MASSACHUSETTS.
IT.
>> AS A MASSACHUSETTS MAPLE PRODUCER, I WILL TELL YOU MASSACHUSETTS MAPLE SYRUP IS THE BEST, SPECIFICALLY OUR OWN.
SHAYNA: THE CITY OF FITCHBURG SEEMS AN UNLIKELY PLACE FOR MAPLE SUGARING, UNTIL YOU VISIT HOLLIS HILLS FARM.
THESE 100 ACRES SPELL SWEET SUCCESS.
>> THE WAY YOU GROW AND APPLE HASN’T CHANGED MUCH IN THE LAST 50 YEARS.
MAPLE IS AN EVOLVING INDUSTRY BECAUSE ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY MAKE US WAY MORE EFFICIENT.
SHAYNA: EFFICIENCY COMES WITH FANCY NAMES.
A REVERSE OSMOSIS MACHINE, A GASIFICATION EVAPORATOR.
ONE SOFTWARE ENGINEER TURNED BUSINESS PARTNER EXPLAINS.
>> IT IS A SIMPLE AS IT SOUNDS.
THE WHOLE IDEA IS TO GET THE WATER TO COME OUT OF THE MAPLE SAP AND CONDENSE THAT INTO A SYRUP.
IT TAKES ABOUT AN HOUR.
THIS WILL TELL US EXACTLY HOW MUCH SUGAR IS IN THE LIQUID.
YOU WILL KNOW THE EXACT DENSITY AND KNOW IF YOU ARE ACTUALLY AT SYRUP, THICKER OR LESS.
SHAYNA: THE RESULT, A GREENER, CLEANER WAY TO MAKE MAPLE SYRUP AT HOLLIS HILLS.
90,000 GALLONS OF IT IN 2019.
>> WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE A LOT OF MAPLE SYRUP ON A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF WOOD AND ENERGY.
SHAYNA: THE MORE, THE BETTER.
>> IT IS A BETTER SUGAR FOR YOU.
IT IS A NATURAL SUGAR.
WE ARE GOING TO CLAIM IT IS A VEGETABLE.
IT COMES FROM A TREE, SO IT IS HEALTHY.
SHAYNA: CALL IT AN EXCUSE TO INDULGE.
>> WE ARE MAKING SUGAR ON SNOW.
WE BOIL MAPLE SYRUP AND TAKE THAT HOT SYRUP AND POUR IT OUT ON THE COLD SNOW.
AS IT COOLS, IT MAKES A TAFFY.
HE RELIT UP ON A POPSICLE STICK AND ENJOY.
SHAYNA: I TOTALLY DID THIS AS A SCHOOL-AGED KID.
AN EVEN BIGGER HIT, MAPLE COTTON CANDY SPUN FROM THIS RETRO MACHINE.
SHAYNA: SWEET, SUGARY GOODNESS RIGHT HERE.
SO MUCH BETTER THAN THE PINK STUFF.
♪ SHAYNA: MASSACHUSETTS POSTS MORE THAN 300 MAPLE SYRUP PRODUCERS, MOST OF THEM WEST OF I-91.
THE TOWN OF RUTLAND IS HOME TO SAP CASTLE.
>> WE PRODUCE ABOUT 100 GALLONS OF SYRUP ONE YEAR.
WE DISTRIBUTE TO LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS.
SHAYNA: JON WILLIAMS LIVES ON HIS FAMILY’S HOMESTEAD.
A SCULPTOR AND CARPENTER BY TRADE, WILLIAMS REBUILT THE FAMILIES RUSTIC SUGARHOUSE IN 2012.
>> I LOVE THE ALCHEMY OF IT, TAKING THIS BEAUTIFUL PRODUCT OUT OF THE WOODS AND TURNING IT INTO SOMETHING DELICIOUS.
SHAYNA: SUGARING ALSO INVOLVES LAND STEWARDSHIP, MAKING SURE THESE DEEP WOODS STAY HEALTHY.
