GRAHAMSVILLE -— It is the busy season for Sugarmaker John Garigliano and his team at the Catskill Mountain Sugar House in Grahamsville.

Located on 8 Sugar House Lane, the Sugar House has been in operation for 20 years. This season, the orchards at the 800-acre farm are beyond thawed and, according to Garigliano, they never really froze in the first place from this past winter season.

For this season, the team at the farm is aiming to produce 15,000 gallons of syrup. 

Back in 2014, the amount of taps for the Sugar House was reportedly estimated at 38,000. For this year, Garigliano stated that there are now 50,000 taps. This is roughly a 31.5 percent increase from that previous year.

This past winter season, however, the Sugar House saw a decrease in sugar and sap content.

“A mild winter means a poor sap season,” said Garigliano.

The syrup produced by the farm is prepared and distributed to various retail and grocery stores throughout Sullivan County. The syrup is also supplied to some restaurants around the county, such as the Roscoe Diner.

This year, the Sugar House team is focusing on forestry. The entire team consists of five individuals, including Garigliano himself. No positions are exclusive as the whole team focuses on a wide variety of aspects around the farm such as truck driving to forestry work.

“Everyone does everything,” stated Garigliano.

“It’s all changing so fast,” said Garigliano. “No two sugar houses are the same [with how they handle the season and weather]. We have to be ready for whatever gets thrown at us.”

The Catskill Mountain Sugar House is not alone when it comes to providing maple syrup to Sullivan County. The dedicated work to provide Sullivan County is also shared by the teams at the following farms:

• Diehl Homestead Farm - Callicoon

• Justus Asthalter Maple Syrup - Parksville 

• Andersen’s Maple Farm - Long Eddy

• Winterton Farms - Bloomingburg

For the list of stores where Catskill Mountain Sugar House can be purchased, visit their website, www.catskillmountainsugarhouse.com.