Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Do you produce your own syrup?
A. Yes. We have been producing pure maple syrup since 1995. All of our syrup is produced from 5000 taps here on our farm. Every aspect of syrup making is undertaken by us, the Millers, personally. Tubing installation to tapping to boiling to bottling to shipping, from tree to table, we produce every maple product we offer.
Q. What grade of syrup is best?
A. The first question we would ask is ‘what will you use your syrup for?’ Grade A Golden Delicate syrup is sweet but has a very subtle maple flavor. Mainly, it is used for making cream and candy. Grade A Amber Rch is our most popular. It is most often used for pancakes and ice cream – a good ‘table’ grade. Grade A Dark Robust has a more intense maple flavor. This grade best for cooking with its dark color and robust maple flavor.
Q. Is one grade of syrup sweeter than another?
A. All grades of syrup contain the same amount of sugar – 66.6% to 67%.
Q. When is syrup made?
A. In our area, generally, the season runs from about Valentine’s Day to April Fool’s Day. This event can vary from year to year, although most syrup is made in the month of March.
Q. Do you use formaldehyde in producing syrup?
A. No. Prior to the 1980’s, some sugar makers used formaldehyde to extend the season by delaying the healing of the taphole. Such a practice can harm the tree and taint the syrup. The use of formaldehyde is currently illegal. We are not aware of anyone employing this practice.
Q. Is your syrup ‘organic’?
A. Basically, pure maple syrup is organic. Making pure maple syrup is accomplished by removing some of the water from sap and caramelizing the sugars. It contains no preservatives, flavorings, or additives. We have made the decision not to pursue the costly certification process. So, while we utilize organic methods, it is not ‘certified’.
Q. What is reverse osmosis or RO?
A. Basically, we are concentrating the sap. Maple sap is forced against a semi-permeable membrane. The large sugar molecules unable to cross the membrane are collected for boiling. The smaller water molecules travel through the membrane and are discarded. This process does not change the chemistry of the sap, but reduces the boiling time and fuel costs.
Q. How much sap is needed to make one gallon of syrup?
A. The general industry standard is 42 gallons of sap per gallon of syrup. Our normal ratio is 50 to 55 gallon of sap per gallon of syrup.
Q. Which maple trees are tapped?
A. Hard Maple or sugar maple are the preferred species; they produce the sweetest sap. We also tap Red or soft maple. The sap normally runs 1% less sugar. Our current mix is 60% hard maple to 40% soft maple.
Q. How do you store pure maple syrup?
A. Store unopened syrup in a cool place. Once opened, syrup needs to be refrigerated. The freezer is a good option for long term storage. The syrup will keep indefinitely, without freezing solid.
Q. Why is the shipping cost so high?
A. Maple products are heavy and shipping charges are usually based on weight. Most orders are shipped by USPS priority mail. It is generally the most reasonable. If you place an order via the internet, we will issue a refund for any shipping amount that exceeds the actual shipping amount by more than $2. Orders placed by phone will be charged the actual amount.
Q. How do I pay for my syrup?
A. Internet orders are processed by PayPal. We accept DISCOVER, VISA or MC for phone orders. DISCOVER, VISA, MC,check, or money order are accepted for mail orders.. Cash is also welcomed at our retail location. Please note – we do not save any credit or debit card information. We do not share your information other than that necessary to process your payment.
