A program of the National Center for Appropriate Technology • 1-800-346-9140 • www.attra.ncat.

org

Maple Sugaring: An Introduction to

Small-Scale Commercial Production
By Andy Pressman and Producing maple syrup and value-added maple products offers an opportunity to diversify farm
Sharon Burke, NCAT operations and income. This publication provides an overview of maple sugaring, including busi-
Agriculture Specialists ness planning, financial considerations, marketing, equipment and supplies, value-added products,
Published August 2017 organic certification, regulations, and quality control. It also includes resources for acquiring more
©NCAT knowledge on maple syrup production and determining if maple sugaring is a viable addition to a
IP526 farming operation.

Contents
Introduction ......................1
Business Plan,
Economics and
Marketing ...........................2
Maple Syrup
Production .........................4
Value-Added
Products ...........................11
Food Safety
Regulations and
Requirements ................ 12
Potential Impact of
Climate Change ............ 12
Conclusion ...................... 13
References ...................... 14
Further
Resources ........................ 14
Ben's Sugar Shack, Temple, New Hampshire. Photo: Ben's Sugar Shack

Introduction

M
aple syrup is a forest food product that roots before the winter. As the temperature warms
is distinct to the upper North Amer- in late winter and early spring, this starch is
ican woodlands, where maple trees converted to sugar that rises in the sap.
grow naturally. It is made from the xylem sap
Sugarmakers have been creating maple syrup
of maple trees. Sap from the sugar maple (Acer
and maple products for centuries. While the
ATTRA (www.attra.ncat.org)
saccharum) is most commonly used for maple
history of maple syrup is rich in lore, it is most
is a program of the National syrup production. Syrup can also be made from
Center for Appropriate Technology
commonly believed that Native Americans were
sap from other native maple species, including
(NCAT). The program is funded the first to discover its value as both a food and
through a cooperative agreement red maple (A. rubrum), black maple (A. nigrum),
a medicine. Early American settlers used it as an
with the United States Department and silver maple (A. saccharinum). Diversifica-
of Agriculture’s Rural Business- alternative to cane sugar. Maple products were also
tion into making syrup from other tree species,
Cooperative Service. Visit the valuable commodities for trading in the 1800s,
NCAT website (www.ncat.org) such as black walnuts, birch, and box elders, is
making maple sugar one of the first truly American
for more information on also growing amongst producers. Sugarmakers are
our other sustainable agricultural products.
agriculture and
finding a niche market for these unique syrups.
energy projects. All of these trees store starch in their trunks and The increasing demand for maple products offers

www.attra.ncat.org Page 1
 an important income opportunity for those with make a living on maple sugaring alone (2010).
maple stands. According to USDA National Agri- As a general rule, smaller producers, defined as
cultural Statistics Service, the United States pro- operations with fewer than 1,000 taps, have a
duced more than 4.2 million gallons of maple difficult time being profitable if labor costs are
syrup in 2016, valued at more than $147 million taken into account. In fact, a highly efficient com-
Related ATTRA (USDA, 2017). The majority of this is grown in mercial setup can gross three times more per tap
Publications the Northeast, with Vermont consistently pro- than a hobby operation.
www.attra.ncat.org ducing the most. Other states producing notable
amounts of maple syrup include New York, Maine, While the potential for attractive profit exists,
Evaluating a Farming Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, New Hamp- there are challenges inherent to maple sugaring.
Enterprise shire, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Connecticut. Most notably, sap yield is largely predicated on
weather, which fluctuates year to year and makes
Basic Accounting: Although technology has created significant effi- profits unpredictable. An operation that yields
Guidance for ciencies in maple sugaring, the basic production
Beginning Farmers
500 gallons of Grade A syrup during a year with
process has not changed significantly. It remains a a long sap run may yield less than half of that
Marketing Tip Sheets fairly labor-intensive operation, requiring invest- when the weather warms too quickly. A decline
ment in equipment that increases as the scope of in maple syrup yield has been associated with
Agroforestry:
operation expands. This publication is designed warming spring temperatures during the critical
An Overview
to provide an introduction to maple syrup pro- sugaring period, as well as with increases in sum-
Sorghum Syrup duction. It also includes resources that potential mer drought frequencies.
Adding Value to producers can explore to acquire more knowledge
and to determine if maple sugaring is a viable
Farm Products:
option for diversifying their income streams.
Alternative Saps
An Overview
Alternative saps are becoming more popular for
Sugaring Considerations making syrups and other value-added products.
Collecting and boiling sap from trees such as
Maple syrup is a late-winter and early-spring crop, black walnuts, birches, and box elders offers a
offering an opportunity to bring in off-season
niche product that can have a higher price point
income at a time when most farms are idle and
than maple syrup. In addition, these maple alter-
farm labor is available. Even if maple syrup sales
natives can extend the sugaring season, as the sap
do not necessarily bring in high profits through
run from these trees tends to occur later than
direct sales alone, they can add overall value and
maples, often hitting its peak when the volume
visibility to farm operations by drawing new cus-
and quality of maple sap starts to diminish. How-
tomers who are attracted by health values or by
ever, the sap yield and sugar content of these trees
the traditional “old-fashioned” farm experience
is typically lower than sugar maples, often mak-
associated with maple syrup production. Andrew
Fast and Steve Roberge, in an article entitled “To ing it challenging to have enough sap to support
Tap or Not to Tap,” note that few people can the enterprise economically. For example, a 60:1
sap-to-syrup ratio would not be uncommon for
trees like black walnuts and box elders, and a
100:1 ratio for birch trees. The following website
contains a list of 22 species of trees that can be
tapped for making syrup: https://wildfoodism.
com/2014/02/04/22-trees-that-can-be-tapped-
for-sap-and-syrup.

