The Weblog
The local foods movement is alive and well in Champaign County! Here are some updates on other projects while we finalize our virtual market:
Local Producers Map:
Our local producers map is ready for publication and you will soon be able to find it on gochampaign.com. Copies will be distributed around the community, in the local telephone book, and other “hangouts”. The guide lists the location and contact information for nearly 50 local producers within our county. The map was a project of the Local Food Council and printed with the help of some local sponsors including the Monument Square District, Champaign Bank, the Community Improvement Corporation, the Chamber of Commerce, the Farm Bureau and others. It is a great start to finding a local source for Champaign County’s finest!
Maple Syrup Education
Hello, little local market of love customers!! Tonight’s weblog is brought to you from Valley View Farms, and what we can expect from their recent run for sap!!
Dear maple syrup lovers,
We would like to update everyone on our maple syrup season that ended recently. As you know, the weather has been very volatile this spring! We tapped our sugar maples on February 13, which is just about a normal date for us. After a good quick sap run, warm weather shut off our taps for several days, and a forecast of a lengthy warm spell did not bode well. For a good sap run, maple trees need freezing nights and warm days. Without either one, sap doesn’t run. By early March, we had produced only a small amount of syrup, and it looked like our season would be a bust. Of course, temperatures turned cold again—very cold. March was actually colder than February! But as temperatures warmed gradually our trees cooperated and we had some great runs late in the month. Our season was saved and our syrup production was just about at the level for an average year.
Normally, early season syrup is very light colored and delicately flavored. As the season progresses and temperatures rise, the syrup darkens and turns more robust. This year, our first syrup was dark, robust, and delicious. The later cold spell actually created lighter syrup—a beautiful amber, but not light enough for us to call it golden. So for sale on the market this year, we have amber and dark syrup in our usual glass bottles, which allow the beauty of the syrup to be seen. This year for the first time we also are offering on the market a limited number of quarts of syrup in traditional plastic jugs. We are happy to satisfy our customers who are asking for larger volumes of syrup.
Pancakes, waffles, ice cream, yogurt, oatmeal, cereal, sauces, cocktails, pies—Valley View Woodlands maple syrup is sure to put a smile on everyone’s face!