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I have enjoyed passing by Mat Kay Maple’s sugar house on my evening commute, with its eaves glowing in the dimming light. The building seemed perfectly placed, almost as if it had always belonged there. Surrounding it, the maples transitioned from ancient giants to aspiring saplings, all contributing to Barry Allen’s sugaring operation in West Winfield, New York.
Like many in Herkimer County, Barry’s path to sugaring was steeped in tradition. As a farm boy, he recalled gathering sap in metal buckets with his father and brother to make syrup each year. Next to the sugar house stood a towering maple, a tree Barry has continued to tap using the old-fashioned spile and hooded bucket, honoring those who came before him.
Beyond the buckets hung neatly on their spiles, signs of modern sugaring methods were evident. Barry Allen had delved into mastering the craft and adapting to new technologies. A complex network of tubing crisscrossed the sugar bush, employing a pump system that efficiently transported sap to the sugar house. Barry overlooked the dale and let out a long breath, “All the work is in the woods,” he said. Yet, it was clear that significant effort awaited inside the sugar house, too.
Barry guided me through an array of equipment, giving details on each stage of maple syrup production. Our journey through the sugar house began at a filter station designed to strain out impurities from the raw sap as it flowed into a sizable food-grade stainless steel tank. A gauge tracked how many gallons of sap entered the sugar house and I found it mesmerizing to watch the dial reach an astounding sum- a fraction of what the season may ultimately yield.
Winnefred, Barry’s canine companion, accompanied us on this tour, well acquainted with the rhythm of production.
Moving on to our second stop within the sugar house, Barry approached a door with a sense of reverence, hinting at the treasure within: the reverse osmosis system. According to Barry, this system represented the pinnacle of upgrades for his operation. Housed in a tidy room, the reverse osmosis system significantly reduced fuel usage by extracting much of the water from the sap before it even reached the oil-fueled evaporator. The concentrated sap was pumped to an elevated head-tank in the sugar house’s loft, while the separated water was rerouted to another large tank for cleaning and other essential tasks.
After checking several readings with a hydrometer, Barry geared up to ignite the twin L’Enfer oil furnaces, signaling the start of the evening’s sugaring. Like they caught the scent of sugaring on the breeze, friends and family slowly arrived at the sugar house. They helped by monitoring the diminishing levels of the head-tank, offering a well-timed joke, or scratching Winnefred between the ears. I sat along a wall, enchanted by the craft that gathered us in the sugar house that evening.
By the night’s end, Barry had filled a 50-gallon drum with piping-hot syrup, a radiant smile gracing his face: a testament to the satisfaction that comes only from hard work.
Barry’s main sales strategy involved 50-gallon drums of syrup, a method that helped him offset the costs of his evaporator. At the time, he acknowledged that he could boost his profits by marketing his syrup strategically and venturing into value-added production. Barry had successfully tested a Bourbon whiskey barrel-aged maple syrup and maple sugar candy, but he expressed uncertainty about diving into these endeavors while balancing farm responsibilities and a summer construction job.
I had been eagerly awaiting the day when Mat Kay’s Maple products would grace the shelves of a store near me, and so I was delighted to hear that a farmers’ market vendor had reached out to Barry after reading about his operation on Cultivateherkimer.org.
By fostering networks, cultivating meaningful connections, and actively engaging with the community, we hope to see more operations progress to the next level.
One thing is certain: Barry’s dedication to quality and tradition makes his products something to look forward to.
Cameron Burke is a member of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Herkimer County team. She’s an advocate for nutrition security and sustainable food systems, believing in the power of human connections, education, and grit to build resilient food systems. Cameron has committed herself to fostering bonds between communities and their food, promoting local farmers, artisans, and producers for their invaluable contributions. Her passion for food and community drives positive change and meaningful connections in the local food movement.
Article published June 13, 2023.
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