Business Plan, Economics

and Marketing
Developing a Business Plan
As with any new business venture, the first step in
establishing a maple sugar operation is to develop
a comprehensive business plan. This documents
your vision and goals, specific production plans
Sugar Maple Trees with fall foliage. Photo: USDA NRCS and timelines, descriptions of the products you

Page 2 Maple Sugaring: An Introduction to Small-Scale Commercial Production

intend to sell, marketing plans, and a finan- Many worksheets that help determine full
cial plan that includes all projected income and expenses can be found online. Penn State
expenses and details how you intend to make Cooperative Extension offers one such inter-
money. Writing down your plan allows you to active worksheet that calculates maple syrup
see how the addition of maple sugar production production costs. It can be accessed at http://
fits with other commitments and farm enterprises extension.psu.edu/business/ag-alternatives/files/
and alerts you to gaps and opportunities. It also budgets/maple-syrup/sample-maple-syrup-pro-
allows you to see progress toward goals. For more duction-budget. The resource section of this
information on developing a farm business plan, publication includes additional guides that can
see ATTRA’s online tutorial Business Planning assist in developing business plans and deter-
and Marketing, at www.attra.ncat.org/oasdfr. mining what it really costs to produce that gal-
lon of maple syrup. ATTRA’s publication Basic
Financial Considerations Accounting: Guidance for Beginning Farmers,
which can be downloaded at www.attra.ncat.org,
A financial plan is an integral component of the
provides helpful information on developing a
business plan and should identify all expenses,
basic accounting system.
equipment and supply needs, capital investments,
labor costs and availability, expected sap yields,

O
and sales income and profit projections by prod- Income n average
uct. Some of the costs to consider include sugar Revenue projections should be based on a well- it takes
bush purchase, lease, and/or maintenance, build- thought-out marketing plan that identifies via-
about 40
ing a sugar house, tapping and sap-collection ble markets and market prices before any syrup
equipment, gathering tanks, evaporation equip- is produced. Revenues will be dictated by price gallons of sap to
ment, filtering systems, measuring instruments, points and sales. Once producing, it is essential to produce a gallon
bottling, labels, sanitizers, marketing/advertising, use a good recordkeeping system to track expenses of syrup, and each
bookkeeping, utilities, fuel, insurance, and labor. and revenue and to document sap and syrup yields taphole produces
and each tree’s sugar content.
How much and how efficiently you can collect s just over a quart of
ap and evaporate water to create syrup will signifi- Sap yield can vary greatly based on weather, col- syrup.
cantly impact the overall cost of production. Larger lection methods, tree size, soil, genetics, and sea-
operations can achieve economies of scale, investing sonal differences. Sap yield is usually expressed
in efficient technology such as reverse-osmosis in terms of the number of tapholes, rather than
units, preheating systems, larger evaporators, the number of trees. Yield for a single tap can
vacuum systems, and oil burners. Additionally, range widely. In favorable conditions, the average
tubing collection systems with vacuum systems sap yield per taphole is around 10 to 12 gallons.
allow sap to be collected much more quickly, Syrup yields, which also vary based on sap sugar
with much less labor, than do traditional collection content, should also be recorded. On average it
systems that use buckets or bags. takes about 40 gallons of sap to produce a gallon
The choice of equipment comes down to where you of syrup, and each taphole produces just over a
want to place your investment: labor (your own quart of syrup. Accurate recording of sap yield
or others) or infrastructure. If you have more time and sugar content allows you to better manage
than money, you can make your operation work your sugarbush, invest your time and efforts in
with less technology. You should project the costs tapping the trees that are most profitable, and
for equipment several years into the future and make accurate projections and informed decisions
make selections that support any planned growth. based on real-time and long-term data analysis.

Maples are a valuable timber species, and you Market Options

may also want to assess whether your stand is Maple sugar producers should identify markets
more profitable for maple sugar production or for
for their sap, syrup, and value-added products and
timber. There are some financial implications to
develop a cohesive marketing plan even before
tapping trees that impact their value as a timber
they tap their first maple tree.
product. Tapping leaves residual scars above and
below the taphole that reduce the potential saw- Marketing options available to producers include
timber value of the first sawlog (first 16 feet closest selling the raw sap to another producer, making
to the ground) of trees (Fast and Roberge, 2010). the sap into syrup for wholesale or retail sales,

www.attra.ncat.org Page 3
 using the syrup to create value-added products cleanses the body, and it offers another
to sell, or bottling the raw sap to sell as a tonic. viable market option.
Each option has specific considerations:
Organic Certification
• Selling the sap raw to another sugarmaker
reduces the initial investment of production USDA rules require that all producers and han-
equipment, but will yield significantly lower dlers who make a certified organic claim for
revenue, since most of the profit is in the their product be certified by a USDA-accredited
finished syrup. It does provide a new pro- certifying agent. A list of these can be found at
ducer with some revenue during the pro- www.ams.usda.gov/resources/organic-certify-
cess of establishing a sugarbush, offering ing-agents. There are no Federal standards for
the opportunity for learning proper tap- organic maple sugar production or organic sug-
ping techniques, setting up collection lines arbush management; therefore producers must
(which can be somewhat complex to design work with their certifying agent to develop an
properly), and assessing yield potential so Organic System Plan that is tailored to the specific
the producer can more accurately develop operation. Potential certifier requirements might
data-informed business and financial plans. include use of organically approved de-foamers
and equipment cleaners, water testing, and con-
• Wholesale sales of syrup and value-added
firming that the sugarbush is free of unapproved
maple products often reduce risks associ-
pesticides for three years prior to certification. For
ated with retail sales by offering assured sales
more information on organic certification, con-
through established customers. Wholesale
sult the ATTRA publication Organic Certification
sales can help ensure that producers do not
of Farms and Businesses Producing Agricultural
carry excess inventory. However, wholesale
Products, available at https://attra.ncat.org/attra-
will yield lower revenues than retail sales,
pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=152.
which offer more favorable margins.
• Retail markets that sell direct to consum-
ers carry a higher return on investment
Maple Syrup Production
through higher per-unit revenues. Selling Although technological advances differentiate
retail requires additional time, effort, and modern-day commercial operations from those
added costs for items such of our ancestors, the basic elements of produc-
as bottling equipment, bot- ing maple syrup and maple products have not
tles, labels, advertising, and changed dramatically over time. There are five
promotion. Retail channels main production steps:
to explore include sugar- 1. Establishing a sugarbush, which is the indus-
house storefronts, direct- try term for a stand of maple trees for tapping
to-consumer Internet 2. Tapping maples trees and collecting the flowing
sales, farm stands, farmers sap in containers or through tubing
markets, fairs, restaurants,
3. Evaporating the excess water to concentrate
health food stores, and oth-
the sap into syrup
ers. Think outside the box
to identify untapped mar- 4. Filtering the syrup to remove impurities
kets, such as selling syrup 5. Bottling syrup and making value-added maple
to a business that sells spe- products
cialty gift baskets, or maple
treats as wedding favors. Evaporating, bottling, and making value-added
Open houses provide an products require working with sap at very high
excellent opportunity to temperatures, which presents safety hazards.
introduce new customers to These hazards can, however, be mitigated through
your maple sugar operation, proper safety precautions.
entice people to try value- Maple sap does not store well and should be pro-
added confections, and cessed within 48 hours of collection. Anything
increase sales of both syrup that sap comes in contact with is concentrated
and other maple products. during boiling and can cause syrup to be off-flavor
• Pure, unprocessed or off-color. This necessitates careful sanitation
Maple weekend is a great way to bring folks to the maple sap is also gaining practices during collecting, production, packing,
sugar house. Photo: Cedarvale Maple Syrup Co (NY) in popularity as a tonic that and storing.

