CFA-On-The-Air: From the Forest
Wednesdays 6PM – 7PM
WIOX ROXBURY 91.3FM or www.wioxradio.org
Every 3rd Wednesday we talk to Gary Mead about a different tree found in or near the Catskill Mountains. Every tree is different, and there is always something unique & special we find out about it. However, this time around we’ll be straying from the path a little bit by discussing the overall tree-to-human relationship – People & Trees. Gary Mead is the owner of Fruitful Furnishings. Fruitful Furnishings began in 1979 as a custom furniture shop. Within ten years, a sawmill was added for producing dimension parts and providing custom sawing, planing, and kiln drying services to customers wishing to furnish their homes with wood from their own trees. More recently, Gary has added Gary Mead Gallery – located at the mill-site – which showcases one-of-a-kind pieces made from wood. Tune in at 91.3 FM or stream online @ www.wioxradio.org to learn more.
WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE FOREST?
That’s it. I now realized this year how unpredictable the maple sugaring season really is. Nothing seems to bare much consistency. We had a cold winter, and you would think the maple syrup would be extremely light since cooler sap ferments less; however, the syrup is darker than in previous years. In addition, the sugar content is through the roof @ 3% (normal is 1.5 to 2%). This is good, but other producers to the north are complaining about low sugar contents well below 2%. Who knows? Any ideas?
May the forest be with you,
Ryan Trapani
Education Forester
Catskill Forest Association