2009 March Maple Kickoff March 6th

[mapleman3]

This years March Maple Kickoff for Ma. is at Goulds Sugarhouse on RT 2 in Shelburne Ma.

http://www.goulds-sugarhouse.com/

Helen Gould has been selected as the host sugarhouse for our annual event.

The event is on Friday March 6th at 10 am. there will be maple goodies, you can tour the sugarhouse and be a part of the annual tree tapping tradition .

The Goulds have a real nice sugarhouse and pancake house, the sugarhouse goes back many generations.

So Come and enjoy the beginning of the Mass Maple season!!

[mapleman3]

Everything is set for the Kickoff, I put a few calls in to Governor Patrick inviting him, also letting him know how Maple Syrup is a growing agricultural product in Mass and that it brings in good revenue to the state. Also mentioned that in other Maple Producing states, the Governor actually helps put in the first ceremonial tap!!! So come on fellow producers, put in a call to Devall!! lets get him to the Kickoff Friday the 6th!!!

http://www.goulds-sugarhouse.com/


Otherwise, Hopefully many of you can make it to the kickoff, if you have never been to one, why not start now? come mingle, eat, tour and just talk maple for an hour or 2

[hard maple]

Maybe Tom should tap the tree
seems like he's the voice for the whole state

[softmaple]

How come the Mass Maple web site is not fully up to date? It's embarrassing. It's maple Month and there's still stuff saying:
"Check back in early 2008 for seasonal events."
Who's not doing their job? Why don't we just pay a web person to keep track of this stuff instead of giving them syrup? Don't we pay dues for this type of stuff?

[mapleman3]

Good question by a concerned member. !

We will be revamping the whole website, unfortunately not in time for this sugaring season. but yes it should have been updated and I am looking into it ASAP.


edit.... I have looked and yes there are a few items that are still on there, but the kickoff info and sugarhouse directory have been updated... the webmaster is being informed to update for us.

Thanks for the heads up Mike.

[softmaple]

By the way who's in charge of the web site stuff?

[Clan Delaney]

An article by Ruth Bass in the Berkshire Eagle (http://www.berkshireeagle.com/ci_11817335) on Monday mentions the kickoff!


It turns out that Massachusetts quietly celebrates syrup-making with a ceremonial tapping on the first Friday of March, complete with a proclamation from the governor. The day, this year at the Gould place on the Mohawk Trail, marks the harvest of what is always the state's first agricultural crop of the year.

Quietly? We'll see....

[mapleman3]

Hopefully not QUIETLY... I will be calling the Govs office again tomorrow as a reminder... he has been spending time in western Ma. lately... maybe he will surprise us and show.

[mapleman3]

here is the letter I did tonight....

Hello Mr. Governor
This is just a follow up email to one I sent last week inviting you back to western Ma. for the Mass Maple producers March Maple kickoff, the ceremonial start of the Maple Syrup Season. we would love to have you come and do the ceremonial tree tapping. This year Maple producers are up against the odds with the Asian Longhorn beetle in Worcester and the December ice storm. but Mass will still produce great revenue from our growing maple syrup producers. Please find the time on Friday march 6th to come out and enjoy the kickoff along with many maple syrup goodies, a sugarhouse tour and meet some of the great people involved in this wonderful agricultural product of Massachusetts. it is being held Friday March 6th at 10am, at Goulds Sugarhouse on RT 2 in Shelburne Ma. I am the president of the association and hope to hear from you or your office with a yes. We are looking forward to having you come out


and I signed it with all the pertinent info.... so my fingers are crossed

[Clan Delaney]

Shoulda offered to pay the extra 19 cents a gallon to sweeten the deal. :p

[ejmaple]

i believe the gov. is on vacation in jamaica. too bad. his showing could have brought some good publicity for us ma. maple producers.

[mapleman3]

He was just in springfield last night.... figures

[brookledge]

Well the Ag. commissioner will be there
Keith

[mapleman3]

The kickoff went well, the Goulds have a real nice place. the trees were running today so the official tree tapping produced some dripping sap.

No Deval Patrick but we had some selectman from Shelburne and the Commissioner of the dept of agricultural resources made it.

I was treated to a fine breakfast afterwards in their restaurant.