Maine Maple Sugaring History
The History of Maple Sugaring and Production in Maine
Maine has a long history of Maple Sugaring going back to the Native American tribes of the Northeast. Up until the 1800’s, Maple sugar was the primary form of sugar used in the United States. Once the sugar cane industry opened in the Caribbean Islands in the 1800’s, Maple syrup became a delicacy. As the demand for local and organic foods has increased, Maple syrup has grown in popularity as an organic and preservative-free option for sweetening. Ask us about ME Maple Producers or share your Maine Maple Sugaring comments. To feature your Maine Maple business, contact us.
History of Maple Sugaring – Maple Syrup Production
A Brief History of Maine Maple Syrup and Sugaring
The first people to make maple sugar were the Native American tribes of the Northeast, who used it as a flavoring for bread, stews, teas, and vegetables. Native Americans also traded maple sugar for other products they needed. The French and English colonists were delighted with the taste of maple sugar, and eventually, they learned the process of making it from the Native Americans. Maple sugar became the principal sweetener in North America. (Native Americans and colonists could not store maple syrup easily, so they used the dry form.) When cane sugar was introduced, New Englanders still preferred maple sugar because it was much cheaper and did not involve West Indian slave labor.
Once a staple of American life, the sweet products of the maple tree are now specialty items. Over the years, the price of cane sugar fell dramatically, and now cane sugar is the variety most Americans use every day. The popularity of Maple syrup keeps New England sugarhouses going. As anyone who has ever tasted it knows, genuine Maple syrup has a taste and texture that the imitations just cannot match. (In Quebec, cheap imitation maple syrup is called “sirop de poteau” or “pole syrup”, suggesting that it was made by tapping telephone poles. We couldn’t agree more.)
Production of Maple Syrup and Maple Sugar
When the weather conditions are right, sugarmakers will head into their stand of trees, usually called maple orchards or sugarbushes, in late February and begin drilling small holes into the trunks of their maple trees. If all goes well, a clear, slightly sweet liquid will slowly drip from the spiles into buckets or into a pipeline that will carry the sap to a central collection point.
The highest quality syrup is made from the freshest and cleanest sap. If not immediately tended, the sap will deteriorate and the resulting syrup will not meet maple connoisseurs’ high standards. Maine sugar shacks house huge evaporator pans fired by wood, oil, or gas to heat the sap to the boiling point. Billows of steam escape through a vent or cupola atop the shack, where the aroma travels on the air for all to enjoy.
It takes long hours and perseverance to produce Maine maple syrup worthy of the name. The boil-down process is especially tedious, continuing for hours in order to eliminate all water content from the sap. Once the boiling process is complete, the delectable golden brew is filtered and packed for distribution to eager consumers around the world. The Maine Department of Agriculture administers stringent quality requirements on the making and selling of Maine maple products.
Changes in Maple Syrup Production Methods
Because maple syrup is a natural product, the process of making it has changed little over the centuries. The main improvements have been in the materials used for collecting and boiling the sap. Native Americans had cut slashes in the trees and collected the sap in containers made of bark or hollowed-out logs. Colonists were concerned that slashing the trees with axes harmed the trees, and they began drilling small holes into the tree and inserting a wooden tube. The tube allowed the sap to flow out.
The process of collecting the sap with buckets was quite time-consuming. Over time, people began to use horses, oxen, or tractors to haul the sap to the sugarhouse. Most modern sugarmakers use plastic tubes to carry the sap from each tree to a central location. Plastic tubes also protect the sap from dirt and bacteria.
New materials have also made the process of boiling the sap more efficient. The Native Americans had used hot rocks to heat the sap. Colonists used wood fires and kettles made of cast iron, a material they had brought with them from Europe. In the late 1800’s, people began using flat-bottomed tin pans instead of iron kettles because they provided more even heat. Recently, many sugarmakers have replaced their wood-fired evaporators with ones that use oil.
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Maine Maple Syrup
- FLAVOR PROFILE: The darker the syrup, the stronger the flavor. Our Grade A Dark Color, Robust Taste maple syrup is the darkest grade available, providing a strong and hearty maple flavor. Great for all around use including table top and cooking.
- FLAVOR PROFILE: The darker the syrup, the stronger the flavor. Our Grade A Dark Color, Robust Taste maple syrup is the darkest grade available, providing a strong and hearty maple flavor. Great for all around use including table top and cooking.
