Alaska Wild Harvest is the largest producer of birch syrup IN.THE.WORLD! On this edition of Ag Matters Radio, Amy & Dulce discuss all things Alaska birch syrup related, from harvest steps to new products, ingenuity to 29 years of production.
Ag Matters 3/14/18 | Radio Palmer
AUTHOR | Kerry Nelson
Celebrating its 29th harvest this year, Kahiltna Birchworks was born out of a hobby of tapping birch trees on Dulce Ben-East’s Alaskan homestead. Host Amy Pettit sits down to learn how Dulce and her husband Michael turned their hobby into what became Alaska Wild Harvest, the largest birch syrup producer in the world.
Homesteading Dreams Lead To Sweet Living
Like so many, Dulce’s Alaskan story began with a youthful adventure. An education in biogeography and environmental studies brought her up to the state from Delaware in 1978. She settled down in Homer with a position at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. After meeting her husband Michael, the couple decided to live out their homesteading dream on the Kahiltna River in the middle of the Susitna-River Valley.
The homestead lifestyle brought a closeness to the land and a love for the seasonality of harvesting the bounty of wild food Alaska has to offer. Tapping the birch trees around the property went hand-in-hand with fishing for salmon and picking wild berries. Realizing that they needed to find a way to make a living 30 miles off the road system, Dulce and Michael started tapping. They sold 700 bottles of birch syrup at the Alaska State Fair after their second harvest on the homestead. This marked the beginning of their unplanned journey – a familiar story for most Alaskans.
As the endeavor grew, Dulce and Michael realized they would need to move the operation to keep up with demand. In 2009 they purchased land in Talkeetna, becoming the present home of Kahiltna Birchworks-Alaska Wild Harvest. This year they will tap 10,000 trees – a far cry from the 3,000 tapped when they started on the homestead. Sap starts to flow in the spring and the harvest is collected on average in mid-April. It’s a result of the process of photosynthesis – where roots will begin to pull nutrients into the tree that are converted into sugars for leaf production.
Labor Of Love, Taps And Tubes
Of the 10,000 trees tapped 8,000 are harvested using a tubing and vacuum system. The tap in the tree drops into a lateral line which runs to a mainline. Mainlines run into a pump that creates a vacuum which helps the sap flow more easily. Tubing and vacuum systems are more ecologically fuel efficient – reducing the need for snow machines and four wheelers that impact the forest floor.
This method replaces the traditional tap and pail system that keeps the sap isolated to each individual tree. Dulce still taps a few thousand trees this way because, well, she just likes to. There are two “sap suckers” that go around from tree to tree collecting sap from each pail. She wants to keep the tradition alive for herself and the community, because it maintains the knowledge and skill that go into birch tapping on a non-commercial level.
The harvest lasts for a very short, very intense three weeks. On its own, sap does not keep for long once tapped. Making it into a syrup is how it’s preserved and, luckily for us, why it tastes so delicious. The 10,000 trees Dulce taps produce roughly 10,000 gallons of sap per day. It is run through a reverse osmosis system that takes it down to 1,000 gallons before being boiled into the final product. This takes 4-5 hours on top of the time it takes to harvest each morning, turning it into a 24 hour process – a true labor of love.
Good Grades And How To Get Them
Birch syrup is graded based on the timing or “run” of when it is harvested. The later the run, the darker and more complex the flavor profile will be. The coveted first day of syrup tapped known as the “reserve” boasts the lightest and sweetest flavor. First run is by far the most popular and familiar grade. By late run the syrup is more robust with common notes including coffee and cherries. Much like wine, each year will taste slightly different. This versatility allows the syrup to be used in many ways, from topping your stack of pancakes to using it as a marinade.
A visit to Alaska Wild Harvest will give you a first-hand look and taste of how birch syrup is produced during the touring season. It is also home to a gift shop filled with a whole line of value-added birch products: birch caramels, mustards, jams and sauces. Birch water is their newest product – bottled birch sap infused with wild blueberries, lingonberries or chaga.
If you can’t make it to Talkeetna never fear! You can find Alaska Wild Harvest products at NonEssentials and Turkey Red in Palmer. In Anchorage Natural Pantry and Summit Spice and Tea Co. carries a good variety. Or, you can always visit the Alaska Wild Harvest website to get your goodies online.
When Birch Syrup Producer Becomes Researcher
Alaska Wild Harvest is only one of three commercial birch syrup producers in the state. Historically there has been little research done on birch syrup. The producer becomes researcher – an all too familiar theme in Alaska agriculture. Self-proclaimed natural “data freaks”, Dulce and Michael readily share their records of production with Cornell University for a study being done on birch. They are the only ones who have been tapping birch commercially for long enough to have the data needed for proper research. Some research has been done at University of Alaska-Fairbanks, but nothing significant. With birch being over twice as hard to tap as maple, research is essential to its continued sustainable success.
Where There’s Lack, Alaska Wild Harvest Sees Potential
The new birch water that Kahiltna Birchworks rolled out has a lot of potential to grow. The drink has been popular in Europe for many years and traditionally consumed in northern climates around the globe. Dulce and Michael saw the upward trend of functional beverages – those that taste good and are good for you. Logistics are tough though, and to take full advantage of the trend they need a bottling facility. There are none in Alaska that could fulfill their needs. So for now they are just testing the water – literally and figuratively.
Beyond lack of research and facilities, Dulce sees plenty of room for more producers of birch syrup in the state. The syrup is already in high demand from chefs and breweries are starting to concoct special brews using the sweet treat. Denali Brewing Company’s OneTree Birch Beer uses Kahiltna Birchworks syrup to make a seasonal session ale. Dulce admits that there is a steep learning curve, but she is more than happy to share her knowledge that has paved the way for the industry. She is also a supplier of the equipment needed to get started. So if you’re looking for a new economic adventure – or tasty treat – pay Alaska Wild Harvest a visit!