>> WE DON’T OVER TAP TREES, TRY TO BE CONSCIOUS OF WHERE THE TOP HOLES ARE, LOOK FOR ANY DAMAGE BRANCHES.
SHAYNA: A MIX OF FREEZING AND WARMING WEATHER CREATES THE RIGHT FORMULA FOR SAP TO FLOW.
ONCE IT IS TAPPED AND COLLECTED, SAP MUST BE BOILED QUICKLY BEFORE IT SPOILS.
>> YOU ARE JUST TAKING THE SAP THAT COMES DIRECTLY FROM THE TREES.
IT IS NORMALLY 2% SUGAR.
YOU ARE JUST BOILING THAT DOWN.
NORMALLY, IT IS AROUND 40 GALLONS TO ONE GALLON OF SYRUP.
YOU ARE BOILING OFF THAT 39 GALLONS OF WATER AND ARE LEFT WITH THE SYRUP.
SHAYNA: WHEN IT IS TIME TO BOIL, WILLIAMS IS OFTEN IN A RUSH.
FRIENDS AND FAMILY HELP.
EVERY YEAR, SAP CASTLE PRODUCES SYRUP OF VARYING COLORS AND GRADES.
EACH TASTING DISTINCT.
>> IT HAS TO DO WITH MICROBES IN THE SAP.
THEY ARE EATING THE SUCROSE IN THE SAP AND CHANGING IT INTO OTHER SUGARS.
THOSE OTHER SUGARS ARE WHAT WILL ACTUALLY CARAMELIZE IN THE EVAPORATION PROCESS AND CHANGE THE GRADES.
SHAYNA: EARLY IN THE SEASON MEANS LIGHTER COLORS AND MORE DELICATE FLAVORS.
>> THERE IS NATURAL, OCCURRING VANILLANS.
AS THE SEASON GOES ON, YOU ARE GETTING MORE OF THE MAPLE FLAVOR.
SHAYNA: THAT DARKER, MORE ROBUST SYRUP ONLY BECAME POPULAR WITH CONSUMERS IN RECENT DECADES.
IT IS HARD TO CHOOSE A FAVORITE FLAVOR, EVEN FOR A MAPLE CONNOISSEUR.
WILLIAMS LIKES IT ALL.
>> WE EAT A TON OF IT.
PUT IT ON ICE CREAM, PUT IN MY COFFEE, DRINK IT STRAIGHT OUT OF THE BOTTLE.
ANTHONY: JON WILLIAMS OF SAP CASTLE SAYS HE RECENTLY RECEIVED A STATE GRANT TO HELP PURCHASE NEW SUGARING EQUIPMENT.
HE AND HIS FAMILY ARE ALSO RAISING MONEY TO START A FARM ON THEIR PROPERTY FOCUSED ON TEACHING YOUNG FARMERS AND THE PUBLIC ABOUT FOOD JUSTICE AND STABILITY, AS WELL AS
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE.
UP NEXT, MOBILIZING TO HELP THE FRONT LINE.
>> WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, MAYBE THREE WEEKS, WE ARE ABLE TO MAKE 100,000 FACE SHIELDS A WEEK.
ANTHONY: MANY LOCAL BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN PITCHING IN TO GET SUPPLIES TO HEALTH CARE WORKERS ON THE FRONT LINES.
ONE CENTRAL MASSACHUSETTS MANUFACTURER MAKES A VERY SPECIFIC PRODUCT, LABELS FOR INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT.
SO HOW COULD THEY HELP?
BY BEING FLEXIBL >> FLEXIBILITY IS ALWAYS THE GOAL.
THIS FAMILY BUSINESS JUST OUTSIDE OF WORCESTER MANUFACTURES SOMETHING WE SEE AND TOUCH EVERY DAY, LABELS.
>> THE CORE TECHNOLOGY OF THE COMPANY IS CALLED RHEOLOGY, THE SPREADING OF A LIQUID ONTO A SOLID.
OUR GUYS ARE PHENOMENAL ABOUT BEING ABLE TO SPREAD A THIN LAYER OF ADHESIVE ACROSS A 60 INCH WIDE WEB.
