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unc23win
10-23-2013, 08:48 AM
I found this on Amazon last night thought it was worth mentioning. Came out October 6th I didn't see ti mentioned on here sorry if this is repeat information. Petty good price

The Sugarmaker's Companion: An Integrated Approach to Producing Syrup from Maple, Birch, and Walnut Trees Paperback

by Michael Farrell

The Sugarmaker’s Companion is the first guide of its kind addressing the small- and large-scale syrup producer seeking to make a profitable business from maple, birch, and walnut sap. This comprehensive work incorporates valuable information on ecological forest management, value-added products, and the most up-to-date techniques on sap collection and processing. It is, most importantly, a guide to an integrated sugaring operation, interconnected to the whole-farm system, woodland, and community. Farrell documents the untapped potential of American forests and shows how sugaring can turn a substantial profit for farmers while providing tremendous enjoyment and satisfaction.

Michael Farrell, sugarmaker and director of the Uihlein Forest at Cornell University, offers information on setting up and maintaining a viable sugaring business by incorporating the wisdom of traditional sugarmaking with the value of modern technology (such as reverse-osmosis machines and vacuum tubing). He gives a balanced view of the industry while offering a realistic picture of how modern technology can be beneficial, from both an economic and an environmental perspective. Within these pages, readers will find if syrup production is right for them (and on what scale), determine how to find trees for tapping, learn the essentials of sap collection, the art and science of sugarmaking, and how to build community through syrup production.

There are many more unique aspects to this book that set it apart from anything else on the market, including:

• A focus on maple as a local, sustainably produced and healthy alternative to corn syrup and other highly processed and artificial sweeteners;
• The health benefits of sap and syrup in North America and throughout the world;
• Attention to the questions of organic certification, sugarhouse registration, and the new international grading system;
• Enhancing diversity in the sugarbush and interplanting understory crops for value-added products (ginseng, goldenseal, and mushrooms, specifically);
• An economic analysis of utilizing maple trees for syrup or sawtimber production and the market opportunities for taphole maple lumber;
• The value of sap as a healthful and profitable energy drink;
• Detailed analyses on the economics of buying and selling sap;
• Lots of great information on marketing to create a profitable business model (based on scale, interest, and access), and more. . . .

Applicable for a wide range of climates and regions, this book is sure to change the conversation around syrup production and prove invaluable for both home-scale and commercial sugarmakers alike.

jrgagne99
10-23-2013, 12:46 PM
There's an article about it in the latest issue of The Maple News.

Starting Small
10-23-2013, 01:28 PM
Has anyone gotten their hands on a copy yet? Any reviews so far?
-Dave

unc23win
10-23-2013, 01:52 PM
Dave mine is in the mail. You can see it on amazon.

fhedmark
10-23-2013, 03:48 PM
I ordered and received my copy from Amazon. It is money well spent!

jmayerl
12-09-2013, 12:32 PM
I just got a copy because I thought there was some great new info in it. Well I glanced at it and would love to sell it to someone that could use it. Paid 39.99 from sugarbush supplies, taking offers , like I said I haven't really read it but I won't need it.

Jebediah
12-25-2013, 10:29 PM
Got this book as a Christmas gift today--fantastic--very educational, recommend highly.

adk1
12-26-2013, 12:44 PM
I will pick it up for sure. I have read from cover to cover through Nampo a dozen times. I need some new maple reading material

spud
12-26-2013, 07:32 PM
I think Mike did a nice job on the book and I really enjoyed reading it.

Spud

jmayerl
12-26-2013, 09:43 PM
Adk, I have a copy in the classifieds you can buy.