Co-founded in 2016 by Michael Farrell, Ph.D., the former Director of Maple Research at Cornell University, New Leaf Tree Syrups is the output of many years of innovative research and development to determine how to best harness the wonderful and delicious diversity of our native woodlands.
Our unique syrups are crafted exclusively from the sap of maple, birch, walnut, beech and other rare tree species to provide the greatest diversity of plant-based syrups in the world. We are a leading supplier of certified organic tree saps and syrups used by food technologists and manufacturers in beverages and packaged goods.
When we founded The Forest Farmers, our vision was to protect and utilize our woodlands for the greatest diversity of plants, animals, and sustainably harvested products as possible. Just as a diversity of species leads to a healthier forest and the plants and animals that live there, diversity of foods leads to healthier and happier people who get to cook with and enjoy the bounty of nature.
We work hard every day to sustainably harvest the greatest diversity of tree saps and other wild foods from our woodlands for adventurous chefs and those who simply love to eat. We created New Leaf Tree Syrups as our signature product line to intentionally focus on all of the tree species capable of producing sweet and nutritious saps and syrups.
One of our overarching goals is to protect and improve our vital natural resources for current and future generations. Proper forest stewardship is essential to our mission and we believe that sustainable harvesting of tree saps and other wild foods is one of the best ways to ensure long-term viability of our forest resources.
New Leaf Tree Syrups are produced exclusively from our forest farms in New York and Vermont. We own ~7,000 acres in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains and nearly ~3,000 acres in the Green Mountains of Vermont that is home to some of the most beautiful and productive forests in the world. Although the terrain can be rugged, the views from our mountaintops make the journey up the steep hills worth it every time.
We believe that a diversity of species results in a healthier forest and a more supportive home for its wild inhabitants. We maintain as diverse a forest as possible, focusing not only on maples but rather encouraging a wide diversity of tree species throughout our lands. The wide variety of tree species allows us to produce the greatest diversity of single-source, organic and eco-kosher certified saps and syrups that we are proud to sell under the New Leaf brand. Our diverse woodlands also provide foraging opportunities for wild leeks, fiddleheads, berries, mushrooms and other specialty items that we make available locally on a seasonal basis.
Nestled in the historic mining town of Lyon Mt, our New York woodlands occupy nearly 7,000 acres in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains. We utilize nearly half of our Adirondack forestland for sap and syrup production and the remainder is sustainably managed for timber, wildlife, and water quality through a conservation easement with the State of New York. Furthermore, a legally binding carbon easement mandates that we never cut more trees than the forest is growing in any given year, ensuring that the carbon storage on the property continues to increase over time to combat the impacts of climate change.
All of the sap we collect is piped directly to our state-of-the-art, energy-efficient sugarhouse through miles of underground tubing. The sap is naturally chilled by the earth and we process it using the most advanced technology in the industry to achieve the highest quality standards. Our five 60,000 gallon storage tanks provide the greatest sap storage capacity of any facility in the world. The combination of our pristine forests, modern infrastructure, and incredible team makes our New York operation the premier supplier of certified organic, eco-kosher, high quality tree sap for the beverage industry.
Our forest farming operations in Vermont span numerous mountain ranges overlooking the village of Marshfield. Drew Mountain, Lords Hill, Devils Hill, Kettle Mountain, and Hardwood Mountain are prominent features of a vast forested landscape that we sustainably manage for our tree sap and syrup production. The Groton State Forest–featuring Kettle Pond and Marshfield Pond, coupled with a public trail system converted from an old railroad bed–provides for a wide variety of public recreational opportunities that run adjacent to and through our lands.
Our sustainably managed forestland has been recognized by Audubon Vermont for being especially bird-friendly and you can often hear a wide variety of birds singing amongst our trees. Our sugarhouse combines traditional post and beam architecture with salvaged boards from previously tapped maple trees to showcase the beautiful and unique patterns found in trees used for syrup production. Within this beautiful building, our forest farmers use the most efficient technologies in the industry to process our fresh sap into delicious and nutritious certified organic tree syrups.
We are located along the scenic part Route 2 travel corridor that spans central Vermont, so if you are in the area please stop by and pay us a visit. Note that during the COVID crisis, we are only open by appointment, so be sure to contact us if you would like a tour when we are safely able to do so.
Our NY sugarhouse is located along scenic Route 374 by Chateauguay Lake and is open by appointment only during these times. We are incredibly proud of our operations and would be glad to show you what we do when we are safely allowed to do so, so please contact us if you will be in the area.