ANTHONY: THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO FOUNDED FLEXCON IN 1956.
TODAY, THE COUNTRY HAS 1500 EMPLOYEES IN THE U.S., EUROPE AND ASIA.
THE LABELS ARE EVERYWHERE FROM SHAMPOOS AND BEVERAGES TO CARS AND TRUCKS.
>> MOST OF THE BUSINESS IS IN WHAT WE CALL DURABLE LABELS, LABELS GOING INTO AUTOMOTIVE, POWER EQUIPMENT, HARMACEUTICALS.,
WE GOT SOME CALLS SAYING YOU HAVE TO PRODUCE THIS AS FAST AS YOU CAN FOR VENTILATOR LABELS.
ANTHONY: IN MARCH, ANOTHER CALL WAS ANSWERED BY MARKET DEVELOPMENT MANAGER, MICHAEL.
>> SHE WOULDN’T TELL ME WHO SHE WAS AT FIRST BECAUSE OF WHAT WAS GOING ON, BUT SHE BASICALLY SAID, CAN WE MAKE A FACE SHIELD.
ANTHONY: TURNS OUT, THE COLOR WAS A RESPIRATORY HEALTH THERAPIST AT A LOCAL HOSPITAL.
LIKE MASKS AND OTHER PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT, FACE SHIELDS ARE CRUCIAL TO HEALTH CARE WORKERS TO PREVENT TRANSMISSION OF ILLNESS.
USING IN-HOUSE MATERIALS, THE FLEXCON TEAM GOT TO WORK.
>> EVERYBODY WAS ALL EXCITED AND WAS JUMPING ON THINGS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
ANTHONY: OVER ONE WEEKEND, FLEXCON DEVELOPED A PROTOTYPE THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE CALLER AND HER COWORKERS.
>> THEY FIGURED OUT HOW TO DO IT VERY QUICKLY, BUT ALSO DO A MINIMALLY VIABLE DESIGN.
NOT MAKE IT EXPENSIVE OR COMPLICATED.
WE CHARGE $.90 A SHIELD.
WE MADE THOUSANDS RIGHT AWAY AND WE DONATED OVER 20,000 FACE SHIELDS TO HOSPITALS THROUGHOUT MASSACHUSETTS.
WITHIN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME, MAYBE THREE WEEKS, WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE 100,000 FACE SHIELDS A WEEK.
ANTHONY: THEN CAME ANOTHER REQUEST.
COULD THEY MAKE SINGLE USE TEST HOODS MADE TO TEST THE PERMEABILITY OF N95 MASKS?
THE ANSWER, YES.
>> IT IS POLYESTER.
YOU CAN RECYCLE THE MATERIAL.
IT IS CONSIDERED A DISPOSABLE TEST, BUT YOU COULD ALSO PUT YOUR NAME ON IT AND USE IT YOURSELF OVER AND OVER IF NEEDED.
ANTHONY: HE BELIEVES INNOVATION IS NOT JUST ABOUT NEXT-GENERATION TECHNOLOGY.
BEING NIMBLE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT.
>> IT IS ABOUT LOOKING AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY ON SOLVING A PROBLEM.
ALSO, NOT TRYING TO OVERTHINK IT OR OVERDESIGNED IT.
ANTHONY: NEIL MCDONOUGH TELLS US THERE REALLY ISN’T ANY REASON FOR FLEXCON TO STOP MAKING TEST HOODS AND FACE SHIELDS, EVEN IF THE NUMBERS OF COVID-19 CASES CONTINUE TO DROP BECAUSE THERE
IS A VERY STEADY DEMAND FOR THOSE PRODUCTS.
AND LATELY, YOU MAY BE NOTICING THOSE LARGE FLOOR GRAPHICS THAT ARE POPPING UP IN A LOT OF BUSINESSES TO ENCOURAGE SOCIAL DISTANCING.
FLEXCON HAS BEEN MAKING ADHESIVE FOR THOSE, AS WELL.
