History

Eagle’s Sugar Camp History

 

Eagle’s Sugar Camp has trees as old as 300 years, as certified by the Forestry Service, and syrup has been produced on the farm for over 200 years. Today, there are over 600 maple buckets hung on the maple trees all around the Sugar House, and over 2,400 trees tapped. There are also sap sacks and many miles of special tubing for gathering the sap. The camp also leases sugar trees from other farms for sugar-making.

 

“Sap water” is gathered by trucks and tractors and is then taken to be boiled down into syrup on wood fired open pans. It takes 30-40 cords of wood as well as several tons and thousands of gallons of oil; this varies from season to season. On peak runs, the newer computerized oil-fired evaporators is used to utilize the most current methods.

 

The original old iron kettles Jay Eagle’s father and grandfather used over 100 years ago, are on display in the camp. Old spiels, hand held brace bits, and other preserved memorabilia are also on display in the camp. Syrup has been produced on the farm for over 200 years and has Forestry Serviced certified trees that have been standing for 300 years.

 

Jay Eagle says that he remembers when he was about 9 years old; riding on top of wooden barrels that were skidding down the mountain on horse drawn sap sled gathering “sap water”.  The first time Jay tapped a tree he was 7 years old and did it with a hand-held brace and bit. Back in the 1940s the Eagles would tap about 100 trees, and then still boiled in the iron kettles. His father, Ray Eagle claimed, “The trees should be tapped on the light of the new moon because the holes will heal better.”

 

Jay has since expanded the sugar-making over the years and has updated to the open pan method and has added an oil fired revolution evaporator equipped with a steamway to harness the steam.

 

 

Jay Eagle’s History

 

Jay Eagles has been a beekeeper since 1970. There are also several bee stands on Eagle’s farm as well. Jay does not heat his honey to high temperatures, so that it retains its natural nutrients. If the honey gets cold, it has a chance to crystallize. By setting the honey in a pan of warm water that is not over 150°, Jay produces some of the finest Clover Honey (See Honey Facts for more information).

 

Living off the land

Jay started tapping trees at the age of 9. He would check several miles of trap line every morning before he went to school. Most of his growing years were spent roaming the forests and mountains that resided near their farm, as he studied the surrounding nature and animals.

 

Jay started tanning hides at the age of 13. He started a taxidermy and gunsmithing business named “Eagles Taxidermy and GunSmithing” at age 15 and owned the business until 1985. He has mounted all kinds of local and distant animals, including moose and caribou. To this day, Jay still gets requests for these types of services, but he no longer offers them to the public. Jay joined the Marine Corp. at age 19, as did his father and grandfather who both served in the military.

 

Jay has taken many jobs throughout the years, and has mastered many trades; however, he has always come back to the land to carry out his heritage of making maple syrup. Jay hopes his son and grandson will continue to carry on the legacy of sugar-making at Eagle’s Sugar Camp.