Great video showing all the work that went into making maple syrup. I spent my early childhood in Western Mass around the Charlemont area and my grandparents lived in Heath and gathered maple sap the bucket method and there was a sugar house that several farmers shared to boil the sap down to make the syrup. Fond memories of eating "sugar on snow". My Aunt Valeda Peters worked at the Gould's Sugar House for many years making the maple candy. She is in the video at around the 29 minute mark.

I just discovered your channel about a week ago because KZread recommended one of your “Reading the Forest Landscape” videos with Tom Wessels. Now I’m working my way through your older uploads. I was very sad to see that Gould’s Sugarhouse is now permanently closed (owing first to COVID-19 restrictions, then to the owners’ retirement), but I’m glad they were able to operate for so long, and I wish them well. Although visiting is no longer an option, I have enjoyed learning about the history of the place. Thank you for all the interesting content! I hope New England Forests lasts at least as long as Gould’s Sugarhouse.

@NewEnglandForests

2 жыл бұрын

Hi Jacob... no one was sadder than I to see Gould's Sugarhouse end their 60-year run. The family members have been hard working traditional New England farmers for a long, long time. And I've never had pancakes that could come close to matching their recipe. Heading up to the Mohawk Trail for one of their breakfasts was such a treat, and I'd still be making the one-hour pilgrimage there most every week if they were still open. I sorely miss the gang up there. Thanks for watching, and for the kind words! -Ray

I so loved going there every spring as a local growing up in Greenfield. Many fond memories of watching the process and enjoying the sweet smelling steam. I know it is hard work - having tapped trees on our property, hauled buckets and slept out overnight keeping the fire going and the boiler bucket filled.

I use to go there when I was a young boy, every start of the maple run, one of many fond memories of mine. So happy to see that the Gould Family Farm is still going strong 💪 keep up the great future memories for the younger generation to come. Sincerely David M. Pelletier

Helen Gould passed away on 03/30/2023. She was born on May 25, 1927. Goulds closed down officially in February 2020, they last opened in February 2019 and October 2019 and never reopened. She released her Pickle and Waffle recipe in a book sometime around 2011.

@NewEnglandForests

Жыл бұрын

I’m really sorry to learn of Helen’s passing. She was a sweetheart, and was always good to me. Hard working and good-natured, she was a genuine New Englander. And the same is true of her entire family. Going to the Sugar House for pancakes was more than a breakfast, it was a wonderful treat, and I‘ve sorely missed those days ever since they closed. -Ray

The best channel. Can't get enough.

This is history documented beautifully! ❤️

Looking good there Larry Gould! I have fond memories of standing at the boiler with Edgar. Beautiful local story and a landscape that flows through my blood!

@NewEnglandForests

3 жыл бұрын

And what fond memories I have too... feasting on Helen's pancakes, and the syrup from Edgar's trees. That's a hard working, traditional New England family.

Thank You! Fascinating, informative, and educational .

@NewEnglandForests

5 жыл бұрын

... not to mention, delicious!

I grew up in Acushnet Ma, and remember going on a field trip to a Maple Syrup farm and the guys taking us out to the trees and tapping one in front of us kids, then we got to try it (of course we were young, so they probably already drilled the hole, but they let us think we put the tap in, lol!). Then we got to watch the process, try some syrup, and took some home along with the candy maple leaves that I still love to this day! Lol! Im not sure if this was the farm we went to, but it was a very cool experience that I still remember 30+ yrs later!

Friends in the US have just been up to the Sugar House for breakfast and sent the link to the video, very enjoyable if a little cruel seeing that we are in the UK miles away from the delights of Gould's Sugar House

@NewEnglandForests

5 жыл бұрын

Hi David, If it makes you feel any better, I can tell you that these are the tastiest pancakes to be found anywhere! :) If you make the pilgrimage to Gould's, I'll buy you breakfast... it'll be well worth the hop over the pond. -Ray

Thank you for sharing this. Very interesting.

Great video thanks for sharing

Excellent video

I love this video!

Really miss going there

amazing video

what a great video thankyou

Awsome video, I grew up doing maple in Ohio. Seeing them buckets being washed brought back nightmares! Thank god for tubing!

@NewEnglandForests

4 жыл бұрын

But, tell the truth now... you miss wading through waist-deep snow, don't you?

@Toddster81

4 жыл бұрын

Well we don't have that problem in ohio. Hardly even snows these days unfortunately.

@bencote2219

3 жыл бұрын

That was my question - with so many taps, why aren’t they using more taps on tubing and vacuum???

@NewEnglandForests

3 жыл бұрын

They did use tubing and vacuum, as shown in the film. Buckets were used only near roads where the public could readily see them, to maintain the sense of tradition.

Love that gas powered drill. I bet it go pretty tiring carrying that brick around.

Top video

In Michigan, we call the manufacturing building: Sugar Shack.

❤❤🌲🌲🌲

im curious how good galvanized buckets are for you?

What determines or what makes a syrup dark or light?

@NewEnglandForests

2 жыл бұрын

Lighter syrup is usually produced early in the season, when temps are colder. As the days warm up, natural bacteria in the sap increase and change the sap's sugar from sucrose to fructose or glucose, which makes the syrup darker. And, some would say, even more tasty!

@benhyde975

2 жыл бұрын

When I made maple syrup, as a hobby, back in the late 60's I got the impression that darker mostly meant you'd overcooked it. Darker sugar; think caramel. Whenever I drive to Canada, I buy very light maple sugar in cans, since I think it has a more refined flavor.

What state are you from? No offense but I can tell it’s not massachusetts.

@NewEnglandForests

3 ай бұрын

Curious- how can you tell that?

Inadvertently started my woodland education while getting lost or stranded riding dirt bikes. Now I’m a fascinated budding conservationist. 🤣🙄 Actually- just trying to learn how to read the forest a bit better so I don’t get as lost. It’s phenomenal how when your lost you really do endup going in circles and panicking as it gets darker and colder by the minute- Going right thru intersections and missing your turns that you swear you never went by. Until hopefully Mother Nature let’s her foot off your neck and dumps you out to safety. I realize many people around here might not be too thrilled with most dirtbikers and I get it- But the things I see developers doing makes me sick. They have no problem driving tractors right thru the woods and streams just to see if it’s even viable for a housing community. That’s why I’m really here- I want to enjoy the woodlands and hills in southern NH before it’s all gone. Luv the channel.

Will the young generation replace these hard working men? I have doubt. One of the reasons why we have supply shortage in many things nowadays.

@amandaliberty08

11 ай бұрын

I don't think it was a clear generational issue, government covid restrictions seems to have ended this sweet place.

With people getting antsy these days about climate change, do you get any flack from activists about burning wood? I know in some places you're not allowed a wood fire any more.

@ericwotton2046

2 жыл бұрын

I'd rather burn a good hot clean fire than gas or other fossil fuels.