KENT, Conn.–South Kent trees have for more than two decades been the main source of some of the area’s finest local maple syrup.
Nearly 2,000 sugar maple trees at locations in South Kent have been tapped for their sap, the slightly sweet liquid that is collected in metal buckets hung on the trees in January or February, depending on temperature.
Sullivan Farm in New Milford, which has permission to use the trees, began tapping the trees in recent days, but picked up speed Friday, Feb. 21, because the forecast for this week—the week of Feb. 24-28—calls for milder temperatures during the day and cooler temps at night, which is part of the equation to make for a good season for maple syrup production.
The sap from the 1,700 South Kent trees, combined with that collected from 120 trees at Sullivan Farm’s 109-acre property at 109 Park Lane Road (Route 202) in New Milford, is used for the production of maple syrup made at the farm’s Great Brook Sugarhouse.
The sugarhouse will hold a Maple Fest Saturday and Sunday, March 15-16, at the farm. It is one of many maple sugaring events held throughout the state at this time of year.
The event, held just days before the official first day of spring, attracts several hundred people from near and far. Visitors come from New York City and beyond attend.
Michelle Kaiser, of New Milford, recalls attending Maple Fest with her children.
“It was great experience to bring the kids to the farm,” she said. “It was a wonderful atmosphere being outside overlooking the hills, fantastic tour, fascinating for the kids to watch the syrup process then to taste the product,” she said.
It is an “amazing way to spend a mid-morning in the quaint town of New Milford,” she added.
Mark Mankin, of Kent, is Sullivan Farm’s administrator/day supervisor. He said many years ago a sugarhouse on South Kent School property was used to produce some of the maple syrup from the Kent trees.
However, once a New Milford barn structure was moved to Sullivan Farm more than two decades ago and converted to a sugarhouse, the production of maple syrup was consolidated at the New Milford location.
Staff at the sugarhouse is preparing the Maple Fest, a family-oriented event that teaches the public about the history of sugaring. The final product is bottled and is available to purchase on site.
“We’re a little bit different (than others in the state) in that we offer a historical tour through from sugaring to making syrup,” Mankin said, noting attendees are invited to take an approximate half-hour guided tour with student-interns through the historic periods of maple sugaring.
The event has been a staple at the farm for some 10-15 years, Mankin said.
“I believe it’s going to be a really good year,” he said optimistically. “A lot of things you really need to fall into place have happened. We’ve had an extensive cold period, there’s a lot of frost in the ground, and we’ve got snow cover. It’s the contrast between the cold in root system and the warmth on branches during the day that drives” a good season.
Mankin said the sugar content from sap should be around 3 percent, and a few trees recently checked have sap that “was up there….we hope it will stay that way.”
Farm staff is composed of high school and college students, as well as adult staff and interns. Youth from New Milford, Washington and Brookfield work at the farm.
Workers “gain a lot of experience and skills in the process of being here,” Mankin said, relating maintenance of the property’s gardens, sugaring project and ongoing farming continued year-round.
