As the new year begins and the winter sets in, folks in eastern Kentucky start to stir about about their farms. Everybody has been double checking their orders and organizing their supplies. Some are drawing out new lines and putting in connectors, making sure there aren't any sagging sections of tubing. Others are doing last minute tests on new equipment recently installed but untested in production. They are preparing their sugar shack and sugar bushes for the coming weeks, its maple season. 

Kevin Gurtowski, Jeremy Sandifer and Richard Cristan have been working with the Kentucky Maple Syrup Producers Association for the last two production seasons. They have helped develop solutions to issues faced by producers as well as identify research areas to be further explored. Two of the major projects include production climate data and preservation techniques in value added products. The production climate data project involves working with several producers to determine the optimal conditions for tree sap production using micro climate stations to record the data associated with local micro climate experienced by the trees in the sugar bush. These stations help to narrow down the predictability window of local conditions that produce sap allowing the farmer some additional lead time in preparation. The preservation technique project involves working with a large producer to determine the effectiveness of non-chemical disinfectant application to raw sap for storage prior to processing. The objective is to determine if the technique can be used to reduce spoilage in the production, processing and storage of tree sap prior to processing it into syrup. The focus of much of the work is to help limited resource and disadvantaged agricultural producers reduce their loss in the most cost effective and sustainable manner. Often times this includes helping them apply for programs, services, technical assistance and grants. Many of the maple syrup producers are recipients of the KSU Small Scale Farm Grant which allowed them to purchase necessary equipment to improve their operations and produce the delicious products we all enjoy. 

I look forward to enjoying many mornings with locally produced Kentucky maple syrup from one of our farmers right here in Kentucky!

Kevin visits with the owners of Maple D Farm during the 2019 season while they are processing sap into syrup with equipment purchased with the KSU Small Scale Farm Grant.