Introduction to Maple Producers of the Catskills

Part I

By Rebecca Andre

 

“Once you start tapping trees, it becomes an addiction,” says David Hill of Shaver-Hill Maple. He is a second generation maple producer, proudly joined by his brother Dwayne under the watchful eye of their father, Dennis, on the family owned farm in Delaware County, New York.

 

Before this story goes any further, I must admit, as a responsible reporter, I don’t like writing from my personal perspective. I always strive to be unbiased. Here, I must confess to the reader of my bias. I love maple syrup. I love the sugaring process, every single step of transforming sap into syrup.

 

For five years I have been investigating this process, from backyard boiling hobby set-ups to full sized commercial enterprises, so as to improve my own tiny backyard operation. One of the best ways to discover the sugar shacks in your own area is to take a tour on Maple Weekend,  an annual event organized by the New York State Maple Producers  Association. This year’s Maple Weekend takes place the weekends of March 23 & 24 and March 30 & 31. Go to MapleWeekend.com for details.

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In this way, I have met many local producers, and learned something from each of them. Here are a few of their stories. Please click on the links below and be sure to check back as we add to our collection of Catskills Maple Producers profiles.