Page 4 Maple Sugaring: An Introduction to Small-Scale Commercial Production

Establishing the Sugar Bush Sugar Content and the Rule of 86
Maple-tree stands offer commercial opportunities Sugar content directly determines how much sap
for both sugaring and timber. Sugarbush is the term will be needed to produce a gallon of syrup. Sugar
used for a stand of sap trees. Unless you have sig- content varies based on a number of factors and
nificant knowledge of forestry, it is highly recom- is determined using a refractometer. The higher
mended that you contact your district or county the sugar content, the less time it takes to boil
forester for assistance in assessing your trees for water from sap and turn it into syrup. An increase
commercial maple-sugar production. Unlike man- of just 1% of sap sugar reduces processing costs
aging a forest for timber, in which the tallest and significantly.
straightest trees are prized, the objective of sugar-
bush management is to produce the highest pos- The Rule of 86 (also known as the Jones Rule)
sible yield of sugar-rich sap per acre. Sugar maples, is a simple calculation in which 86 is divided by
also referred to as rock or hard maples, have the the sugar content to determine how much sap is
highest sugar content and longest sap runs. Black, needed to produce a gallon of syrup. For example,
red, and silver maples are also suitable for tapping for sap with a sugar content of 2%, divide 86 by
and should not be overlooked when establishing 2, which equals 43. In this case, 43 gallons of
the sugarbush, nor should other alternative tree sap are needed to produce 1 gallon of syrup. By
species that are in abundance. contrast, sap with a sugar content of 3% would

A
require only 28.6 gallons of sap for one gallon of lso known
Sugar maple sap has an average sugar content of syrup (86/3 = 28.6). as a sap
2 to 3%. Because other maple species are usually
lower in sugar content, approximately twice as The Rule of 86, coupled with other information, house,
much sap is needed to yield the same amount of can be used as basis for estimating how much sugar shack, or
finished syrup. Ornamental maples, such as the syrup a sugarbush will produce, how many trees
or taps are needed to produce a specific target, and sugar cabin, [the
Norway and Schwedler maple, are typically not
used for commercial syrup production. other useful information. For example, to calcu- sugar house] is the
late how many taps will be needed to produce 50 building in which
There has been much research indicating that gallons of syrup, based on a sugar content of 2%
trees with large crowns, regardless of maple vari- the sap is collected
and a per-tap sap production of 10 gallons, you
ety, will generally produce the most and sweetest would divide 86 by 2, which equals 43 gallons of and boiled into
sap. Sugar is produced in the leaves during photo- sap needed per gallon of syrup. Then, you would maple syrup.
synthesis, and heavy leaf cover is also thought to multiply 43 by number of target gallons of syrup
be an important determinate of higher sap yields. you want to produce (50), which equals 2,150 gal-
The general rule of thumb for the best spacing of lons of sap. You would then divide 2,150 by the
trees for a commercial operation is about 50 to number of gallons of sap produced per tap, which
60 trees per acre, with each tree in an area about in this case is 10, to determined that you need
30 feet by 30 feet. Trees that are thinned can also an estimated 215 taps to produce 50 gallons of
bring value to producers: they can be used as fuel syrup (86/2=43; 43 x 50 = 2,150; 2,150/10 = 215).
in wood-fired evaporators or sold as firewood for
an added income source. Sugar House
The amount of sap that can be collected and The sugarbush is the foundation of a maple enter-
the sugar content of sap is of critical importance prise, but the sugar house is the heart and hub
because this directly impacts profit. Sugar content of operations. Also known as a sap house, sugar
determines how long sap must be boiled to pro- shack, or sugar cabin, this is the building in which
duce syrup. Saps with lower sugar content must the sap is collected and boiled into maple syrup.
be boiled longer to concentrate to syrup, which Traditionally, these buildings were rudimentary
increases labor, fuel costs, and time spent in the one-room, cabin-like structures. Today, many com-
sugar house. Other considerations in siting the mercial sugar houses also offer storefronts and out-
sugarbush include terrain and accessibility. These door gathering spaces that are used for agritourism
impact the amount of sap that flows and how it is events such as sleigh rides, educational activities,
to be collected. The ideal location is a south-facing and maple festivities. The University of Vermont
slope, which encourages longer, more productive Extension Service offers an excellent guide on
sap yields, and a site that is easily accessible by sugar house design, which can be accessed online
foot, tractor, and vehicle, as this reduces labor in at www.uvm.edu/~uvmaple/sugarhousedesign.pdf.
collecting and transporting sap and wood used Many good design plans can also be found through
as fuel (Hansen et al., 2010). an Internet search.

