2025 Spring Open House
Open House Dates: Friday, May 2 & Saturday, May 3, 2025 (Closed Sunday)Open House Schedule
- 8:00 am – 4:00 pm: Showroom & Equipment Sales Counter Open
- 8:00 am – 10:30 am: Free Coffee and Donuts, Register for Door Prizes
- 9:00 am – 3:00 pm: Demonstrations & Displays Ongoing
Seminars & Demos
9:30 am – 10:45 am: Food Safety Basics in the Sugarhouse – Ellie Palmer
Ellie Palmer joined the Vermont Maple Sugar Maker’s Association (VMSMA) team in October 2023 to
head up the Sugarhouse Certification and Grant Program efforts. WIth a professional background in food
science, food safety, and maple quality assurance, Ellie will share the importance of practical food-safe
best practices in a maple operation from tap to table. She’ll do a deep dive on a variety of food safety
topics from mold and allergens, to appropriate equipment and cleaning protocols. VMSMA’s food safety
goals align well with those noted in the North American Maple Syrup Producers Manual (3rd edition),
“Developing a supportive and proactive attitude toward food safety makes the job of being a food
producer easier and helps ensure the safety of consumers and the good reputation of the entire maple
industry.” Bring your questions and your curiosity about the current food safety regulations and how
they impact maple production.
9:30 am – 10:45 am: Equipment Prep & Storage – Reg Charbonneau
Many problems with equipment can be avoided with some planning and maintenance. When the season
is over many producers close the door, and walk away from the sugarhouse till next spring. How you put
away your equipment at the end of the season can make a difference how it will preform for you next
season. Reg will discuss some maintenance procedures for Vacuum pumps, Releasers, Ro’s, Evaporators,
Filter Presses and more. He will also cover some preseason tips for making sure your equipment is ready
to perform and avoid some of those early season panics.
9:30 am – 10:45 am: Making Maple Candy – Shaver Hill Farm
Have you ever wanted to learn how to make maple confections? Come see how maple candy is made.
David & Dwayne have been producing maple confections for over 30 years and enjoy sharing their
expertise. This seminar will be hands on as they show you how to make maple candy and you may get a
chance to fill some candy molds and sample the finished product.
11:00 am – 12:15 pm: Managing Woods & Tubing Systems – Brad Gillilan
Sugaring begins in the woods. In order to make some syrup you need to get the sap out of the woods. Brad
will share some tips on how to manage a sugarbush and set up a tubing system for optimal sap production.
A well thought out tubing system can save you a lot of time and headaches during the season.
11:00 am – 12:15 pm: Sugaring in a Changing Climate – Tim Rademacher
Tim Rademacher, who is the Scientific Director of the Proctor Maple Research Center, will share some
of the impacts of climate change on maple syrup production, from shifting sap flow patterns to forest
health and carbon dynamics. Participants will learn some insight about the summer drought impacts on
sugaring and ways to enhance forest resilience.
11:30 am – 2:30 pm: Free Lunch – Hot Dogs, Salads, Chips, Drinks & Desserts
Free Hot Dogs, Salads, Chips, Drinks and Desserts. Visit with vendors, check out the showroom, enjoy
some lunch, and visit with other producers.
1:15 pm – 2:30 pm: Sap & Syrup Filtering & Bottling – Brad Gillilan
Filtering is one of those areas many producers struggle with and are looking for ways to improve.
Whether it is sap, or syrup it can be a challenge for any setup. Brad will share some different ways to filter
sap and then spend some time sharing some tips for filtering syrup and finish the time together with
some tips to help you bottle that crystal clear syrup correctly.
1:15 pm – 2:30 pm: Tapping Below the Lateral Line – Tim Rademacher
When tapping it is important to find good wood, but is it worth tapping below the lateral line? Tim
Rademacher will share some of his findings from the studies of tapping below the lateral line and the
problems you could run into.
1:15 pm – 2:30 pm: Maple Coated Nuts – Shaver Hill Farm
Maple coated nuts could be a great way to increase your profits. Come watch as the Hills make maple
coated nuts and show you how you could be making your own. They will also share some of the helpful
tips they have learned over the years.
Store Info
Open Year-Round:
Mon – Fri: 7:30 am – 4:30 pm
Saturday: 8:00 am – Noon
Closed July 1 – 5, 2025 for Inventory
Bascom Maple Farms
56 Sugar House Road, Alstead, NH 03602
Phone: (603) 835-6361
Email: sales@bascommaple.com
Website: www.BascomMaple.com