The maple contains more than just sap

For my upcoming story, I’m covering The Storied Maple: Community Storytelling Around a Maple Sap Boil. While this event was not related to March’s Maple Weekends directly, I figured I would go out of my way to attend a larger event designated part of this celebration by New York State’s Maple Producers Association. This curiosity led me to the Schoolyard Sugarbush, a maple producer and sugarhouse located in Newfield, New York.

Originating in New Hope, New York, Dan Weed made maple syrup at home all his life. This soon grew into a larger production with the help of his father. With the first family’s first official sugarhouse established in New Hope in 1993, Weed finetuned his practice for about two decades before relocating to Newfield. Operating the business with his wife and help from his four daughters, Schoolyard Sugarbush brings a variety of maple products to the area.

The sugarbush’s products range from typical maple products like syrup and sugar to savory options like barbecue and hot sauces. Despite the larger-scale production of syrup, especially when compared to other smaller boils I’ve attended at Ithaca College and at The Storied Maple event, Schoolyard Sugarbush is committed to organic agricultural practices that ensure optimal tree health and the incorporation of environmentalism.

The open house event, held on March 23rd, included walkthrough tours of the tapping and sugaring processes as well as a bouncy house for children. There was also a small demonstration of older, traditional methods of boiling and processing sap. Once entering the building, the vast network of tubing and barrels of syrup were on display as Weed made maple candies in front of the attendees. This was only a small segment of production within the sugarhouse, which was connected to the nearby sugarbush through more tubing.

Visiting the Schoolyard Sugarbush and comparing that experience to The Storied Maple event made me realize how interconnected maple production is within New York State, and the importance of how we rely on each other. Schoolyard Sugarbush’s production is an extension of traditional methods used and detailed at The Storied Maple event; both events shared values of community and environmental awareness. After speaking to Dan, I even found out that Macro Mamas — where I work seasonally — sources their maple sugar from his business!

At risk of sounding too corny, this interconnectedness made me think of my own journalism practice. I went to these events expecting them to be islands, and I think that is how many view journalism. But it is essential, for the health and sake of community and togetherness, to see individual stories as pieces of puzzles that fit together into a larger, nuanced narrative. There is more to learn from maple weekend than from what you can “get” out of the tree — it’s a holistic lesson that is applicable to so many other things.