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enigma - 28 Mar 2005 14:04 GMT

we boiled 2 gallons of Grade A *light* syrup this weekend! it's
going to be warmish & rainy this week so the sap will be running
fast. i *love* sugar season :)
lee

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just me - 29 Mar 2005 03:13 GMT

enigma mentioned in passing :

> we boiled 2 gallons of Grade A *light* syrup this weekend! it's
> going to be warmish & rainy this week so the sap will be running
> fast. i *love* sugar season :)

congarats! over here the syrup makers are concerned that the run will be
short due to the weather v. temps. conditions. The fancy run is already
over with, with makers showing a decent grade a right now. The fancy run
was *very* brief. What this means to all you non-New Englanders is that the
maple syrup from New England will probably be sparse this year, which means
higher prices coupled with sneaky imports from Canada selling labled as
VT/NH or ME syrup.....

-Aula

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enigma - 29 Mar 2005 13:03 GMT

> enigma mentioned in passing :
>>
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> coupled with sneaky imports from Canada selling labled as
> VT/NH or ME syrup.....

really? our farm report expects a very good season despite
the late start. i can say that we're getting a good run from
the few trees we have tapped (i'm not tapping the sugarbush
this year because i would have to string new line & since
we're selling, i don't want to add a few hundred in saplines
if i don't know if a buyer would be interested in running the
sugarbush)... over 3 gallons of syrup from 10 trees so far (it
takes 40-45 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup). and
the north side trees aren't really warmed up enough to really
be running yet.
most people here only started being able to boil 2 weeks ago.
is it that much warmer on the other side of the river?

anyway, i don't even like Grade A light (Grade A Fancy in
VT). it's too wimpy flavored. Grade A Medium is the biggest
seller, but Grade B would be if anyone would give thiers up ;)
Grade B is far better for cooking/baking. too bad you can't
make it on purpose.
lee

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just me - 30 Mar 2005 03:03 GMT

enigma mentioned in passing :

> anyway, i don't even like Grade A light (Grade A Fancy in
> VT). it's too wimpy flavored. Grade A Medium is the biggest
> seller, but Grade B would be if anyone would give thiers up ;)
> Grade B is far better for cooking/baking. too bad you can't
> make it on purpose.

They've gone and changed the grading while I was in Florida [grumble
grumble]. I prefer what I knew as grade A. only the tourists buy fancy.
Grade b is for cooking. Where did this fourth grade come into the picture?
grumble grumble. where *are* the traditionalists!

-Aula

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enigma - 30 Mar 2005 12:41 GMT

> enigma mentioned in passing :
>> anyway, i don't even like Grade A light (Grade A Fancy in
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> this fourth grade come into the picture? grumble grumble.
> where *are* the traditionalists!

i've been making syrup since the 70s & it's always been Grade
A light, medium, & dark, & grade B. our grade A light is
called grade A Fancy in VT, but i have no idea why. my test
kit uses the VT. grades... and i can say you need a real good
eye & a very bright light to see the difference between light
& medium! (for those that don't know, a syrup grade test kit
consists of 3 bottles of colored water which match the grade
standard color. you get one empty bottle that you fill with a
sample of syrup from each boil & compare to the samples. if it
appears to fall between the colors in the test kit, it must be
graded to the lower color. kits are supposed to be replaced
each year because the colors in the kit may 'fade' or
whatever)
so.... what grades do you remember?
lee

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Tori M. - 29 Mar 2005 14:01 GMT

When I was in school I knew a kid that had a maple farm.. Every year he
would bring the maple candy he made in and never shared it but always go on
and on and on about how the stuff in the store was glorified maple water and
it would NEVER be as good as his homemade stuff. One day I said "hey you
keep telling me that your family makes the BEST maple syrup yet you are
making it so the only maple candy that I can ever try is that nasty watered
down stuff at the store. There was more said but anyway the end result was
he finaly gave me a piece of his candy;)

Tori

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Bonnie 3/02
Xavier 10/04

Goal 1- lose 20 lbs By May 1st (6# to go)

> we boiled 2 gallons of Grade A *light* syrup this weekend! it's
> going to be warmish & rainy this week so the sap will be running
> fast. i *love* sugar season :)
> lee

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Mamma Mia - 31 Mar 2005 02:45 GMT

funny that me sitting here in oz have no idea what you are talking about.

i figured maple syrup from the other posts.

what is the maple candy?

sounds yum
c

> we boiled 2 gallons of Grade A *light* syrup this weekend! it's
> going to be warmish & rainy this week so the sap will be running
> fast. i *love* sugar season :)
> lee

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enigma - 31 Mar 2005 04:08 GMT

> funny that me sitting here in oz have no idea what you are
> talking about.
>
> i figured maple syrup from the other posts.

yup.

> what is the maple candy?

there are different kinds. most common is molded sugar.
here's a good overview:
http://ohioline.osu.edu/for-fact/0046.html

> sounds yum

it's *really* sweet. even Boo only nibbles at maple candy :)
lee

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Family Forum / Parenting / Mothers / March 2005

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