Resilience through Community
Mongold’s Walnut Syrup Farm stays committed to sugaring practice and research in the wake of wildfires
March 20th, 2024, 9:00 am. It started out looking to be a really good day. Gary Mongold owner-operator of Mongold’s Walnut Syrup headed to Farm Credit to make the final payment on his loan taken out three years ago to get him in the walnut syrup business.
March 20 th, 2024. 12:02 pm. Getting back from town Gary settled into his daily routine when the phone rang. He remembers the exact time of that call because it started in motion a series of actions that did not stop for two solid days. The call was from Eric Hevener manager of the WV DNR Spring Hill Trout Hatchery. “Gary You better get down here, there’s a brush fire heading up the hollow.” A hemlock tree across from the hatchery fell and took down a power line. “Sparks are dancing in the dry undergrowth and heavy winds were carrying the fire up your way.” Eric’s next call was to 911 which brought a quick response from the Grant County fire department.
March 20 th, 2024. 12:02 pm. Getting back from town Gary settled into his daily routine when the phone rang. He remembers the exact time of that call because it started in motion a series of actions that did not stop for two solid days. The call was from Eric Hevener manager of the WV DNR Spring Hill Trout Hatchery. “Gary You better get down here, there’s a brush fire heading up the hollow.” A hemlock tree across from the hatchery fell and took down a power line. “Sparks are dancing in the dry undergrowth and heavy winds were carrying the fire up your way.” Eric’s next call was to 911 which brought a quick response from the Grant County fire department.
Fire on Spring Run Knob.
Working together they stopped the fire from spreading up Spring Run Hollow. Then a little after 2:00, the wind changed direction. Now coming from the south, with gusts of over 70mph the fire quickly started up Spring Run Knob and into Gary’s walnut stand.
After getting around the downed powerline, the fire department started up Spring Run to establish fire lines that would protect homes further up the valley. Gary headed up a road to open gates that would allow firefighters access to the top of the knob, the same gates he used to access the top of his mainlines. That night and all the next day they fought what eventually grew to be a 1,000-acre burn.
After getting around the downed powerline, the fire department started up Spring Run to establish fire lines that would protect homes further up the valley. Gary headed up a road to open gates that would allow firefighters access to the top of the knob, the same gates he used to access the top of his mainlines. That night and all the next day they fought what eventually grew to be a 1,000-acre burn.
Sugarbush after fire.
Mongold’s Walnut Syrup Farm is the largest walnut tapping operation in West Virginia. Walnut trees do not yield a lot of sap, but the syrup brings a high price. Gary sells an 8 oz bottle of his syrup for $48 and does not have any trouble selling out his annual crop, which has ranged from 11 to 20 gallons. He evaporates on a Next Generation 2×4 propane-fueled evaporator. Walnut sap has a relatively low sugar content, ranging from 1.2 – 1.7 brix. And, although some have had difficulty concentrating the sap with an RO, Mongold has been able to concentrate his sap to 4 brix by first running it through an “extreme raw power” centrifuge. There is also a marketable byproduct of the walnut syrup enterprise. While using vacuum-assisted gravity filtration to clarify the syrup Gary collects a “pectin-like” jelly substance. When tested at the food science lab of WV State University this substance has shown to be high in antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Taps in trees and burned lateral line(inset).
In addition to commercially producing walnut syrup Mongold’s walnut syrup operation is a collaborator with Future Generations University, Franklin WV, on studies designed to increase sap yield from walnut trees, and with West Virginia State University on walnut sap and syrup’s unique properties.
With the fire department’s focus on the homes further up the run. the fire burned rapidly through the light brush and grass of Spring Run Knob. The fire tended to burn under his mainlines but it lit his laterals and burned right up to the taps still in the trees. The fast burn and the thick bark on the walnut trees meant that the vast majority of his 850 trees survived. As Gary bottles up his crop from this past season, he is looking ahead at the work needed to get his operation back up and running. He is investigating possible financial support through WV Governor Jim Justice’s declared state of emergency. He is committed to staying in the sugaring game, while considering the fact that his March 20 th 2024, 9:00am loan payment might not end up being his last trip to the bank.
With the fire department’s focus on the homes further up the run. the fire burned rapidly through the light brush and grass of Spring Run Knob. The fire tended to burn under his mainlines but it lit his laterals and burned right up to the taps still in the trees. The fast burn and the thick bark on the walnut trees meant that the vast majority of his 850 trees survived. As Gary bottles up his crop from this past season, he is looking ahead at the work needed to get his operation back up and running. He is investigating possible financial support through WV Governor Jim Justice’s declared state of emergency. He is committed to staying in the sugaring game, while considering the fact that his March 20 th 2024, 9:00am loan payment might not end up being his last trip to the bank.
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