Only in-county maple industry & dealer trade show of the year; learn about St. Lawrence County Maple Producers’ Association, Maple Queen program for teen girls, Northern Adirondack Chapter of NY Forest Owners Association

Find Maple Production Resources for NNY Online at www.nnyagdev.org

The Northern New York Agricultural Development Program (NNYADP) offers maple production resources, value-added information, and recipes online at www.nnyagdev.org. The farmer-driven program includes a producer-led Maple Sub-Committee that prioritizes research and outreach projects for small grants support.

The NNYADP itself is made possible by funding from the New York State Legislature with support from Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Darrel J. Aubertine, Assembly Agriculture Chair William Magee, and long-term supporter NYS Senator Elizabeth “Betty” Little. Funds, time, land & expertise are provided by cooperating farmers, the NY Farm Viability Institute, Cornell University College of Agriculture & Life Sciences and Agricultural Experiment Station, NYS Dept. of Agriculture & Markets, USDA, W.H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute & Cornell Cooperative Extension of Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Jefferson, Lewis and St. Lawrence counties.

NNYADP Co-Chairs:  Jon Greenwood, Canton 315-386-3231; Joe Giroux, Plattsburgh, 518-563-7523; Program Coordinator: R. David Smith, Cornell University, 607-255-7286