www.attra.ncat.org Page 5
 Tapping Trees When to Tap
Once trees have been identified for tapping, based Trees should be tapped just before the sap
on a careful analysis of the sugarbush, the next starts to flow, which occurs when daytime
step is to determine what type of collection sys- temperatures go above freezing and nighttime
tems and taps you wish to use. A tap, also referred temperatures fall below freezing. Th is period
to as spile or spout, is a metal or plastic tip that fluctuates from year to year and with location.
is inserted into the hole drilled into a maple tree In the northeastern United States, this gener-
in order to collect the sap. Taps vary in size and ally occurs early February to early March. The
shape, depending on whether a traditional or tub- rising temperature creates pressure in the tree,
ing collection system is used. generating the sap flow. Starch that was stored
in the trunks and roots before the winter is con-
Determining Number of Taps verted to sugar that rises in the sap. The sap stops
per Tree flowing when nighttime temperatures go above
freezing and starts again when temperatures fall
Trees may be tapped when they reach 10 to 12
below freezing. Sap generally flows more quickly
inches in diameter, as measured four and a half
in the morning.
feet from the ground, also known as breast-
height diameter or DBH. To measure this diam- Useable sap generally flows for four to six weeks,
eter, measure circumference by wrapping a mea- with the best, lightest-colored sap produced early
suring tape around the tree four and a half feet on. Light-colored sap generally is most valuable,
from the ground, and then divide this number as it produces the sweetest maple syrup and is
by pi, which can be rounded to approximately highly sought for value-added products such as
3.14 (diameter = circumference/3.14). Trees maple cream. The syrup becomes darker as the
with a DBH of 18 to 20 inches can have two days warm and the season progresses. Darker
taps. Although more than two taps per tree is syrup is flavorful but draws a lower price. Once
discouraged, very healthy trees with DBH of a tree breaks bud, the sap becomes off-flavored
greater than 25 inches can sustain three taps. and should no longer be collected.
Unhealthy trees should not be tapped, as they
will not produce sufficient or quality sap. Trees
with sufficient space to develop large crowns typ-
Location of Taps
ically are the best sap producers, although some Trees are generally tapped on the south side to
research indicates that this is less important than take advantage of the warming sun. Taps can be
had historically been thought (Blumenstok and placed at a convenient height between two and
Hopkins, no date). four feet from the ground. Choose a tap site where
wood is free of scars, wounds, or old tap holes. If
the tree has been tapped in previous years, place
the new taphole at least 12 inches above or below
and two inches to the right or left of the old
tap hole. In trees with more than one tap, taps
should be spaced evenly around the circumfer-
ence of the tree.

Installing the Taps

Tapping requires only a few tools:
• Drill
• Drill bit based on tap size: 7/16-inch drill
bits are used most commonly for traditional
taps and 5/16-inch drill bits are used most
commonly for taps that are to be connected
to tubing systems
• Hammer
Tapped maple trees using plastic buckets. Photo: Andy Pressman, NCAT • Taps

Page 6 Maple Sugaring: An Introduction to Small-Scale Commercial Production

There are three main steps to installing a tap: can produce sap for many decades, as long as
1. Prior to tapping, sanitize the taps by dipping they stay healthy. Note: It is no longer recom-
them in a solution of one part household mended to use paraformaldehyde pellets in tap
chlorine bleach to 20 parts water. Remove holes: these pellets can damage trees and are now
from solution and rinse thoroughly with illegal. Do not use denatured alcohol; this, too,
clean water. Do not let the taps sit in the is illegal in some states, including Maine.
solution for longer periods of time or use a
stronger solution because this may cause off Collection Systems
flavors in the sap that will make the syrup The two types of collection systems used by maple
unsaleable. producers are traditional and tubing. In tradi-
2. Drill a hole into healthy wood using a drill- tional systems, a tap is inserted into a tree, and
bit size that corresponds with tap size. The sap is collected in a bucket or a bag. These vessels
hole should not be deeper than two inches must be collected daily and emptied individually
for larger taps and one and a half inches into a storage tank or facility, making this a time-
for smaller taps. Drill at a slightly upward intensive method suitable only for small-scale pro-
angle to help sap flow from the tree. Use a ducers or hobbyists. Traditional collection sys-
sharp drill bit and slow drill speed to assure tems may also be the preferred method when the
you do not cauterize the hole, which will site does not have ample slope to support a tubing
reduce tap flow. Examine the color of the collection system, or when the trees are widely
shavings from the drill. Light-colored shav- dispersed, making a tubing system impractical.
ings indicate healthy sapwood. Dark-col- Larger producers most often use a tubing system
ored shavings indicate rotting or unhealthy in which taps are attached to plastic tubes that
wood. If you hit bad wood, move the tap are connected to a main line running through
hole to a different location. Do not attempt the sugarbush. Tubing systems can be vented or
to fill in the abandoned hole or treat with closed, and run in the air or along the ground.
any disinfectant or other substance. It will They can operate through gravity on a sloped
close naturally on its own over time. Gently site, through mechanical means using a vacuum
clean shavings from the hole (Blumenstok system, or a combination of both.
and Hopkins, no date). Note: Do not blow
into the hole to remove shavings because Vacuum systems require a larger initial investment
this contaminates the hole. but can significantly increase sap yield per taphole.
A mechanical vacuum pump literally pulls more
3. Insert the spile into the hole. Use a ham- sap from the tree than gravity alone would, and
mer to tap it lightly until it fits snugly faster, which helps keep the sap from becoming
and cannot be pulled out by hand; this
only takes a few gentle taps. Be careful
not to hammer so hard that it causes the
bark around the tap to split. Th is can lead
to vacuum leaks, lost sap, and increased
wounding at the taphole. Tapping on
warm days minimizes risk of wood splits
(Hansen et al., 2010).
The tap is then ready for use, either by hanging a
bucket for traditional collecting or connecting to
rubber tubing. A special tubing tool can be used
to attach tubing to a tap.

