Happy January and perhaps – depending on your locale/conditions – happy maple season! We are not tapped in yet but are anxiously awaiting the clear signal to GO!
Some events to be aware of. This year’s Maple Madness Tour is planned and tour stops will host visitors March 1 & 2 and March 8 & 9. It seems reasonable to think most producers will be hosting Madness guests in the heart of the season, not after the best of the season is in the rear-view mirror. The Ohio State Mansfield sugarbush will be participating on Saturday, March 8th, so please consider stopping by see the operation, eat some pancakes, and talk with us!
We are also excited to announce a Save the Date July 17-19 for this year’s Maple Boot Camp which will be hosted in northeast Ohio. This multi-day workshop is designed for beginner and intermediate sugarmakers looking to improve and grow their current operations, though everyone is certain to learn a lot – myself included! Boot Camp was a hit the last time Ohio was responsible for hosting, and I am sure this year will be no different. Lots more to come on this exciting offering, so stay tuned.
For a quick research report, producers across the state in and near spotted lanternfly infestations are again collecting Brix data on maples to better understand the species’ impact on our industry. Please, if you received prepaid postcards, collect that data and send them back to me at season’s end. While I certainly do not wish spotted lanternflies on anyone, this research could be particularly insightful if and when we get data from the same producer before and AFTER they deal with this forest invasive insect pest. Only time will tell.
Another citizen-science led project is focused on the blame game for wildlife-tubing damage. Yes, we know squirrels and other rodents are indeed pesky little creatures in a tubing system. It’s the catastrophic tubing damage, the damage that if it occurred on a truly regular basis, many of us would be put out of business that is the mystery. For some, it might be one of Ohio’s uncommon black bears, for others – coyotes or raccoons. It’s fun to guess but it’s hard to know. Using a methodology of saliva-DNA verification, we will hopefully have better answers to this mystery soon. Some of you have already received sampling kits in your mailbox; for others, ask your local maple dealer for a DNA swab kit to participate this season – most of them have a box of kits to hand out. Please participate!