- SUSTAINABLY SOURCED: At Butternut Mountain Farm we are committed to giving you 100% pure Vermont maple syrup. The farmers with whom we work with understand maple and share our commitment to maintaining the health and sustainability of our forests.
- QUALITY STORY: Our pure maple syrup is carefully selected to ensure the product you receive is of the highest quality. With our strict quality standards, we can trace every drop of syrup from farm to table.
- Non Gmo Project Verified
- Sweetened with Splenda
- A delicious pairing with Maple Grove pancakes and waffles
- Rich, authentic maple flavor
- Low in calories
- Fat-free
- Ingredients: Water, Sorbitol, Cellulose Gum, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Salt, Caramel Color, Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate (to Preserve Freshness), Sucralose, Phosphoric Acid, Acesulfame Potassium, Aspartame, Citric Acid. Phenylketonurics: Contains Phenylalanine
- Tapped From Certified Organic Maple Trees
- Our Dark Maple Syrup Is Robust With Strong Notes Of Maple.
- Your Waffles Will Thank You.
- 365 by Whole Foods Market products give you that dance-down-the-aisles feeling, virtual aisles too! Our huge range of choices with premium ingredients at prices you can get down with makes grocery shopping so much more than tossing the basics in your cart.
- An Amazon brand
- 100% pure maple syrup with only natural sweeteners
- No additives
- Gluten free
- TASTE, SMELL, & CONSISTENCY JUST LIKE MAPLE SYRUP. We challenge you to tell the difference between Wholesome Yum sugar-free maple syrup and real maple syrup in your own blind taste test. It's sweet, aromatic, thick, and sticky like the real thing, with NO AFTERTASTE. You don’t have to miss maple syrup anymore!
- SUGAR-FREE & KETO FRIENDLY. With only 20 calories and 2g net carbs per serving, our natural keto pancake syrup has very low glycemic impact and won't spike blood sugar.
- NATURALLY SWEETENED & FLAVORED. Wholesome Yum sugar free syrup is naturally sweetened with Besti (our popular natural monk fruit allulose blend sweetener in liquid form, without water or thickeners) and naturally flavored with real maple. NO artificial ingredients!
- GREAT FOR YOUR HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. Low carb, gluten-free, paleo, diabetic friendly, tooth friendly, tummy friendly (no erythritol or sugar alcohols), Non-GMO Project certified, and just plain delicious. It’s a keto maple syrup, but also perfect for anyone wanting to reduce sugar intake!
- SO MANY WAYS TO USE IT. Use Wholesome Yum low carb maple syrup anywhere you would use real maple syrup. Enjoy it as a sugar free pancake syrup for breakfast, stir it into drinks, or in your favorite recipes, including desserts, sauces, glazes, dressings, marinades, and baking.
- Tastes Like Real Maple Syrup: The perfect mix of water, tapioca fiber, non-GMO Lakanto Monkfruit Extract, natural flavors, sea salt, and other quality ingredients makes this sugar free maple syrup a perfect topping for pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, granola, frostings, marinades, salad dressings, and other sweet, sugar free treats. You may also use it with beverages like coffee and tea.
- Delicious Sugar Free Condiment: Our keto sugar free syrup has 1 net carb and lower calories than traditional maple syrup. Plus, it’s all natural, low glycemic, and gluten free.
- Lifestyle Friendly: Lakanto Sugar Free Maple Flavored Syrup works with ketogenic, diabetic, candida, paleo, vegan, low sugar, non-GMO, and all natural diets. Diabetics and dieters alike can enjoy the texture, taste, and sweetness of syrup without spiking their glycemic index.
- Refrigerate After Opening: For best results, we suggest to consume Lakanto’s low carb sugar free syrup within 90 days after breaking the safety seal and refrigerate after opening.
- The Ultimate Breakfast: Our syrup is vegan, all natural, and does not contain any artificial ingredients. This maple sugar free syrup makes a great topping and additive for a healthy lifestyle. For the ultimate ketogenic breakfast, savor the rich, smooth, maple-like flavor of our syrup on top of Lakanto Pancake and Baking Mix.