Tap Removal
All spiles should be removed at the end of the
season, and the holes should be left unplugged
and untreated. Tapholes will close and heal nat-
urally within a couple years, and the tree will
remain productive for the rest of its life. Trees Tapped maple trees with a tube collection system. Photo: Cedarvale Maple (NY)

www.attra.ncat.org Page 7
 contaminated. These systems also allow for a much Sap does not store well and should be used
smaller tap to be inserted into the trees. within two days to avoid bacterial growth. Bac-
terial growth begins when sap is above freezing.
Tubing systems take a bit of upfront design time
The warmer the air temperature is, the faster sap
to assure the greatest functionality and cost-effec-
will spoil. When this occurs, the sap is no longer
tiveness. They can, however, save significant time
useful and should be discarded. The longer sap
and labor over the long run and are frequently
sits, the darker it becomes. This impacts grad-
less expensive to install than traditional systems
ing, which impacts pricing. It is critical to your
that require multiple buckets or collection vessels.
bottom-line profit that sap is boiled as soon as
Tubing layout will need to take many factors into
possible to maintain quality.
consideration, including density of maple trees,
slope, terrain, obstacles, and collection points.
Unless all trees are brought online at once, tub-
Evaporation and Boiling
ing systems should be laid out to allow future Once sap is collected and transported to a storage
modification. tank at the sugar house, the process of evaporation
can begin. The sap should be filtered to remove
Tubing may also include the use of vertical drop debris prior to evaporating. In its natural state, sap
lines that allow the spiles to be moved to new contains about 98% water and 2% sugar. Con-
holes each spring without re-plumbing the line verting maple sap into syrup requires removing
and allow separation of carbon dioxide that can water from the sap, which concentrates the sugar
contribute to vapor locks that inhibit sap flow. into a syrup. In hobby operations, the sap is boiled
All tubing should be straight and tight to prevent over flames or on stoves. Commercial operations,
sap from pooling in dropping lines because this even those on a modest scale, use some type of
can cause bacteria to grow in the sap. The larg- continuous-feed evaporator to reduce the sap to
est problems with maintaining tubing systems a finished syrup of 66 to 67% sugar. Some states
come from animals chewing holes in the tubing dictate the exact minimum sugar content. For
in search of food, and from the need to sanitize example, in Vermont and New Hampshire, the
the lines after the season is over. minimum sugar content is 66.9%.

Sap Storage Sizing the Evaporator

Sap is emptied, collected, or pumped into a stor- The size of the evaporator correlates to its capac-
age tank before the evaporation process begins. ity: the amount of sap it can process in an hour.
Larger evaporators take less time to boil off the
water; this impacts labor and fuel costs. Faster
boiling may also yield higher-quality syrup. The
longer it takes to process sap, the darker the syrup
becomes. Lighter sap is considered by most to be
of the higher-quality, and therefore people are
willing to pay a higher price for it.
Sizing an evaporator can be guided in part by the
number of taps and the amount of time available
in a day for boiling. This is based on the idea that
one tap will produce an average of one gallon of
sap a day when it is running. To determine the
evaporating capacity, divide the number of taps
you have by the number of hours available for
processing. This determines the capacity of evapo-
rator needed. For example, if you have 100 taps
and want to limit processing time to eight hours
per day, you divide 100 by eight to determine that
your evaporator can process 12.5 gallons of sap
in an hour (100 gallons/8 hours = 12.5 gallons/
Boiling sap in an evaporator. Photo: Josh Penick, Hijinks Farm (NH) hour). Remember, though, that when the sap is

Page 8 Maple Sugaring: An Introduction to Small-Scale Commercial Production

Table 1: Estimated Sizing of Evaporator.

Evaporator Size 2'x 4' 2' x 6' 2' x 8' 2' x 10' 2.5' x 10' 2.5' x 12' 3' x 8' 3' x 12'
Capacity
15-20 25-30 35-40 45-50 55-60 70-75 70-75 90-95
(Gall ons per hour)
Source: Based on a compilation of average-capacity data from several manufacturers, 2016

really running fast, you may get runs of up to investment, but can quickly pay off for commer-
four or five gallons per tap. While this may only cial producers by reducing evaporator fuel costs
occur a few days each season, a plan should be in and boiling time. The USDA often offers agri-
place to manage this so the sap does not spoil. An cultural producers grants and loans for energy
evaporator is a long-term investment and should improvements, including installation of reverse-
last for decades if properly maintained. osmosis equipment. One such opportunity is
the Environmental Quality Incentives Pro-
Table 1 offers a rough guide of evaporator capac-
gram (EQIP) offered through USDA’s Natural
ity range. It is important to check specifications
Resources Conservation Service. Information can
carefully before purchasing an evaporator because
be found at www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/
the capacity varies by model and add-on features.
main/national/programs/financial/eqip.
Sunrise Metal offers an easy-to-use online calcu-
lator for evaporator size that can be accessed at
http://sunriseevaporator.com/calc. Finishing
By U.S. Federal statute, syrup must test at min-
Increasing Energy Efficiency imum 66% sugar or 11 pounds to the gallon.
Some states require slightly higher sugar content.
Beyond the size of the evaporator, there are other Finishing sap at the proper con-
factors that can influence the amount of time it centration or density is critical:
takes to reduce the sap to syrup: types of pans, the syrup will crystallize when
types of flues, fuel source, and the intensity/qual- finished at too high a density
ity of fire if using wood. Additionally, maple pro- and will spoil when finished at
ducers have access to a variety of pre-process- a density that is too low.
ing technologies that can increase efficiency of
processing. For example, a sap preheater recy- Syrup is denser than water and
cles steam from the evaporator to pre-heat sap, boils at 7.5˚F above the boiling
thereby reducing cook time. A steam-enhanced point of water. Density is mea-
“piggyback” unit uses both recycled steam and sured with a syrup hydrometer,
forced hot air to concentrate sugar content. A which floats at different heights in
freeze-concentration unit, still somewhat experi- a sample of syrup depending on
mental, uses refrigerated pipes to crystalize and the liquid’s density. The boiling
remove water and increase sugar content prior to point of water changes with baro-
processing. Vapor compression removes captured metric pressure, so adjustments
steam and compresses it to raise the temperature may need to be made through-
of incoming sap. out the day to assure the sugar-
to-water density. In the absence
Although all of these technologies reduce the
of a hydrometer (the recom-
water-to-sugar content incrementally, a reverse-
mended method), density can be
osmosis system is the pre-processing method that
measured using a quality candy
most dramatically increases sugar content. In this
thermometer to measure boiling
system, the feeder tank is connected to a reverse-
temperature, which is a function Syrup Hydrometer: Syrup hydrometers, like
osmosis unit. The sap is forced under very high
of density. The more dense the the one shown here, are what is required for
pressure through a semi-permeable membrane
liquid, the higher the boiling tem- measuring the higher percentage of sugar
through which water can pass, but sap cannot.
perature. When finishing syrup, found in maple syrup. Sap hydrometers: Sap
This results in removing as much as half the water hydrometers are useful in determining which
check the boiling point of water
before the sap enters the evaporator, and raising trees have sweeter sap and for calculating
and add 7.5˚F to arrive at the
sugar content from 1 to 3% to as high as 10%. how many gallons of sap it will take to make
correct temperature to produce one gallon of syrup according to Jones Rule of
Reverse osmosis requires a fairly substantial syrup of the proper density. 86. Photo: Josh Penick, Hijinks Farm (NH)

