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Focus on Co-op
Suppliers: Adirondack Maple Farm
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by Suzanne Fisher
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Bruce and Maureen Roblee,
owners of Adirondack Maple Farm, in Fonda (Montgomery Co.), exemplify
the type of local farmers who have reliably provided Honest Weight Food
Co-op with quality products for years. Bruce says that he has been in
the maple syrup business since he was seven years old, growing up on
his family's dairy farm.
Making maple syrup and, on a smaller scale, harvesting trees for lumber
and firewood, have been a lifelong occupation for Bruce. He supports
his farm and family entirely by these efforts, a measure of his success
as a farmer. His wholesale syrup business sells mainly to Honest
Weight, also to a few small shops in the area, and to suppliers
overseas, where his maple products end up as specialty items on tables
in countries like Australia, Japan, Germany and England.
Bruce is quick to point out that maple syruping is not just a job for
him, but a way of life. He spends on average about a half a day in the
woods every day, and the syrup is just part of that. "It intertwines
with everything," he explains.
Honest Weight has been selling syrup from Adirondack Maple Farm since
the early 1980s. Bruce delivers it to Honest Weight himself and has
enjoyed a positive long-term relationship with the Co-op. He points out
that Honest Weight has always paid a fair price for his products, which
has helped him maintain a reasonable profit.
The Co-op carries Adirondack Maple Farm syrup in several grades: A
medium, A dark, and B. Lately, customers seem to prefer the darker,
more strongly flavored grades. This maple syrup is sold out of large
refrigerated containers in the bulk department, so that shoppers can
purchase whatever amounts they would like. It is also available in
8-oz. and 32-oz. glass containers in the grocery department, next to
honey and condiments. The 32-oz. receptacle is a canning jar, and so
can be reused easily.
I spoke with the Roblees in early February, the time of year that Bruce
is tapping each of the 40,000 trees on the approximately 800 acres from
which he collects sap. He also repairs tubing that carries sap from
tree to tank at this time. He says that he will visit each individual
tree about six times during the maple sap season, which generally lasts
about six weeks, depending on the weather.
The actual collection begins sometime in late February when the nights
are still cool but the days grow warmer, causing the sap to flow. After
sap is collected, it is put through a reverse osmosis process that
removes 50% to 60% of the water; to only use boiling for concentration
would double the price of the syrup. The remaining concentrated sap is
boiled down to make maple sugar and a maple syrup that would make
everything it was added to taste delicious. Bruce produces 10,000 to
12,000 gallons of maple syrup a year, depending on the weather.
The Roblees' maple syrup has been enjoyed in massive quantities by my
family over the years. Besides the traditional topping for pancakes and
cereal, we have used it as the perfect secret ingredient to enhance
many foods you might not expect, such as tomato sauce, salad dressing,
home-made ice cream, potato salad, all manner of pastries, barbecue
sauce and marinade for grilling, and so on.
For customers looking for a locally produced, natural form of sweetener
with a delicate yet delectable flavor, there is no better choice.
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