- Grade A organic amber color maple syrup with a rich taste
- There's nothing quite so good as pure maple syrup
- As the largest packer of pure maple syrup in the country, we go out of our way to provide you with the finest maple syrup possible
- That's why our Grade A maple syrup is renowned for its wonderful flavor, color and consistency
- Each serving of Maple Grove Farms pure maple syrup contains no high fructose corn syrup, fat, sodium or cholesterol
- Amber Color Rich Taste
- Tapped From Certified Organic Maple Trees, Our Amber Maple Syrup Is Rich And Sweet With Notes Of Caramel.
- It'S So Delicious, You Might Consider Putting It On Everything-And We Wouldn'T Blame You.
- 365 by Whole Foods Market products give you that dance-down-the-aisles feeling, virtual aisles too! Our huge range of choices with premium ingredients at prices you can get down with makes grocery shopping so much more than tossing the basics in your cart.
- An Amazon brand
- One 64 fl oz bottle of Log Cabin Original Pancake Syrup
- Rich, delicious pancake and waffle syrup offers a traditional flavor
- This breakfast syrup is easy to squeeze onto a variety of breakfast foods
- Top your pancakes, waffles, French toast, oatmeal and other breakfast favorites with this Log Cabin syrup
- Made with no high fructose corn syrup and no artificial flavors
- That's why our Grade A maple syrup is renowned for its wonderful flavor, color and consistency
- Most use it on pancakes, waffles or French toast, but the possibilities are endless
- Each serving of Maple Grove Farms Pure Maple Syrup contains no high fructose corn syrup, fat, sodium or cholesterol
- As the largest packer of pure maple syrup in the country, we go out of our way to provide you with the finest maple syrup possible
- There's nothing quite so good as pure maple syrup
Maine Maple Products
- Fragrance Notes of Cinnamon, Baked Apple, Honey,Vanilla Bean
- This creamy vanilla candle is made with the highest quality food-grade paraffin wax for a clean and even burn. We source only the finest ingredients for a true-to-life, long lasting fragrance experience.
- Pioneered by Village Candle, our dual wick technology is a unique design that ensures a cleaner, more efficient burn, as well as a superior fragrance experience. Before reaching your home our lead-free cotton wicks are hand-trimmed by our team.
- Our candles have a long and consistent burn time of up to 170 hours (depending on the size of candle). Burn your candle for a minimum of 2 hours and no more than 4 hours, or until you reach a full wax pool. Dimensions are 3.8''L 3.8''W 6.75''H.
- Born from a passion for New England craftsmanship that still burns strong to this day. Our candles are proudly made in America by our highly skilled candlemakers in Wells, Maine. From our Village to your village remains our inspiration all these years.
- FLAVOR PROFILE: Our Grade A Amber Color Rich Taste syrup provides a naturally sweet, rich and smooth taste. A pronounced maple flavor makes Amber Rich maple syrup a favorite for table and all around use.
- SUSTAINABLY SOURCED: At Butternut Mountain Farm we are committed to giving you 100% pure Vermont maple syrup. The farmers with whom we work with understand maple and share our commitment to maintaining the health and sustainability of our forests.
- QUALITY STORY: Our pure maple syrup is carefully selected to ensure the product you receive is of the highest quality. With our strict quality standards, we can trace every drop of syrup from farm to table.
- PACKAGING BENEFITS: Easy-open, easy-pour, jugs are tamper-evident with an inner seal. They ship well, so they make excellent gifts. Syrup stored in BPA-free plastic jugs retains its natural flavor better than in traditional tin containers.
- OTHER USES: Use in coffee/tea, cocktails or over cereal, fruit, yogurt or pudding. Add to baked beans, apple pies, pickles and stir fries. Makes a delicious marinade or sauce. Great as a gift.
- Certified Organic/Kosher
- Packaging may slightly vary from the above image.
- Deep Rich Flavor
- Non-GMO Project Verified
- Pure Maple Syrup is perfect for adding to pancakes, yogurt, ice cream, oatmeal, recipes and more.
- CERTIFIED ORGANIC: By Vermont Organic Farmers LLC (VOF). Guaranteeing you and your family a healthier product, sourced from local organic Vermont Farms. Not only better for you, but also better for the land and Tastes Great! VOF certification also guarantees you a non-GMO syrup.