COMING UP, BACK TO BASICS.
>> I THINK THAT HAND CARVING THINGS GIVES PEACE OF SOUL.
ANTHONY: THE CREATIVE ARTS HAVE SEEN A SURGE IN POPULARITY DURING THE PANDEMIC.
A LOT OF AMATEURS CHANNELING THEIR INNER ARTIST.
HERE IN MASSACHUSETTS, WE’RE SURROUNDED BY PLENTY OF PROFESSIONALS AS WELL, INCLUDING A PROFESSOR GIVING ART LESSONS FOR FREE.
AND AS ERIKA TARANTAL TELLS US, A WOODWORKER TURNING OUT WORKS OF KITCHEN ART ERIKA: HERE IN LOWELL, THIS FORMER TEXTILE MILL IS HOME TO DOZENS OF ARTIST STUDIOS.
IT IS WHERE JOHN WORKS ALONE IN AN AIRY WORKSHOP.
JOHN FRANCIS DESIGNS IS HIS CREATION AND PASSION.
>> THERE IS SOMETHING VERY PEACEFUL AND MEDITATIVE ABOUT JUST TAKING A PIECE OF WOOD.
I JUST SIT THERE AND LISTEN TO THE CHISEL CARVING AWAY.
EVERYTHING ELSE MELTS AWAY.
ERIKA: BY TRADE, HE IS A MACHINIST AND COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGNER.
HIS SECOND CAREER AS A WOODWORKER AND ARTIST EVOLVED NATURALLY OVER TIME.
>> MY DAD WAS ALWAYS WORKING ON THE HOUSE.
MY MOM ALWAYS HAD ME AND ARTS AND CRAFTS.
I WAS CRAVING THAT HANDS-ON INTERACTION, THAT ZEN THAT COMES FROM CARVING AND WORKING WITH YOUR HANDS.
ERIKA: IN 2013, HE BEGAN CARVING SPOONS.
HE BRANCHED OUT TO SERVING AND CUTTING BOARDS, STOOLS AND MIRRORS.
>> I WAS VERY FOCUSED ON MAKING GOODS THAT HAD A PURPOSE.
THERE WAS NO REASON WHY THINGS THAT YOU USE EVERY DAY COULDN’T BE BEAUTIFUL PIECES.
I USE THE MACHINES TO BREAK DOWN THE ROUGH MATERIAL.
FROM THERE, IT IS ALMOST ALL HAND CARVING AND HAND TOOLS.
I HAVE WORKED A LITTLE BIT WITH SOME EXOTIC WOODS, BUT FOR THE MOST PART, I STICK TO DOMESTICS.
MY FAVORITE TO WORK WITH IS WALNUT.
WE HAVE A VERY WIDE VARIETY OF GRAIN AND TEXTURE IN THE WOOD ITSELF.
ERIKA: HIS STYLE IS DISTINCTIVE, CATCHING THE EYE OF FOOD STYLISTS, COOKBOOK AUTHORS AND FANS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.
>> I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A BIT OF A PERFECTIONIST.
HAND CARVING AND WOODWORKING HAS HELP ME LEARN THE BEAUTY OF IMPERFECTION.
I THINK HAND CARVING THINGS GIVES THE PEACE OF SOUL.
THERE IS SOME QUALITY THAT MAYBE YOU CAN’T GET FROM A MACHINE MADE PEACE.
>> I ACTUALLY ENHANCE THE PAINTING WITH THESE ALCOHOL-BASED MARKERS.
ERIKA: ARTIST CLARA SPENDS MOST OF HER TIME TEACHING.
SHE IS AN ADJUNCT PROFESSOR AT THE RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN.
>> I AM A FINE ARTIST WORKING IN DRAWING, PART MAKING AND SCULPTURE.
I GOT A NEMA FOR MY MOTHER THE OTHER DAY THAT SAID MY EIGHT-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER LOVES YOUR VIDEOS.
