Chautauqua Grown Features: Maple is Always in Season

JAMESTOWN, NEW YORK (February 22, 2023) -- Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County’s Agriculture Program is reminding you that local maple is always in season. There are many local maple producers here in Chautauqua County and can be found in the Chautauqua Grown directory. Chautauqua Grown is your source for all things local foods in Chautauqua County, including a directory of farms, restaurants, farmers markets, wineries, and much more, and is available online by visiting www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua.

In Chautauqua County there are over 1, 515 farms, 52 of them are maple producers. These maple producers make around 6,254 gallons of maple syrup a year with roughly 39,899 taps! If you have ever wanted to learn more about where your maple syrup comes from this is the time. The Annual Maple Weekend is coming soon and is the perfect opportunity to visit with local maple producers, see their sugarhouses, and maybe purchase some maple products to enjoy at home while supporting your neighbors!

Maple can be used for so much more than pancakes! Maple is commonly used as a natural sweetener in many recipes including homemade bagels. Molly Harvey, a Snap-Ed Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County has a recipe to share:

Maple Glazed Turnips

Try this great maple glaze flavoring over turnips and sweet potatoes!

Prep/ cook time: approximately 1 hour.

Ingredients

1 tablespoon margarine or butter

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 cups turnips peeled and diced.

2 cups sweet potatoes, cubed.

Directions

1.Melt margarine and add syrup, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Mix turnips and sweet potatoes in a medium casserole dish.

2.Add syrup mixture and stir to coat evenly.

3.Cover and bake at 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until browned (20 to 30 minutes). Serve hot.

4.Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.

More recipe information can be found at: https://snapedny.org/2020/12/maple-glazed-turnips/

Chautauqua Grown is proud to have 6 local maple producers listed in our directory. Those producers include Big Tree Maple, Brookside Maple Grove, DeGoiler’s Maple Products, Fairbanks Maple, Gustafson’s Maple Country USA, Harrington Maple and Honey, and Pleasant View Dairy Farms. There are many others and most of these producers have their products available for purchase at their farm locations and other locations that distribute honey.

To learn more about any of the Chautauqua Grown maple producers, visit their profile on Chautauqua Grown at www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua/chautauqua-grown or visit any of their self-service stands.

To learn more about the upcoming Maple Weekend, visit https://mapleweekend.nysmaple.com/

If you are a maple producer and would like to be added to the Chautauqua Grown directory please contact Cassandra at 716-664-9502 ext. 202 or cks83@cornell.edu.

Chautauqua Grown is one of many programs offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Chautauqua County (CCE-Chautauqua). CCE-Chautauqua is a community based educational organization, affiliated with Cornell University, Chautauqua County Government, the NYS SUNY system, and the federal government through the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For more information, call 716-664-9502 or visit our website at www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua. Cornell University Cooperative Extension provides equal program and employment opportunities.

Photo Caption: Chautauqua Grown is your source for all things local foods – find farms, restaurants, farmers markets, and more! Visit the website at www.cce.cornell.edu/chautauqua or call 716-664-9502 for more information.

Last updated February 22, 2023