- AMBER COLOR WITH RICH FLAVOR: Full of characteristic maple flavor, this syrup is equally as good over waffles as it is in salad dressings, cocktails, or in a maple-sweetened barbecue sauce. If you're only going to have one grade of Vermont maple syrup in your kitchen, make it Amber Color with Rich Flavor.
- HANDCRAFTED VERMONT SYRUP: All of our syrup comes from organic family farms in Vermont.
- BPA FREE PLASTIC JUGS: These sturdy plastic jugs are BPA free, providing you a safe and convenient package.
- CERTIFIED KOSHER
- A MOISTURIZING SHAMPOO TO HYDRATE AND STRENGTHEN HAIR - experience a soft, cleansed mane with this coconut oil shampoo formulated to clean hair without stripping moisture, leaving your mane feeling silky soft, and your scalp cleansed and hydrated
- SUITABLE FOR MEDIUM TO THICK HAIR TYPES - enriched with healing Tiger Herb to calm sensitive scalps, and nourishing Coconut Oil to deeply cleanse and moisturize hair, this hydrating shampoo also contains Aloe Vera for a natural boost of moisture
- DELECTABLE SCENT TAKES YOU TO PARADISE IN INDIA - banana and coconut are blended with Indian jasmine sambac, comforting rice milk and vanilla in this shampoo for dry hair that surrounds you with fruity, floral fragrance every time you wash your hair
- SILICONE-FREE, VEGAN AND CRUELTY-FREE - perfectly paired with Fable and Mane Holiroots Conditioner, this luxurious clarifying shampoo for women is suitable for colored hair and contains no dehydrating silicones or sulfates
- FABLE AND MANE SHAMPOO - unleash the power of ancient Indian beauty secrets with Fable & Mane's rejuvenating healthy hair products formulated to nourish and strengthen your mane from the inside out, because stronger hair begins with healthy roots
- Stonewall Kitchen Traditional Crepe Mix, 16 Ounce
- Mix up your breakfast routine and enjoy some crepes for a change. Fill 'em with your favorite jam or simply pour maple syrup over them and dust with powdered sugar
- Try our Traditional Crepe Mix for dinner - how about filling them with herb cheese and salmon
- Easy to make buttery, light and so tasty. Try some chocolate and strawberries for a desert treat
- Stonewall Kitchen Family of Brands: Our award winning line of gourmet food, home goods, and gifts are loved around the world. Featuring brands such as Legal Sea Foods, Michel Design Works, Montebello, Napa Valley Naturals, Stonewall Home, Stonewall Kitchen, Urban Accents, Vermont Coffee Company, Vermont Village, and Village Candle
- About Us: It all started in 1991 at a local farmers' market with a few dozen items that we'd finished hand-labeling only hours before. Fast-forward to today and Stonewall Kitchen is now home to an ever-growing family of like-minded lifestyle brands! Expertly made with premium ingredients, our products are the result of decades spent dreaming up, testing and producing only the very best in specialty foods and fine home living.
- Stonewall Kitchen Farmhouse Pancake & Waffle Mix (33 oz)
- The tastiest and fluffiest pancakes you may ever make
- Multiple sizes available so you'll have plenty on hand for everyone to enjoy a stack
- Our secret ingredient of malted flour gives our pancakes a rich vanilla aroma
- Stonewall Kitchen Family of Brands: Our award winning line of gourmet food, home goods, and gifts are loved around the world. Featuring brands such as Legal Sea Foods, Michel Design Works, Montebello, Napa Valley Naturals, Stonewall Home, Stonewall Kitchen, Urban Accents, Vermont Coffee Company, Vermont Village, and Village Candle
- About Us: It all started in 1991 at a local farmers' market with a few dozen items that we'd finished hand-labeling only hours before. Fast-forward to today and Stonewall Kitchen is now home to an ever-growing family of like-minded lifestyle brands! Expertly made with premium ingredients, our products are the result of decades spent dreaming up, testing and producing only the very best in specialty foods and fine home living.