ART IS THE ONLY THING SHE CAN DO RIGHT NOW DURING THE PANDEMIC.
I ALSO GOT IN TOUCH WITH PEOPLE WHO ARE 75 AND SAY FINALLY, I HAVE TIME TO DO WHAT I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO DO.
ERIKA: SHE LAUNCHED ART-PROF AFTER A SERIES OF COLUMNS FROM THE HUFFINGTON POST.
>> I STARTED GETTING QUESTIONS ABOUT EVERYTHING, COLOR THEORY, PAINTING, HOW DO I GET INTO MUSEUMS.
I THOUGHT THIS IS SO MUCH BIGGER THAN JUST AN ADVICE COLUMN.
IT IS TOO RED,.
. ERIKA: TODAY, FANS TUNE IN TO THE VIDEOS FROM HER HOME STUDIO IN NEWTON.
>> COVER ILLUSTRATION, BOOK MAINTA -- BOOK PAINTING.
WE ARE VERY COMPREHENSIVE.
I FEEL REALLY ALIVE AND ALERT WHEN I AM DOING ADJUSTER DRAWING.
ERIKA: ALSO UNIQUE, THE SITE IS 100% FREE.
>> THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.
FOR SOME PEOPLE, EVEN FIVE DOLLARS A MONTH IS A BARRIER.
I WANT IT TO BE ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYBODY WHO WANTS IT.
ERIKA: SHE IS THE LEAD INSTRUCTOR, BUT SEVERAL OTHER ARTISTS TEACH AS WELL.
THIS VIDEO FOCUSES ON SCRATCH BOARD DRAWING.
>> THESE ARE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ETCHING NEEDLES.
YOU COULD GET THE REALLY DELICATE LINES.
ERIKA: SOMETIMES, SHE TAKES CLASSES ON THE ROAD.
IN TAIWAN, SHE DEMONSTRATES HER SIGNATURE METHOD.
GESTURE DRAWING IS QUICK AND EXPRESSIVE, MEANT TO CAPTURE THE FEELING OR ENERGY OF A SUBJECT.
>> I JUST LOVE LITTLE MOMENTS LIKE THAT WHEN YOU HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE SITUATION.
ERIKA: VIEWERS CAN SUBMIT ART TO BE TRUDY -- CRITIQUED AND EXCHANGE DIY TIPS.
>> WHO KNEW KOOL-AID WAS BEAUTIFUL.
IF YOU MIX WATER INTO IT, IT LOOKS A LOT LIKE WATERCOLOR.
IF YOU MIX TURMERIC, IT MAKES A VIBRANT YELLOW PAINT.
I JUST NEED A LITTLE BIT OF A FINER POINT.
I THINK THE ARTS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER.
IT IS TOTALLY UNBRIDLED CREATIVE FREEDOM.
I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO FEEL A PLACE LIKE THAT THAT FEELS SAFE BECAUSE WE ARE LIVING IN A SITUATION WHERE WE ARE UNDER VERY STRICT GUIDELINES ABOUT HOW YOU CAN WALK, HOW YOU CAN GO
OUT.
THERE ARE SO MANY RULES NOW.
ART IS A SPACE WHERE THERE ARE NO RULES.
WE REALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE WHO WE WANT TO BE.
ANTHONY: CLARA LIEU TELLS US SHE VERY RECENTLY LEFT THE RHODE ISLAND SCHOOL OF DESIGN TO FOCUS ON ART-PROF FULL-TIME AND SHE IS ACTUALLY PLANNING A MOVE TO UTAH.
THOUGH SHE WON’T BE BASED IN MASSACHUSETTS ANYMORE, ART-PROF WILL REMAIN JUST A CLICK AWA AND BACK TO JOHN WELCH, HE SAYS THE SLOWDOWN ASSOCIATED WITH THE PANDEMIC HAS ALLOWED TIME TO
EXPAND HIS CREATIVE VISION, AND EXPERIMENT WITH NEW DESIGNS.
HE IS ENJOYING THAT.
COMING UP, WE’RE TAL