Global Warming and Maple Syrup

There's an interesting analysis of the effects of global warming on maple syrup production over at World Climate News blog. Sweet News for Maple Syrup concludes that the future does not spell the end of syrup production in the usual places (such as Québec and New England).

In fact, "it is reasonable to assume that by adapting to climate change by moving the conventional tapping period, the number of sapflow days can be maintained at present day levels."

Whew!

(Photo by Susan McKee)

What gene sequencing means to you – and maple syrup

It may seem counter-intuitive, but the strategies for sequencing human genomes have application to (of all things) maple syrup production. You can read all about it here.

This is merely an excerpt of the "Science Friction" column by Stephen Strauss:
"The generalized warming that Canada — and particularly the major syrup producing regions of Quebec — have experienced already seems to have shortened the sugaring-off season by several days in some areas....
"The logical thing to do would be to begin to plant stands of new maple trees in a line heading northward — but at the same time, try to apply scientific agriculture to the replanting....
"But to do this one would need a large base of genetic research already looking for these traits in maples. This doesn't exist....
"Moreover, what better way of saying that this country takes the need to adapt to climate change seriously than to initiate a genome mapping project on the literally iconic maple tree and its potentially endangered sap?"

Weather deals tough blow to maple syrup season

Hank Peterson of Londonderry shows samples of the grades of syrup produced at his sugar shack in Londonderry last year. (NH.com staff file photo by Bob Hammerstrom)

Maple syrup production is almost wholly dependent on the weather, and the past season was not a particularly good one, reports NH.com.

“It wasn’t terrible, but not good, either,” said Ben Fisk of Ben’s Sugar Shack in Temple.

He made about 770 gallons this year but should have made more.

“I should have made a thousand,” Fisk said. “It got too warm, and then it got too cold. It was just up and down too much.”

Maple producers throughout the state had varied results during the season, with the majority harvesting about two-thirds of an average crop, according to the New Hampshire Maple Producers Association.

Read more here.

Maple Syrup and Global Warming...?

"I hate to keep harping on the "global warming" subject, especially since there are so many questions that can't be answered. Such as, how much of this warming is natural, and how much caused by humans and industry? But I keep coming across evidence that the environment IS changing."

so says Larry Caplan, an extension educator-horticulture with the Purdue University Cooperative Extension in Indiana.

Read the whole blog post here.

It’s Maple Syrup Time, So Why the Whiff of French Fries?

The Energy Challenge
"It’s Maple Syrup Time, So Why the Whiff of French Fries?"
By SAM HOOPER SAMUELS
The New York Times
Published: April 28, 2007

Some maple syrup producers are using used vegetable oil instead of heating oil to boil their sap in an effort to help the environment....

Although there is no such thing as a typical season in the sugaring business, 2007 has been genuinely freakish, shattering all the expected patterns. The sap started running late but then seemed never to stop. When many thought the season was over, and some hapless sugar makers had already pulled out their taps, an April cold snap started the sap flowing again.

Complete article here.

Warm Winters Upset Rhythms Of Maple Sugar

By PAM BELLUCK
Published: March 3, 2007
The New York Times

One might expect Burr Morse to have maple sugaring down to a science.

For more than 200 years, Mr. Morse's family has been culling sweet sap from maple trees, a passion that has manifested itself not only in jug upon jug of maple syrup, but also in maple-cured bacon, maple cream and maple soap, not to mention the display of a suggestively curved tree trunk Mr. Morse calls the Venus de Maple.

But lately nature seems to be playing havoc with Mr. Morse and other maple mavens.

Warmer-than-usual winters are throwing things out of kilter, causing confusion among maple syrup producers, called sugar makers, and stoking fears for the survival of New England's maple forests.

''We can't rely on tradition like we used to,'' said Mr. Morse, 58, who once routinely began the sugaring season by inserting taps into trees around Town Meeting Day, the first Tuesday in March, and collecting sap to boil into syrup up until about six weeks later. The maple's biological clock is set by the timing of cold weather.

For at least 10 years some farmers have been starting sooner. But last year Mr. Morse tapped his trees in February and still missed out on so much sap that instead of producing his usual 1,000 gallons of syrup, he made only 700.

More here.

Global Warming Comes to the Breakfast Table

"After the warmest January on record, maple syrup producers in Ohio were surprised to have recently discovered premature maple tree buds. Budding of maples at this early date is unprecedented and means that, for the first time in living memory, there will be little or no maple syrup from the trees of Northeastern Ohio this year."

So says Laurie David (pictured) in The Huffington Post.

Maple syrup harvest down, again, in Ohio

The news isn't any better in Ohio. According to John Horton, a reporter for The Plain Dealer in Cleveland:

"The state's "sweet season" started late and ended early, leading to another off year for Ohio maple syrup producers.

"Yields fell below expectations at many local sugaring operations, with some reporting only half a crop, according to those in the maple industry. Some forecast statewide harvest figures to come in as low as 60,000 gallons, about 20 percent below the 15-year average.

"Lately, though, so-so seems normal: It has been six years since the last good sugar high, according to agriculture reports."

Read more here.

Maple sugar slump in New Hampshire, too

The Sugar Shack in Barrington, NH.
"The maple sugaring season is drawing to a close, and at least one producer who took part in the recent N.H. Maple Weekend seems less than satisfied with this year's results," writes Jackie Ricciardi in SeaCoastOnLine.

"Ken Gowen, owner of The Sugar Shack in Barrington, said a good year would bring in about 600 gallons of maple syrup. So far, the Shack has produced only 130-140 gallons."

Read the whole article here.

ABC TV agrees: Vermont too warm for maple syrup making

"Vermont Maple Syrup Hard Hit by Climate Change," says Bob Jamieson of ABC News. "Warmer Temperatures, Shorter Winters Could Move Industry North to Canada."

Read more here.

Warmer world puts squeeze on U.S. maple syrup

By Scott Malone
Fri Mar 23, 2007
LUDLOW, Vermont (Reuters) - In the seasonal rhythm of New England, March marks the start of sugar season, when farmers tap thawing maple trees for their sap. But some worry that a warming climate is endangering their future.

Complete article

The Migrating Maple?

"Lately, sugar maples have become the polar bears of trees. Their unbeatable fall color and delicious syrup have always given the trees iconic status, but now, like the bears, they're objects of sympathy. As with the bears, their habitat is shrinking as winters grow warmer."

Read the whole thing at Slate.

Warm Winters Upset Rhythms of Maple Sugar

Pam Belluck, writing in the New York Times on 3 March, reports, "Warmer-than-usual winters are throwing things out of kilter, causing confusion among maple syrup producers, called sugar makers, and stoking fears for the survival of New England’s maple forests."

To read more, click here.

She focused on the problems in Vermont: "We can’t rely on tradition like we used to,” said Mr. [Burr] Morse, 58, who once routinely began the sugaring season by inserting taps into trees around Town Meeting Day, the first Tuesday in March, and collecting sap to boil into syrup up until about six weeks later. The maple’s biological clock is set by the timing of cold weather. For at least 10 years some farmers have been starting sooner. But last year Mr. Morse tapped his trees in February and still missed out on so much sap that instead of producing his usual 1,000 gallons of syrup, he made only 700."

Have you been having difficulties in recent years? How have you coped with the changes in weather patterns?