www.attra.ncat.org Page 9
Table 2: Syrup Hydrometer Correction Chart. Filtering, Bottling, Grading,
Syrup Temperature Baume Reading Brix Reading and Labeling
209 32.0 59.0 Once the sap has turned to syrup, it is drawn off
the evaporator into a holding tank, where it is
202 32.25 59.6
stored until it is ready to be bottled. When the
193 32.5 60.0 syrup is removed from the evaporator, it contains
185 32.75 60.4 niter, which are solidified minerals found natu-
176 33.0 60.9 rally in maple syrup, known as sugar sand. These
167 33.25 61.4 are removed by filtering the syrup through a series
of filters made of various materials or through a
158 33.5 61.8
filter press. This removes impurities and will leave
Source: USDA United States Standards for Grades of Maple Syrup, 3/2/2015.
www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/MapleSyrupStandards.pdf
the syrup clearer.
The type of filtering system and the materials
Maple syrup hydrometers are generally calibrated
from which it is made are based on size of opera-
for 211°F. If you are testing maple syrup that is
tion and personal preference. Some of the many
colder than 211°F, a temperature-correction
chart should be used to determine if the syrup is filter options are paper, cheesecloth, Orlon, and
“light” or “heavy.” Heavy syrup is represented by wool. Diatomaceous earth, sometimes referred
a reading on the hydrometer that is higher than to by its brand name Celite, can be used as a fil-
the number on the chart, and it will need to be tration aid to filter very fine particles that would
diluted. A light syrup refers to a hydrometer read- otherwise pass through or clog filter paper. Using
ing that is lower than the number in the chart, a paper-type pre-filter inside an Orlon or wool
and requires that the syrup be boiled more. For filter will increase the capacity of the main filter.
example, if the syrup being tested is at 202°F and Sediment will clog filters, so they must be thor-
the hydrometer floats at 32.25 Baume or 59.6 oughly cleaned and rinsed to prevent any off-
Brix, the syrup is finished. flavoring caused by the use of cleaning agents
and then dried to avoid being contaminated with
Defoaming mildew or bacteria.
While sap is boiling, a foam may develop. Left
unchecked, this could potentially cause the evap-
orator to overflow. A couple drops of a commer-
cial defoaming agent or vegetable/canola oil can
be used to reduce the foam. Organic producers
should take care that their defoaming agent meets
organic standards.

Finished syrup being warmed and ready for bottling.

Filter Press and Bottling System. Photo: Josh Penick, Hijinks Farm (NH) Photo: Josh Penick, Hijinks Farm (NH)

Page 10 Maple Sugaring: An Introduction to Small-Scale Commercial Production

After filtering, the syrup is stored or prepared Table 3: United States Standards for Grades of Maple Syrup, effective 3/2/2015
for bottling. Syrup must be packed hot. Prior to
bottling, it is heated to 190°F or higher to kill Light Transmittance
Grade A Color Classes Taste
(% Tc)
any bacteria, and packed hot into sterile, airtight
containers for sale. Containers should be at room Greater than or
U.S. Grade A Golden Delicate
temperature prior to filling, to avoid breakage equal to 77.5
when the hot syrup hits the container. Contain- U.S. Grade A Amber Rich 50.0 - 74.9
ers should be capped immediately, placed upside U.S. Grade A Dark Robust 25.0 - 49.9
down to seal them, and then placed on their sides U.S. Grade A Very Dark Strong Less than 25
to cool. This assures a long shelf life when left
unopened. Processing Grade is syrup that does not meet Grade A requirements, but
meets requirements for use in the manufacturing of other products. Maple
Maple syrup containers are made of tin, plastic, syrup for processing must be packed in containers of five gallons or 20 liters
or glass and come in many sizes and decorative or larger and cannot be packaged in consumer-size containers for retail sales.
shapes. Producers have a large selection of maple Substandard is the quality of maple syrup that fails to meet the require-
containers to choose from and should select these ments for U.S. Grade B for Reprocessing. It is not intended to be sold in retail
based on budget, brand, and marketing plan. markets and may be used to make other products.
Maple syrup is graded based on its translucency
and flavor. Some states maintain their own stan-
dards. States without regulations use the U.S. Value-Added Products
Department of Agriculture (USDA) voluntary Offering value-added maple products provides
standards, which were revised in February 2015 an additional opportunity to generate revenues.
to match international standards. The USDA Some widely marketed examples of value-added
standards are indicated in Table 3. products are maple cream, maple candy, and
maple sugar. All are made by reheating and cool-
In addition to distinctive containers, labeling
ing the syrup, using various methods to create the
offers another opportunity to further customize
desired confectionary.
and market your product. Many maple suppli-
ers offer private labeling and/or custom packag- Maple cream is created by boiling maple syrup to
ing. An eye-catching label can help your product 234˚F and then rapidly cooling and continuously
stand out and can reinforce your brand. The U.S. stirring until it reaches a consistency like peanut
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires butter. It is often used as a spread for breads and
all maple sugar labels to contain grading, ingre- crackers, or a dip for fruits and pretzels. One gal-
dients, name and address of farm, and net con- lon of maple syrup will produce around eight
tents volume. Many of the commercially available pounds of maple cream, which illustrates the
containers feature grade, ingredients, and volume potential for profitability of value-added maple
preprinted on the container. products.

