NY Maple Conference

[themapleking]

It's that time again. Jan 2008 4-5 Friday & Saturday. Verona, NY.

All you Maple nuts must be there. Lots of information and food.

Brandon start getting on your wifes good side or bad side. So she can buy you another ticket and get you out of the house. I know you would make it every year if you could.

[maple flats]

This conference is really great. Lets try to meet at the Maple Guys booth and have some face to face conversation. My wife and I will be there and will stop at the booth. Maybe name badges could be done up with our mapletrader name on it like they were a couple of years ago.

[Dave Y]

I'm thinking about going again this year. Went last year and had a good time.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

Joe,

Wish I could be there but 1/2 of my Christmas money and all of my Bday which is in Feb money goes on my bick buck mount this year. Wish I could come, but it is a lot of traveling and a lot of headache with the new flight regulations too. Sure hope to do it again in a few years. Looks like the conference gets bigger every year.

[Bucket Head]

Having our Mapletrader name's on a tag is a great idea.

Dave, you said it was done this way a couple of year's ago. Did you have separate name tag's, or did you write your username on the name tag that V.V.S. hand's you at the door?

Steve

[Dave Y]

I was just wondering who all was planning on going to the Maple conference ? I plan on being there with the Mrs. Hope to run into some traders there.

[davey]

I will be coming with my wife, son, and one of my students.

[maplehound]

This year I would actually have the time to come, Normally I wouldn't be able to get off work to come. But as luck would have it I am now laid off and I have no money to make the trip. I hope you all go and have fun and learn alot. I have always enjoyed the few that I have been to.

[Dennis H.]

What all goes on at a Maple Conference?

[Bucket Head]

The conference is a trade show with workshop's/ instructional classes held throughout the day. There are classes on every aspect of sugaring- for both the beginer and the experienced. The "science" part of sugaring are usually presented by professor's from Cornell Univ. The "hand's on" part of it is done by other producer's who share their idea's.

I think this is the 13th year for it? My father and I have gone the last four year's and were going this year. We look forward to it each year. It has been very helpful to me and my father.

I don't know how far you are from Vernon, NY (it's held at Vernon- Verona- Sherill High School) but I'm sure you would find it interesting if you were to attend.

Many producer's from other state's attend this conference. I beleive the Mass. Producer's Assn. had a tour bus that came out last year.

Steve

[Maplewalnut]

Can you buy supplies at the conference?

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

They usually have about anything and everything when it comes to supplies and if it is hard to get things or various fittings and misc supplies, contact the MAPLE GUYS ahead of time and they can have them there for you to pick up.

[Kim]

We're actually not going to be at the conference this year due to unexpected obligations here on the homefront. We'll miss seeing all of you Maple Traders and hope to be able to make it again next year. Hope everyone has a great time - it is well worth the trip!
Kim

[Dennis H.]

I think I know where is Vernon, NY is. If I remember right it is near Oneida right?

I was up to Rome a few yrs back for a racing event held at the old SAC base in Rome.

It is a drive for me, about 5 1/2 hrs and having off the week between Xmas and New Years I am not sure I will be able to get Friday off also.

I will have to keep my eye out for other conventions around it sounds like something I could benifit from. Are they mostly held in the fall/early winter? Or do they hold them other times of the year also? Do they hold the same conventions at the same location and time year after year?

[Bucket Head]

Dennis,

Yes, Verona is near both Oneida and Rome.

This Conference is held each year at the school and is usually the first or second Fri./Sat. of January. Friday evening is just for looking around the trade show part of it. There are no classes then. Sat. is when the classes are held although the vendor's/exhibiter's are still there.

I do not know of any other maple seminar's that are held in central NY. Certainly none of this size. The Verona show is considered by many as the "big one".

I hope you can make it, but if you can't, there's alway's next year. I will try to find out what next year's date's are and pass them along. That way you can put in for "vacation" day's well in advance.

Steve

[Dennis H.]

Hey Steve I think I found where the school is located I attached a map of the area where I think it is, let me know if I am wrong. I would be coming up I-81 to I-90.
For some reason the wife is sounding like she may want to go, Shocked the heck out me!:o
I will have to wait until Wed to find out if I can get Fri off. It doesn't sound like a big deal if I can't, you said all the seminars are on Sat. and that would be the main thing I would be coming for. Seeing all the neat new thingy-bobs won't be bad either.

I am going to try and make it, just don't hold your breath!:|

[Dave Y]

Dennis,
Your Map is correct. Hope you can make it. You will be glad you did

[Bucket Head]

Dennis,

Just so you know, and anyone else thinking about coming to the conference, here are the admission fee's.

