The SMMSA Fair Committee will be viewing the Cumberland Fair Saphouse with an eye to rearranging the layout. We hope to have hands-on education out front and sales out back. We would also hope to have demonstrations in the kitchen area. There will be two major changes in operational policy this year. First, there will be no commercial booth space. Second, the organization will not rely on maple syrup sales to build its coffers. SMMSA fund raising will be from sales of cotton candy and ice cream. Our goal is to have syrup and value added products consigned by SMMSA members. In order to take advantage of this member benefit, members must donate 10% of their sales to the association as well as 8 hours of time during the fair, which can be divided up into multiple shorter increments of time if more convenient for the member. Maple syrup in plastic jugs will be sold at a set price, to be determined. All other products such as syrup in glass, candy, cream, maple butter, coated nuts, coated popcorn, etc. will be priced as marked by the producer. By displaying a variety of products we are advertising what can be done with maple. This new plan will eliminate the need for the association to buy bulk syrup and jugs, taking time to fill them and then have the possibility of leftover product after the fair. It will also encourage members to put time in during the fair. A stipend of $10 will be paid for every 4 hours worked to cover cost of gas and buying meals. We hope members will be willing to staff the saphouse whether they are bringing consignment product or not. Ideally we should have 4 people manning the saphouse at any one time – one on the evaporator, one on cotton candy/ice cream, one on retail sales and one floater who also does education. On opening and closing day we really need 6 people. Field Trip Day is Monday and we can expect about 1200 kids. Tuesday is Senior Citizen Day and Wednesday also sees a lot of kids since they have ˝ price midway tickets that day. Sharon Lloy will handle scheduling. Products can be brought to the saphouse as early as Wed. or Thurs. the week before the fair. Products from member sugarhouses will be inventoried as it is taken in and remain at the fair for the week (9-9 Saturday through Sunday). At the end of the fair the remaining product will be inventoried and the individual member’s profit will be determined.
SMMSA Fair Committee: Lyle and JoAnn Merrifield, Richard Morrill, Matt Roy and Sharon Lloy