Photo: Josh Penick, Hijinks Farm (NH) A digital grader for maple syrup. Photo: Cedarvale
Maple Syrup Co (NY)

www.attra.ncat.org Page 11
 and location, such as maple syrup processing
licenses, a mobile food vendor license, a home
processor license, or commercial processor license.
Producers may also be held to safety standards
relative to physical structure and facility, equip-
ment and utensils, sanitation, water supply, rodent
control, hygiene practices, ventilation, lighting,
additives, byproducts, retail containers, storage
facilities, and labeling. With regard to the Federal
regulations, all sugarmakers must register with
the FDA and follow the standards spelled out in
the federal Good Food Manufacturing Practices
(GMPs).

Quality Control
Food safety and elimination of contamination
are paramount in all phases of maple production.

P
lenty of The Maple Syrup Quality Control Manual notes
“elbow that the most important contributor to maple
grease” syrup quality is cleanliness (Hopkins, 2016). The
Pure maple syrup and maple products. Photo: Loch’s
guide offers valuable information on quality con-
and lots of clean
Maple (PA) trol during all phases of maple syrup production,
hot water are including three key points:
the best cleaning
Maple candy is made by boiling syrup until it • Microorganisms, bacteria, and yeast affect
agents for maple reaches 235˚F, then removing it from the heat both color and flavor. Since these are often
syrup production until it cools to about 175˚F. At this point, it found on unclean equipment and may grow
equipment. can be poured directly in a mold to make a clear rapidly in sap and syrup, careful sanitary
hard candy or stirred until it becomes thick and practices are critical during collection, pro-
creamy to make soft candy. cessing, bottling, and storing syrup and
value-added products.
Maple sugar is produced by heating maple syrup
until the temperature is 258˚F to 262˚F. It is then • Anything added to sap, even in minute quan-
allowed to cool to about 200˚F and stirred by tities, will become concentrated as the sap
hand and mechanical means until granulation is boiled to syrup, causing off-flavor. Most
has occurred. cleaning compounds cannot be used in maple
production. Household detergents, soaps that
Other value-added products include maple jelly, have any fragrance, and iodine-based dairy
maple candy-coated nuts, maple cotton candy, sanitizers cannot be used to sanitize syrup-
maple nut popcorn, maple rock candy, maple tof- production equipment because they can ruin
fee, and maple taff y. Additional product ideas syrup flavor, making the syrup unsaleable.
and recipes can be found in the North Ameri- One part unscented chlorine bleach to 20
can Maple Producers Guide listed in the Further parts clean water (1:20) may be used for rins-
Resource section. ing, but equipment will need to be flushed
afterwards with plenty of clean water.
Food Safety Regulations • Plenty of “elbow grease” and lots of clean
hot water are the best cleaning agents for
and Requirements maple syrup production equipment.
Maple sugar producers should check with their
state departments of agriculture to assure they
are following all applicable licensing, registration,
Potential Impact of
and food-safety regulations, as these vary from Climate Change
state to state. Maple producers may require mul- Like many agriculture operations, the maple sug-
tiple licenses depending on their specific operation aring industry is directly linked to the weather.

Page 12 Maple Sugaring: An Introduction to Small-Scale Commercial Production

The warming and fluctuating temperatures asso-
ciated with climate change have the potential to Appropriate Technology Considerations
impact the industry over time. When the tem- for Maple Syrup Production
perature warms too soon, it shortens the sap run • Vaccum Pressure Tubing Systems suck
and reduces the capacity for production of maple sap out of trees, which can increase
syrup and value-added maple products. According sap yields.
to climate models studied at the Proctor Maple • Reverse Osmosis Machines separate
Research Center in Vermont, warming climate water from sugar and minerals, thus
temperatures indicate a decrease in sap runs by increasing the sugar content of the sap.
three days, amounting to a 10% overall decrease Reverse osmosis machines often require
in the average maple season (Jaidka, 2015). an expensive initial investment, but they
offer significant energy-cost reductions.
Warming temperatures are also of concern along
• Sanitation Improvements, such as reduc-
the southern fringes of the industry, such as Vir-
ing microbial contamination at the tap
ginia. Future warming could potentially restrict sap
hole through spout and tube replace-
flow to a degree that makes these regions unsuit- ments, can increase yields (Jaidka, 2015).
able for maple syrup production (Kahn, 2016). The
effect of a poor season is amplified because overall
production costs do not decrease proportionately:
it takes about the same amount of labor and equip- Conclusion
ment to maintain the trees and complete the pro-
Maple syrup production and sale of value-added
cessing during a fragmented sugaring season as it
maple products offer a viable income opportu-
does through a highly productive season.
nity to producers, particularly those interested
There is also some concern that warming spring in diversifying farm operations. Investment
temperatures during the critical sugaring period in infrastructure can be substantial, and tap-
and increase in summer drought frequencies are ping, collecting, and boiling sap can be very
both affecting sugar content and flavor of maple labor intensive, although technology can lessen
products. Other threats could potentially interact labor demands. Success with a maple enterprise
with climate changes to create more widespread depends upon having good sap runs, as well as
challenges to the maple industry, including the having a strong business and marketing plan
arrival of invasive pest species, such as the Asian supported by a good record-keeping system.
Longhorn Beetle, and risk of drought and forest Adherence to food-safety regulations and maple
fires that are influenced by warming temperatures. syrup standards is required by law.

An Inside Look at a Commercial Sugar Shack

Cedarvale Maple Syrup Company, Syracuse, New York
The Cedarvale Maple Syrup Company is a certified organic maple operation located in Syracuse, New York. It is owned and
has been operated by Karl and Mary Wiles since 1977. The company uses a traditional 5-foot by 12-foot wood-fired evapo-
rator. The evaporator boils off about 250 gallons of water per hour. It takes one full cord of fully dried hardwoods to fuel
the evaporator for eight hours. If the evaporator were oil fired, it would need 75 gallons of fuel oil to replace that full cord
of wood. The evaporator produces approximately six to seven gallons of syrup per hour of operation. To save wood and be
more energy-efficient, they also use a reverse-osmosis filtering unit that concentrates the sap before it goes to the wood-
fired evaporator. When they do this, their syrup production from the wood-fired evaporator jumps as high as 25 gallons per
hour of operation.
The process is continual, with sap always coming in and fully cooked syrup being “drawn off” every 15 minutes or so. Although
the pans usually have only about 1½ inches of liquid in them, the thickened sap tends to foam wildly as it approaches the
syrup state and uses the full 10-inch height of the uncovered front pan. The covered portion of the larger, rear pan (the flue
pan) is a third pan (called a “piggy back” pan) where the sap enters first. The steam from the bottom-flue pan, combined
with air forced into the sap by a large fan, produces the preliminary evaporation at a temperature below the boiling point
of water. The sap next enters the flue pan, which has long, narrow chambers extending below the pan into the firebox to
greatly increase the surface area of the pan for greater heat exchange. The fire rushes between these long, narrow flues
allowing this pan to do the majority of the evaporation.

