Tag Archives: madava

SPONSOR PROFILE / Crown Maple Syrup

Posted on by

5 Questions for Crown Maple


(This question is for Annette Cantilli – CFO, Crown Maple) Tell me about your experience as a Judge during last year’s Muddy Chef Challenge and what you are looking forward to this year

I have never eaten so much in one sitting in my entire life.  And the variety of food, the creativity, the comedy, and the pride universally displayed made for a fantastic event, one that all should experience at least once in a lifetime.

What am I looking forward to this year?  – bringing the Jeep Wrangler


(This question is for Kerri Travis – General MGR, Crown Maple) We hear you had quite a time engraving the Crown Maple Muddy Chef Trophy last year.

The engraver (a local Spirits shop) had a very difficult time with the size of the gallon as she was accustomed to engraving wine bottles and wine & champagne glasses.  Thankfully the front of the gallon was successfully engraved.  Rather than chance a mishap we have come up with another plan to add the 2014 winners ‘Two Guys and a Rover’ to the side of the gallon.


(This question is for Tyge Rugenstein – COO, Crown Maple) You have a PhD, a Masters, an MS in Applied Mathematics, and a BS in Civil Engineering.  How are you able to use those skills in a Maple Forest?


My background is in engineering and mathematics. Establishing a productive and efficient sap collection network and processing facility requires good design and technical knowledge, so my previous experiences translate well even though very different from maple production. Just as important is my experience working with soldiers during my 29-year career in the U.S. Army. The similarities between soldiers and those on the Crown Maple woods crew are many. They don’t shy away from hard work, they frequently work in inclement weather, and they must work as a team. They are key to the organization’s success.

 

Crown Maple is an amazing facility can you tell us more about it?


Construction on the Crown Maple sugarhouse began in 2011 and was completed in 2012. The facility can store approximately 50,000 gallons of raw sap and can process over 180 gallons of syrup per hour during peak production days. With 50,000 taps, the sugarhouse will make more than eighteen 55-gallon drums of maple syrup on a good day during sap season.


The reverse osmosis machine, which takes out over 80% of the water from the sap, will process nearly 9000 gallons of sap per hour. The building is capable of expansion with the capacity to accommodate 400,000 taps. In addition to the processing facility, the building is home to Crown Maple’s cafe, tasting room, retail space and corporate offices.

 

What’s the difference between “fake” and real maple syrup?

GOOD: Natural maple syrup is made by boiling the sap of maple trees in the early spring. It is commonly made from sugar maple, as well as red maple, and black maple trees. It takes 40 to 50 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of syrup.  After the maple sap is collected, it is boiled to evaporate the water until a specific temperature is reached. The resulting syrup will be two-thirds sugar and one-third water. The primary sugar is sucrose with lesser amounts of fructose and glucose. Real maple syrup is healthier than fake syrup. It contains nutritionally significant amounts of manganese and zinc, minerals that can boost immune and reproductive health, as well as potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, and riboflavin.

 


NOT SO GOOD: Imitation maple syrup, also known as fake syrup, is typically made from high fructose corn syrup with caramel food coloring, artificial flavors, cellulose gum, and food preservatives added.  Imitation syrup is mainly composed of sugars with no vitamins or minerals.


Be sure to visit the tasting room, cafe and gift shop when you visit Crown Maple during The Muddy Chef Challenge!  It’s an amazing facility!

pantry-promo_0

Muddy Chef Challenge / Pre-Running the Madava Trail

Posted on by

The Muddy Chef (www.muddychef.com) staff and a select few volunteers recently visited Crown Maple/Madava Estate. We spent the day pre-running the trails and moving a log or two.  Lunch was served in the parking lot and everyone had a great time.  Video provided by Brad Andrews.

 

 

sponsors-may-2015

 

Crown Maple Syrup / The New York Times

Posted on by

 

The Sweet Science of Syrup

Interview by  (from The New York Times)

 Rikki Snyder for The New York Time
Paul Weyant, 30, is a tree tapper for Crown Maple, based in Dover Plains, N.Y.

Q. Is producing maple syrup as simple as tapping a tree?

A. Most people think of it as hanging buckets on trees, but at Crown Maple we collect sap through an extensive tubing system in forestland owned by Madava Farms in Dutchess County. In total we have about 150 miles of plastic tubing. We tap the sugar and red maple trees in early January when it’s still freezing at night. When the temperature gets above freezing in the day, the sap starts to run and we collect it for processing in our sugarhouse.

Is the season the same every year?

This year it was quite a bit colder, so the sap season started a little later, in March instead of February, and it ran until mid-April.

How do you transport the syrup?

Around midmorning, if the sun is out, the sap flows out of the tree, through the pipes to the collection house, where it is stored in large stainless steel tanks. On a good day, each tree produces about one gallon of sap. When it comes out of the tree, it’s about 2 percent sugar and looks clear.

What happens next?