- ROOT TREATMENT OIL FOR STRONGER, HEALTHIER HAIR - unlock your hair's potential with this pre-wash Indian Hair Oil suitable for all hair types with Ashwagandha Oil and Dashmool Oil to encourage healthy hair by promoting scalp circulation
- 90% SAY SCALP TREATMENT LEAVES SCALP NOURISHED - blended to nurture the scalp without leaving it greasy, simply massage this Indian hair oil into roots before shampoo as part of your weekly hair ritual to strengthen and hydrate strands from root to ends
- DIVINE SCENT TAKES YOU ON A JOURNEY - fresh, floral Indian Jasmine Sambac woven into red champaca flowers with a warm base of cedarwood and tonka beans brings you to the temple of Madurai in India every time you use this nutrient-rich scalp oil for hair
- SILICONE-FREE, VEGAN AND CRUELTY-FREE - inspired by the ancient Indian tradition of hair oiling to nurture your scalp and strands for a silk-like finish, our hair oil is safe for colored hair and contains no dehydrating silicones or sulphates
- FABLE AND MANE HAIR OIL - unleash the power of ancient Indian beauty secrets with Fable & Mane's rejuvenating healthy hair products formulated to nourish and strengthen your mane from the inside out, because stronger hair begins with healthy roots
- PRE-WASH HAIR OIL FOR A HEALTHY, BALANCED SCALP - powered by the Indian super berry Amla, this pre-wash scalp serum works to nourish the scalp, relieving irritation and clearing product build-up for a purified scalp and hydrated, lustrous hair
- SUITABLE FOR ALL HAIR AND SCALP TYPES - enriched with Bakuchi to encourage skin cell renewal, simply massage this weightless scalp oil into your scalp and rinse as part of your weekly hair ritual to release stress and maintain your healthiest scalp yet
- HEAVENLY SCENT ELEVATES BODY AND SOUL - a light and mindful fragrance with fresh blackcurrant, tea rose and orange blossom on a bed of woody amber elevates you to a state of peace and calm every time you use this soothing dry scalp treatment
- SILICONE-FREE, VEGAN AND CRUELTY-FREE - inspired by the ancient Indian tradition of hair oiling to nurture your scalp and strands for a silk-like finish, this Indian hair oil is safe for colored hair and contains no dehydrating silicones or sulphates
- FABLE AND MANE HAIR OIL - unleash the power of ancient Indian beauty secrets with Fable & Mane's rejuvenating healthy hair products formulated to nourish and strengthen your mane from the inside out, because stronger hair begins with healthy roots.
- Village Candle Spiced Pumpkin Bread, Large Apothecary, 21.25 oz - Like walking out of the crisp fall air and into a cozy spice scented bakery.
- Made in USA: Crafted with a luxurious soy blend for a beautifully creamy appearance and excellent fragrance throw
- High Quality: Hand-trimmed, lead-free wicks provide a clean, long-lasting burn
- Stonewall Kitchen Family of Brands: Our award winning line of gourmet food, home goods, and gifts are loved around the world. Featuring brands such as Legal Sea Foods, Montebello, Napa Valley Naturals, Stonewall Home, Stonewall Kitchen, , Urban Accents, Vermont Coffee Company, Vermont Village, and Village Candle
- About Us: In 1993, Village Candle flickered into life on a tiny, two-pot stove. Born from a passion for New England craftsmanship that still burns strong to this day, we're creating high-quality, low-smoke candles with rich, memorable fragrances. Made with care and trimmed by hand, these candles brighten homes and hearts around the world.
Maine Maple Producers by Region
Discover Maine Maple Producers by region. Aroostook, Downeast, Katahdin, Kennebec, Lakes, Mid-Coast, Portland and South-Coast.
Aroostook ME Maple Producers
Fort Kent, Houlton, Presque Isle
Downeast & Acadia ME Maple Producers
Bar Harbor, Blue Hill, Deer Isle, Eastport, Lubec, Cherryfield, Machias
Katahdin & Moosehead ME Maple Producers
Bangor, Brewer, Greenville, Lincoln, Millinocket, Orono
Kennebec & Moose River ME Maple Producers
Augusta, Skowhegan, Waterville, The Forks
Lakes & Mountains ME Maple Producers
Auburn, Lewiston, Norway, Bethel, Farmington, Naples
Midcoast ME Maple Producers
Bath, Boothbay Harbor, Camden, Rockland, Brunswick, Belfast, Searsport
Greater Portland ME Maple Producers
Portland, Freeport, Yarmouth, Westbrook, Cape Elizabeth
South Coastal Maine Maple Producers
Biddeford, Kennebunk, Kittery, Ogunquit, Old Orchard Beach, Saco, Wells, York
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