Pre-registered: Fri. evening, and Sat. $32.00
Pre-registered: Fri. evening only $12.00
Pre-registered: Sat. only $24.00

At the door: Fri. evening $15.00
At the door: Sat. $30.00

I do not know how late you can pre-register or how you could with only a few day's until the show.

Keith Schiebel is in charge of the conference. He is the school's FFA Advisor. His e-mail address is; kschiebel@vvsschools.org/ You could try to contact him and inquire about the registration's.

I had to pay the whole shot the first time I attended because I found out about the conference only a couple of day's before it was held that year. I was a little disappointed with that at first but after attending I was glad I paid up. It was worth it.

I hope everyone who is thinking of going can make it.

Steve

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

I will say this it is well worth it and I wish I wasn't 800 miles away. I flew up in 2004 and it is the best $ 30 you can spend for 1 day!

Good luck and wish I could be there, but maybe again in a few years!!!!

[brookledge]

Dennis
Maybe she plans on droping you off and then going to Turning Stone.
Give her a few bucks and she if she can turn it in to enough for a new evaporator. It would actually make a good place to stay over night.
Keith

[Dennis H.]

Yeah Keith I did look into that. But the rooms are a little high for my liken.

If I do go, which is looking better now I checked with work, I don't think the wife will make it. I couldn't find any thing in the area for her and our daughter, which is 2, to get into while I will be at the conference.
I guess I will be staying in the Super8 down the road instead.:rolleyes:

I figure I will get a few hours sleep in the morning after getting off work and head on up around 1 pm on Fri and arrive up there in plenty of time for even happenings.

[Dennis H.]

Well I got back Sat evening, 9:30pm, safe and sound form the NY maple conference and I have to say I had a great time. The first 2 1/2 hrs of the drive was through mixed sleet, snow, rain. Wonderful driving conditions!

I learned alot and got the chance to see alot of equipment up close. I also got to meet some real nice people that were more than welcome to answer some very basic questions that a beginner had.

I also got to finally meet Dave and his wife, from Marienville PA. Dave I had a great time chit chating.

The biggest disappointment I had was I could not attend all the seminars, there was so many seminars that I wanted to attend I had a very hard time picking which ones to give up, but there will always be next year to hopefully attend.

[Bucket Head]

Dennis,

I'm happy to hear you made it! We all have a hard time trying to figure out which classes to attend!

The show is a valuable learning experience for any sugar maker. Everyone leave's the show with some new knowledge and/or some new idea's to try in the saphouse or the sugarbush.

I hope more Mapletrader's can make it next year.

Steve

[Teuchtar]

The Verona conference is always a great occaision to jump start the sugaring enthusiasm for the new season.
Having gone 3 of the last 4 years, my rule of thumb is to attend any seminars by the Proctors or Cornell researchers, and be sure to absorb every word of Glen Goodrich's.

[Dennis H.]

Yes Glenn is full of useful info, I sat in on two of seminars.
I also like his kind of informal talking and allowing questions anytime during his seminar.

[blackstrapking]

This was my first year attending the conference. There was just an abundance of info available. Would highly recommend to enyone who hasnt ever attended. P.S thought the food was terrific.

[Dave Y]

Anytime you can gather with like minded people and share ideas and knowledge combined with good food it is a wonderful thing!

[maple flats]

My wife and I attended again this year. We spoke with BuchetHead and his dad several times, we seemed to cross paths often. My wife and I both attend so we can cover more of the seminars. Even then you have to pick and miss some you would like to go to. With each year you can eventually get almost everything. The sessions are not the same each year but you can always find some topics covered year after year because they are just good and there are always new maplers to attend. I also like Glen's seminars. He may not always have the best answers but he IS good and surely knows more than I do. He is very successful and I like the way he handles topics. His approach is always straight forward and he teaches economy of motion.

[maple flats]

I do hope the Maple Guys are there next year, they are fun to talk with and we meet a lot of other traders at their booth.

[Bucket Head]

I agree with everyone! Great company, great conversation, lot's of usefull information, and a great meal. How can you top that?

Glenn Goodrich is an incredible source of knowledge. This industry is fortunate to have someone like him sharing what he know's.

I'm already looking forward to next year's show!

If anyone out there is wondering wether they should go next year, stop wondering and start planning the trip!

Steve

[Dave Y]

What buckethead said, stop wondering and start planning next year will be my 3rd year in a row. and I drive 5hrs. Try to take some one different with me each year.