Maple Syrup Alert! There are still a few gallons of maple syrup from last Spring (in quarts only) available for purchase as of 2/2/2012. Call to get yours (920) 418-2676. Remember, there are volume discounts for purchases of more than one jug of maple syrup. Golden Maple Root Beer is also available by the bottle or the case. Our honey is also available in 12 ounce, 1 lb. and 2 lb. containers.
For your family who live out of state: Give them a Taste of Wisconsin!!!! They will thank you for that!!!
Maple Syrup Production:
Tapping trees and hanging sap sacks.
We tap our trees around the last week in February or the first week in March. All the sugar maple trees we tap are on our property located along the western slope of the Niagra Escarpment near Brothertown, in Calumet County.
We currently have 300+ taps and use 5/16" taps and sap sack holders with blue sap sacks. We prefer this method compared to the pail method, since the sap sacks hold more sap, keep the sap cleaner and the blue color of the sacks protects the sap from the untra-violet rays of the sun. A 40 HP 4-wheel drive tractor with a 200 gal. tank on the back is used to travel the trails in the snow to collect the sap every day. All sap goes thru a sap filter as it is poured into the tank. It is then hauled back to our Maple Syrup Shed where the sap is pumped into a storage tank located on the north side of the building (this helps keep the sap cool). The sap gravity flows into our 2' x 6' wood fired stainless steel pan evaporator and boiling starts immediately. All sap is processed in batches, not by the continuous flow method. Once the sap is reduced down in the large evaporator it then gravity flows into our 16" x 16" stainless steel LP fired finishing unit. The large evaporator is immediately refilled and the next batch is started.
In the finishing unit, the syrup is boiled down further and is monitored closely using a hydrometer to test every batch. When the correct density is reached, the gas is shut off and the syrup is drained into a container and then filtered thru polyester and orlon filters into the bottling unit. The syrup is maintained at 190-200 degrees during bottling. Quart and pint bottles are filled, capped and immediately laid on their side for 35 seconds (this sterilizes the cap). They are then uprighted and allowed to cool. Laying them on their side for the 35 seconds sterilizes the cap and seals the bottle.
Besides testing, we taste all batches to guarantee an excellent product. All of our syrup is fancy light grade. At the end of the season we do make some dark syrup (commercial grade) every year. This is a stronger maple flavor syrup and is kept separate for buyers who specifically request this grade of syrup.
The public is welcome to stop and watch the maple syrup boiling process, and sample some product. Call the farm at (920) 418-2676 to make sure we are boiling on the day you want to come, its quite a sight to see. Of course sampling the fresh syrup is always encouraged!!! All maple syrup is sold directly from our farm. The amount of maple syrup we make every year depends on the weather, so the supply is limited! And when we run out, that's it till next spring!
We currently have 300+ taps and use 5/16" taps and sap sack holders with blue sap sacks. We prefer this method compared to the pail method, since the sap sacks hold more sap, keep the sap cleaner and the blue color of the sacks protects the sap from the untra-violet rays of the sun. A 40 HP 4-wheel drive tractor with a 200 gal. tank on the back is used to travel the trails in the snow to collect the sap every day. All sap goes thru a sap filter as it is poured into the tank. It is then hauled back to our Maple Syrup Shed where the sap is pumped into a storage tank located on the north side of the building (this helps keep the sap cool). The sap gravity flows into our 2' x 6' wood fired stainless steel pan evaporator and boiling starts immediately. All sap is processed in batches, not by the continuous flow method. Once the sap is reduced down in the large evaporator it then gravity flows into our 16" x 16" stainless steel LP fired finishing unit. The large evaporator is immediately refilled and the next batch is started.
In the finishing unit, the syrup is boiled down further and is monitored closely using a hydrometer to test every batch. When the correct density is reached, the gas is shut off and the syrup is drained into a container and then filtered thru polyester and orlon filters into the bottling unit. The syrup is maintained at 190-200 degrees during bottling. Quart and pint bottles are filled, capped and immediately laid on their side for 35 seconds (this sterilizes the cap). They are then uprighted and allowed to cool. Laying them on their side for the 35 seconds sterilizes the cap and seals the bottle.
Besides testing, we taste all batches to guarantee an excellent product. All of our syrup is fancy light grade. At the end of the season we do make some dark syrup (commercial grade) every year. This is a stronger maple flavor syrup and is kept separate for buyers who specifically request this grade of syrup.
The public is welcome to stop and watch the maple syrup boiling process, and sample some product. Call the farm at (920) 418-2676 to make sure we are boiling on the day you want to come, its quite a sight to see. Of course sampling the fresh syrup is always encouraged!!! All maple syrup is sold directly from our farm. The amount of maple syrup we make every year depends on the weather, so the supply is limited! And when we run out, that's it till next spring!
