Justin Wood, of SweetWoods Farm, will offer a guided tour of his tap lines and sugar shack on Sunday, March 1.
Not long after Europeans began settling in the Northeast, local indigenous peoples showed colonists how to tap certain types of trees in the spring to collect the sap. Though methods of collection and evaporation have evolved, the resulting sweet harvest is savored today just as it was then.
Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust will host a tour of Justin Wood’s SweetWoods Farm maple syrup operation from 10-11:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 1.
Newcastle resident Wood started out tapping five trees as a college student years ago. This hobby has grown into a full-fledged family-run business tapping over 1,100 trees.
Participants will tour the sugar shack to learn about the sugaring process and see the evaporator in action. Those who are able may join Wood to walk the tap lines.
Wood will offer samples of fresh maple syrup, share several interesting ways maple syrup can be used, and answer questions in this up-close-and-personal tour.
This event is free and all ages are welcome. Due to space limitations, registration is required and may be done online at coastalrivers.org/events.
Wood is passionate about syruping and eager to share what he has learned over the years. He will talk about different methods of sap collection, using a reverse osmosis system to remove water, evaporation, and filtering.
SweetWoods Farm is a sideline business for Wood, who is a full-time employee at E.M. Wood in Boothbay. In addition to producing maple syrup for sale, Wood and his wife grow a large vegetable garden, keep a small flock of chickens, and raise a few beef cows each year to provide food for their family of four.
Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust, formerly the Damariscotta River Association and the Pemaquid Watershed Association, is a nonprofit, membership-supported, and nationally accredited land trust and conservation organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the natural, cultural, and historical heritage of the greater Pemaquid peninsula and Damariscotta River region.
Coastal Rivers has active programs in the areas of land conservation, stewardship, community education, water quality monitoring, marine conservation, and cultural preservation.
For more information, call 563-1393, email info@coastalrivers.org, or visit coastalrivers.org.
