History of Johnson Maple Syrup
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The Johnson Maple Syrup operation began in 1933 when Otho Johnson and his father began tapping trees and boiling sap in an old sugar shed. In 1934, they built a new shed closer to their houses and began hauling sap using horses and a three-barrel sled tank. Between 1934 and 1940, they upgraded to a four-wheel wagon with a nine-barrel tank pulled by horses. In 1940, they began using a Ford tractor to pull the wagon. In 1943, a water storage house was built to hold 120 barrels of sap water underground. In 1949, they switched to a more modern pan boiling system and began making only minor upgrades, like new buckets and tractors, over the following decades.
History of Johnson Maple Syrup
- 1. History of Johnson Maple SyrupHistory of Johnson Maple Syrup
- 2. 1933 - Otho Johnson and his father, Alfred T. Johnson, began1933 - Otho Johnson and his father, Alfred T. Johnson, began producing maple syrup using the old sugar shed, which wasproducing maple syrup using the old sugar shed, which was located in the middle of the woods on Stevenson Rd.located in the middle of the woods on Stevenson Rd.
- 3. 1934 - The original sugar shed was torn down and the current shed was1934 - The original sugar shed was torn down and the current shed was built using the original frame. This new shed was built closer to the housesbuilt using the original frame. This new shed was built closer to the houses and road. At this time, sugar water was hauled using a team of two horsesand road. At this time, sugar water was hauled using a team of two horses and a sled with a three barrel tank.and a sled with a three barrel tank.
- 4. Between 1934 and 1940, the sled was replaced with a fourBetween 1934 and 1940, the sled was replaced with a four wheel wagon and nine barrel tank.wheel wagon and nine barrel tank. 1940s - The Johnson Sugar Camp began using a Ford 9N1940s - The Johnson Sugar Camp began using a Ford 9N tractor to pull the four wheel wagon and barrel tank, known astractor to pull the four wheel wagon and barrel tank, known as the sap wagon.the sap wagon.
- 5. 1943 - The water storage house was built just northeast of the1943 - The water storage house was built just northeast of the sugar shed. This storage shed stores 120 barrels of sugarsugar shed. This storage shed stores 120 barrels of sugar water in a large concrete tank below ground level.water in a large concrete tank below ground level.
- 6. 1949 - The Johnson Sugar Camp changed to a more modern1949 - The Johnson Sugar Camp changed to a more modern pan system for boiling.pan system for boiling.
- 7. 1949 Today - Very few changes have been made over the years.1949 Today - Very few changes have been made over the years. Spiles have gradually changed in design and material. MoreSpiles have gradually changed in design and material. More advanced tapping tools are used.advanced tapping tools are used.
- 8. 1949 Today - We now use some metal and plastic buckets in1949 Today - We now use some metal and plastic buckets in addition to the original wooden buckets. Different tractors are alsoaddition to the original wooden buckets. Different tractors are also used to pull the two sap wagons currently in use.used to pull the two sap wagons currently in use.
- 9. Pictures Over The YearsPictures Over The Years