Mount Holly man wins state forest sugar license
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By Josh O'Gorman STAFF WRITER - Published: September 10, 2009
MOUNT HOLLY – A local sugarmaker will soon expand his operation into the state forest.
The Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation announced it has awarded licenses to sugarmakers in Mount Holly, Groton and Stowe. For Mount Holly, this means opening up between 100 acres and 200 acres in Okemo State Forest.
In May, the department announced eight new sugaring sites were being made available on state forest and state park land to interested sugarmakers. The department received a total of six applications for three of the eight sites.
"The sites we got interest in, especially the Okemo State Forest site, were going to be the most productive," said Mike Fraysier, state lands director.
The department received two applications for the Okemo State Forest site, which was reviewed by a Maple Advisory Board composed of department representatives, independent sugarmakers, representatives from UVM Extension, and the Vermont Forests Products Association.
"Experience in sugarmaking was certainly a factor, but we also looked at how they would access and manage the site, their sense of stewardship and how they would work with other state land uses," Fraysier said.
In the end, Fraysier said, the two applicants for the Okemo State Forest site were evenly matched, the winner – Mount Holly resident Mark Turco – was chosen by lottery.
"I've been sugaring since I was a kid. I built my first evaporator when I was in seventh grade," said Turco, 44, who runs about 5,000 taps and operates Papa John's Sugar Shack, named for his deceased father.
While his operation is pretty large and includes the help of his wife, Amy, and sons, Mark Jr. and Austin, his full-time job is with General Electric in Rutland.
"That's my full-time job, but this is a passion of mine," said Turco, who will be using state land about a quarter-mile from his sugarhouse to add between 5,000 and 8,000 additional taps.
Turco's license is the second in Okemo State Forest, Fraysier said, but other state lands in southern Vermont – Coolidge State Forest in Plymouth, Quechee State Park and Putnam State Forest in Grafton – received no applications at all.
Licenses are good for five years, with the option to renew for two additional five-year periods, and cost $50 with an additional fee based upon the number of taps in the sugarbush.
Fraysier said department representatives will soon meet with the newly licensed sugarmakers.
"We hope to get much of this work completed in the next couple of weeks so sugarmakers will have ample time this fall to get the sugarbush ready for the 2010 sugaring season," Fraysier said.
Department Commissioner Jason Gibbs welcomed the sugarmakers to the state lands.
"I was really impressed with the qualifications and experience of these sugarmakers and look forward to working with them on this new program," Gibbs said.
josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com
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