Once the sap arrives at the sugarhouse, we store it in one of our 10,000-gallon tanks. The impurities are filtered out, and a machine takes out about 80 percent of the water. The concentrated sap is then boiled and stored in stainless steel barrels until it is bottled. All of this is done in one day. It takes 50 to 80 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup.

What do you do when the tree sap isn’t flowing?

We have almost 50,000 trees on Madava Farms’ 800 acres. Last summer, we installed 12,000 taps on trees on property leased nearby, which includes running wire, pipe and tubing through the woods. And we always have repairs because squirrels, coyotes and other animals nibble the plastic lines.

What do you like about your job?

I’m constantly going up and down hills and mountains, pulling lines through the woods and using a chain saw to cut branches. I don’t need to worry about fitness because I’m doing physical labor every day.

Interview conducted and condensed by Elizabeth Olson.

HEROS! / Our friends at The Great Mountain Forest

Posted on by

The Muddy Chef Challenge could not have happened without the fantastic support of our friends at The Great Mountain Forest.  To learn more about this fantastic organization click HERE.  To make a donation, click HERE.

STAFF

Jody Bronson

Joel E. Bronson

FOREST MANAGER

Joel (Jody) Bronson, a fourth generation land manager and forester, began working at Great Mountain Forest as a seasonal student forester in 1976 after attending Unity College’s Forest Technician program. He transferred to Keene State College as an environmental science and geography major and continued his seasonal employment at GMF. In 1978, he began his forestry career under the guidance of then forest manager Darrell F. Russ and in 1990, became forest manager upon Darrell’s retirement.

Jody oversees all phases of forestry operations including timber harvesting, wildlife habitat improvement, road building and maintenance, assisting researchers, and supervising student forestry interns, to name a few. Jody also manages the forest deer population through periodic census and oversees an annual deer hunting program. He is a member of The Society of American Foresters, Connecticut Forest and Park Association and is a Connecticut licensed forester. He is also a professional member of The Forest Guild. In 2002, he was the recipient of the Austin Cary Practicing Professional Award given by the New England Society of American Foresters. This award recognizes NESAF members who have shown exceptional achievement as practicing forest managers.

Jody and his wife Jean, GMF’s business manager and program coordinator, live in Falls Village, CT and have two daughters, Emily and Rachel. Jody’s email: jody@greatmountainforest.org

Russell Russ

Russell M. Russ

FORESTER

Russell Russ, a 1987 graduate of SUNY ESF with a bachelor’s degree in forest resources management, began his employment at Great Mountain Forest as a student forester working on the “summer crew”. After positions with the Connecticut Division of Forestry and in the landscape and building construction industries, he joined the staff of Great Mountain Forest in 2001. He holds the position of forester/weatherman and is responsible for recording and monitoring daily weather activities for GMF and the National Weather Service – a position formerly held by his father, forest manager Darrell Russ.

Assisting forest researchers, helping with on-site seminars, mapping and boundary work and timber harvests are just a few of Russell’s daily duties. He is a Connecticut licensed forester and has been a continual member of the Society of American Foresters since 1987. He has been active working with the Exotic Conifer Cooperative and as a Cooperative Weather Observer with the National Weather Service.

Russell grew up in Norfolk and now he and his wife Kim live in Colebrook, CT with their two children, Taryn and Jack. Russell’s email address is russell@greatmountainforest.org

Jean Bronson

Jean Bronson

BUSINESS MANAGER/PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Jean Bronson, a graduate of Northwestern Connecticut Community College, first worked atGMF beginning in 1984 as a cook in the Yale Forestry Camp kitchen. Through this work, she got to know many of the people who have been involved with the forest over the years.
As Business Manager, Jean handles the GMFfinances, including accounts payable and receivable, the budget and donations. She also serves as Development Director for the corporation.
As Program Coordinator, Jean develops educational programs and workshops for adults and children, recruits teachers and assists in program implementation. She also coordinates special events, receptions and field tours and manages our lecture series with local libraries. Jean maintains our website, writes our e-news and manages our Flickr photo archive. She still occasionally cooks at Yale Camp for a few of her favorite groups.

You’ll often see Jean on GMF’s cross country ski trails or walking her dog Nanook through the woods. She is married to forest manager Jody Bronson and they have 2 daughters, Emily and Rachel. Jean’s email address is jean@greatmountainforest.org.

Wesley Gomez

Wesley “Wes” Gomez

FOREST TECHNICIAN

Wes graduated from Salisbury School, then went on to Paul Smith’s college in New York and graduated in 2013. He worked as a GMF forestry intern summers during college, and now has joined the GMF staff. His duties include timber inventory and marking, forest products, and road and equipment maintenance. His knowledge of silviculture and his mechanical ability make Wes a well rounded Forest Technician. He lives in North Canaan on thirty acres of woodland that have been in his family for many generations. Wes loves the woods and anything mechanical.