Our Syrup Shed:
There is always a big crowd at our Maple Syrup Shed, so we needed more room for people to stop by and watch the process. We built a deck for the start of the 2011 season, where people can watch and get a better look at things! Watch the boiling, testing and bottling . Oh, and there is tasting too!
Sap in our wood fired Evaporator
Jugs of Meuer Farm Maple Syrup:
All maple syrup is sold directly from our farm here near Brothertown. We have all syrup in pint and quart plastic jugs. You don't have to worry about them breaking. Even though production was down 50% in 2011, our prices have remained the same! 1 pint for $9, 1 quart for $18, 2 quarts for $35, 3 quarts for $51 and 4 quarts for $65. If you can't make it out to the farm, call ahead and we will save some for you, or contact us about shipping!
Golden Maple Root Beer:We are now your dealer in this area for Golden Maple Root Beer. Golden Maple Root Beer is brewed in Milwaukee, WI. and contains Wisconsin maple syrup. It is a smooth root beer with less carbonation than some other root beers. It contains NO high fructose corn syrup or citric acid. Golden Maple Root Beer is the only soda available at the Meuer Farm. Whether you want to purchase a single bottle or a 12-bottle case, we have it on hand here and in the cooler all year long!!
All maple syrup is sold directly from our farm here near Brothertown. We have all syrup in pint and quart plastic jugs. You don't have to worry about them breaking. Even though production was down 50% in 2011, our prices have remained the same! 1 pint for $9, 1 quart for $18, 2 quarts for $35, 3 quarts for $51 and 4 quarts for $65. If you can't make it out to the farm, call ahead and we will save some for you, or contact us about shipping!
Golden Maple Root Beer:We are now your dealer in this area for Golden Maple Root Beer. Golden Maple Root Beer is brewed in Milwaukee, WI. and contains Wisconsin maple syrup. It is a smooth root beer with less carbonation than some other root beers. It contains NO high fructose corn syrup or citric acid. Golden Maple Root Beer is the only soda available at the Meuer Farm. Whether you want to purchase a single bottle or a 12-bottle case, we have it on hand here and in the cooler all year long!!
Meuer Farm Honey Production - 2011 Honey is still available. Ask about getting it in bulk as well ( 5 Gallon pails)
The main reason for having bee hives here on the farm is to pollinate the strawberry fields. But with so many other flowers, basswood and alfalfa fields here as well, the bees stay here all summer long and find plenty of pollen. 2011 was a strange year for honey production. Starting out so fast and strong in the spring, things slowed way down when we started getting all the rain in June and July. We think it just plain washed a lot of the pollen away. Some hives that started out really strong slowed way down and there were some that were really slow and then started producing a lot of honey. It was definitely not going to be a bumper crop of honey. during any year, when the honey is ready for harvesting, our friend Jim takes the frames back to his honey processing building for extraction and bottling. All honey produced on our farm then comes back and is sold here.
Checking and setting out the hives:
Hiving a new package of bees this spring!!
Bee hives are set out in mid to late April each year. We purchased some more packages of bees for the new hives we had built. Here you can see our owner, David Meuer, putting a package of bees into their new hive. The queen, in her cage, is placed in the hive first. Then the rest of the package of bees is poured over the top of her cage and the cover replaced.
They are BUSY bees!!
As you can see from this photo, the bees have been busy since they arrived. It is fun to watch them returning from their flights. You can see that their pollen sacs are full. On their first day out of the hive, they will travel the entire farm visiting flowers and blossoms every where! Would you like to watch the bees at work? Stop by and see them! For more info on bees and local honey go to www.wihoney.com .
Taking out frames and honey supers, full of honey !!
Starting to harvest honey 08/29/2011
Long pants, long sleeved jacket, hat with veil and long sleeved gloves. All of these are needed when working with the bees. Especially when it comes time to harvest the honey! They just don't want to part with it because it tastes so good! The smoker sitting on top of the hive on the left is used to calm the bees before working around them.
Meuer Farm Honey For Sale!!
Meuer Farm Honey
All of the honey produced here on our farm is for sale here and at some farmer's markets in the area. Honey is packaged and sold in 2 lb. glass containers and in 12 oz. plastic squeeze bear containers. The price is $10.00 for the 2 lb. jar, $7 for the 1 lb. container and $5 for the 12 oz. bears. If you are looking for some, just give us a call! All of our honey is unprocessed, not heat treated. Cut comb honey and pollen are available in season. Please call ahead for availability. Honey is currently still for sale at our farm!