The Maple Sugar Book; Together with Remarks on Pioneering as a way of Living in the Twentieth Century

by Helen Nearing

A half-century ago, the world was trying to heal the wounds of global war. People were rushing to make up for lost time, grasping for material wealth. This was the era of "total electric living," a phrase beamed into living rooms by General Electric spokesman Ronald Reagan. Environmental awareness was barely a gleam in the eye of even Rachel Carson.
And yet, Helen and Scott Nearing were on a totally different path, having left the city for the country, eschewing materialistic society in a quest for the self-sufficiency they deemed "the Good Life." Chelsea Green is pleased to honor their example by publishing a new edition of The Maple Sugar Book, complete with a new section of never-before-published photos of the Nearings working on the sugaring operation, and an essay by Greg Joly relating the story behind the book and placing the Nearings' work in the context of their neighborhood and today's maple industry.
Maple sugaring was an important source of cash for the Nearings, as it continues to be for many New England farmers today. This book is filled with a history of sugaring from Native American to modern times, with practical tips on how to sap trees, process sap, and market syrup. In an age of microchips and software that are obsolete before you can install them, maple sugaring is a process that's stood the test of time. Fifty years after its original publication in 1950, The Maple Sugar Book is as relevant as ever to the homestead or small-scale commercial practitioner.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, History

274 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

Helen Knothe Nearing was an American author and advocate of simple living. She and Scott Nearing started a relationship in 1928 and married nearly 20 years later, on December 12, 1947.[3][3] The couple lived in rural Vermont where they grew much of their food and erected nine stone buildings over the course of two decades. They earned money by producing maple syrup and sugar from the trees on their land and from Scott Nearing's occasional paid lectures. (from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Drew Villeneuve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in anticipation and preparation for my first season sugaring. Outdated in some ways, but a good overview of the process (which is fundamentally the same now as it was in 1950), and some excellent historical background. Lacks some of the scientific and technical details important for someone starting out, but it is a learned and engaging read. The last chapter, outlying the Nearing’s land philosophy, is also a great read and seems a predecessor to the back to the land movement.

[Lanette · Rating 3 out of 5]

And interesting read about the history of maple syrup and sugaring. This book was originally written in the late 40s or early 50s, but I was surprised how little has changed in the process.

[Rachael Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little outdated but a fun vintage for the winter homestead book shelf

[Cristina DiChiera · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved The Simple Life and even read all of their descriptions of building their house, etc. But this book is really all about making maple sugar - although it says it's also about their lifestyle. I know more about making maple sugar now than ever before, but I can't say the book was a good read. The copy at the PPL was old and nice though!

[Richard Horsman · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I'm not about to light out for Vermont (or Michigan's own mapled areas)and start sugaring, I found this an absorbing read and a fascinating account of the history and process of getting maple syrup and sugar.

[John Stockie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful little book with oodles of quotes, stories and facts about the history of maple syrup production in North America. Reading the introduction wants to make you run out into the bush and start tapping trees.

[Marvin Bjornstad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the classic of philosophy and lifestyle that set aside their first books

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this book