Here, in northern New York, it’s not at all unusual to travel along a field or forest road lined with rows of beautiful, mature sugar maples. In summer, their lustrous foliage provides excellent shade. And in autumn, their vivid fall colors slowly transition from green to a breathtaking variety of stunning, vibrant yellow to orange-red colors.
    What you’re seeing is what remains of a regional practice that was once staunchly adhered to. Sugar maples were left standing or planted along roads and paths, not for aesthetics, but to provide easy access to them as they grew. Tapping tress along the lane and boiling down the harvested maple sap to make maple syrup and sugar for one’s family was a fundamental part of subsistence farming in northern New York and New England. And maple syrup could be sold or traded, thereby increasing the resource value of the family farm.
    It’s more than likely that the Wilders left selected immature sugar maples standing when they cleared the land for their homestead. And that they planted sugar maples as well, along the lane which is now the Stacy Road and in easily accessible natural clearings, providing what would be needed to make maple syrup for generations to come. Trees growing in open areas are able to develop large, sprawling crowns. And, as a rule, a bigger crown produces more (and sweeter) sap.
   Maple syrup production remains a time-honored practice, and an increasingly important part of the livelihood of many hard-working North Country farming families to this day.
    A healthy sugar maple tree can live for roughly 100 to 200 years. And under optimal conditions, they may live for 300 years or longer. But, as trees age and decline, they can become hazardous.
 Factors such as disease and insect pests can shorten the lifespan of a sugar maple tree and contribute to crown thinning. And a weakened crown can reduce a tree’s ability to withstand adverse weather conditions, making it more susceptible to breakage. Dead or hanging branches can pose a significant risk, especially during storms or high winds. Decay can weaken the wood structure, making the tree susceptible to breakage or uprooting. And visible cracks or splits in a tree’s trunk are structural flaws, which can weaken the tree and compromise its stability. Regular trimming and pruning can help mitigate risks, but in some cases, the removal of the tree is the safest option. Such was the case with three roadside trees at the Wilder Homestead.
    The Association agreed to hire an arborist to fell and limb the trees. And, once the trees were on the ground, the limbs were easily blocked and split into firewood. But the trunks were way too big for any of us to process into firewood. Nonetheless, something had to be done with them.
    Enter Leonard Gokey; a neighbor and friend of the farm who enjoys working with wood and making rustic furniture. Mr. Gokey said he would remove two of the trunks in exchange for the wood. As far as the Board was concerned, that was a win – win. We were happy to have him take them off our hands. He was happy to have them. That was in the autumn of 2022.
    Evidently, Mr. Gokey has a passion for working with wood, a keen eye for detail, and a profound respect for the natural beauty of maple timber. This year, he returned a cross section (or ‘cookie’), from near the base of one of the stumps, to the Wilder Homestead, in the form of a table top for a 3-legged table, which Mr. Gokey created and presented to the Farm as an unexpected gift.
    The table that he made for us is a one-of-a-kind creation. The cookie captures the natural beauty and characteristics of the tree; retaining the tree’s unique, natural features. It shows the actual shape of the tree without any alterations and the life of the tree in its entirety. Its grain patterns provide a unique rustic appearance and its 161 growth rings indicate that the tree was a sapling around the time of the American Civil War. Worked into the face of the table top are several dates, commemorating significant Wilder family and other historical events.
    Sugar maples are among the most valuable hardwood trees in the Northeast. The wood is used in making furniture, flooring, musical instruments, gun stocks, tool handles, bowling pins, sporting goods, cutting blocks, wooden ware, and novelty products .
    On behalf of the Board of Directors at the Wilder Farm, thank you for your support, Leonard Gokey. And for the lovely handcrafted table. We will treasure it.
Richard Gast
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