The Uihlein Sugar Maple Station is located near Lake Placid in the Adirondack Mountains. It forms the core of the Cornell Sugar Maple Program that is administered bu the Department of Natural Resources at Cornell University. It was established in 1965 with the support of New Yorkers Henry Uihlein and his wife.
The field station covers an area of over 200 acres of forest which allows for the study of forest management, and focuses on cultivating genetically improved maples trees. The sugar bush has over 4,000 taps and the proceeds from the sale of the maple products are used to support the research.
Native Americans started the practice of tapping maple and boiling the sap to make syrup, and from colonial times maple syrup production became an important part of rural forest life in the eastern U.S and Canada. Historical records show that the sap was originally collected in buckets hung from wooden 'spiles' made from sumac. Technological improvements were employed in the 20th century to improve production such as using plastic tubing to avoid contamination or dilution for rain and snow.
Tours of the work at Uihlein are available through the year and visitors can learn about the history of the the sustainable production method and the processes involved. The best time to see the production in action is from February to April. The Field station also offers tours and classes for producers whether novices or experienced producers. These cover all aspects of the process from 'tap to table'. The shop sells maple syrup, maple cream and other related products.