www.attra.ncat.org Page 13
 sustainableunh.unh.edu/files/media/morse_farm_sugar_
Growing Through the Years maple_works.pdf.
The Story of Loch’s Maple and Fiber,
Springville, Pennsylvania
Kahn, B. 2016. Climate Change Is Coming For Your Maple
Syrup. Climate Central. www.climatecentral.org/news/
Like many other sugarmakers, Randy Loch was attracted climate-change-maple-syrup-20178
to the maple industry due to a love of the outdoors and
an enjoyment of the natural flavor of maple syrup. He Pitcoff, W. 2015. Maple syrup and the new U.S. food
began Loch’s Maple in 1981, with just 50 taps that col-
safety rules. Maple Syrup Digest. December.
lected sap with traditional metal buckets. He and his
www.maplesyrupdigest.org/?m=201512
father boiled the sap over an open fire in a sap house
made from construction scaffolding covered with a tarp.
Randall, J. 2010. Maple Syrup Production. Univer-
In the next few years an old grain building was skidded
from 1/4 mile away and placed on the site now occu-
sity of Iowa Forestry Extension. www.extension.iastate.
pied by today’s sap house. A 3-foot by 10-foot evapo- edu/|forestry/forest_products/syrup.html
rator was purchased and installed, and plastic tubing
replaced the buckets. Rogers, G. 2007. What Does it Really Cost to Produce
|That Gallon of Maple Syrup? University of Vermont
In 1993, Randy married Jamie, and the business contin-
Extension. www.uvm.edu/~uvmaple/maplesyrup
ued to expand. They decided it was time to put an addi-
productioncosts23feb07.pdf
tion on the sap house and give it a facelift. Along with the
building improvements, more taps were added, leading
Vogt, C. No date. Minnesota Maple Series: Identifying
to the need for a bigger evaporator. In 1994, a 4-foot ×
12-foot evaporator was added to the sap house. In 1998,
Maple Trees for Syrup Production. University of Minnesota,
they expanded tapping and added a “piggy back” pan, Department of Forest Resources. www.extension.umn.edu/
which increased the evaporating capabilities to more garden/yard-garden/trees-shrubs/identifying-maple-trees-
than 300 gallons of water per hour. In 2001, they added for-syrup-production-minnesota-maple-series
a reverse-osmosis machine to the operation, which by
now had expanded to 4,000 taps connected by some 30 Wells, G. 1982, Sugar House Design. University of
miles of tubing. Through all these changes, the original Vermont Extension. www.uvm.edu/~uvmaple/
structure of the 100-year-old grain building still stands, sugarhousedesign.pdf
symbolizing Randy and Jamie’s love of preserving the
old traditions of Pennsylvania life. USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. 2017.
Crop Production. June 9. p. 9. http://usda.mannlib.
cornell.edu/usda/nass/CropProd//2010s/2017/Crop
Prod-06-09-2017.pdf
References
Further Resources
Blumensok, B., and K. Hopkins. No date. How to Tap
Maple Trees and Make Maple Syrup. University of Maine. Online Course
https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/7036e Introduction to Maple Syrup Production. BF 152.
Northeast Beginning Farmers Project. www.nebeginning
Fast, A., and G. Roberge. 2010. To tap or not to tap. farmers.org/online-courses/all-courses/maplebf152
Northern Woodlands. Spring. http://northernwoodlands.
org/articles/article/to-tap-or-not-to-tap
Publications
Hansen, R., S. Childs, L. Kime, and J. Harper. 2010. Ag
Alternatives: Maple Syrup Production, Pennsylvania State Crop Production. 2017. By USDA National
University Extension. http://extension.psu.edu/business/ Agriculture Statistics Service. June 9. p. 9. http://usda.
ag-alternatives/forestry/maple-syrup-production mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/nass/CropProd//2010s/2017/
CropProd-06-09-2017.pdf
Hopkins, K. 2016. Maple Sugar Quality Control Manual. This annual report provides statistics by state on maple syrup
University of Maine Cooperative Extension. production indicators including sap and syrup yields, number
https://extension.umaine.edu/publications/7038e of taps, price and value, season open and close dates, and sales
by type.
Jaidka, R. 2015. Morse Farm Maple Sugarworks: Resilience
through Technology. Sustainability Briefing, University Maine Maple Syrup Production Costs. 2009. By
of New Hampshire. http://sustainableunh.unh.edu/sites/ Aaron Hoshine. University of Maine. https://umaine.

Page 14 Maple Sugaring: An Introduction to Small-Scale Commercial Production

edu/mainefoodandagcenter/wp-content/uploads/ Books
sites/168/2011/02/maple-syrup-production-costs.pdf
The Maple Sugar Book, Anniversary Edition. 2000.
This one-page information sheet contains numerous graphics
By Helen and Scott Nearing. Chelsea Green Publishing
that provide insight into production costs.
Company, White River Junction, VT.
Maple Syrup Quality Control Manual. 2016. By This timeless book off ers an account of the art and history
Kathy Hopkins. University of Maine. https://extension. of sugaring.
umaine.edu/publications/7038e Maple Sugaring: Keeping It Real in New England. 2015.
This manual provides information on maintaining quality By David K. Leff. Garnett Books, South St, Reading RG1
in all phases of production. 4QS, United Kingdom. Available online.
Maple Sugaring gives readers an intimate look at the art
Maple Sugaring. 2013. By Stephen Roberge. University of
and science of America’s favorite sweet. These stories, told by
New Hampshire. http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/
real-life sugarmakers, reveal how this ancient industry has
Resource002012_Rep2976.pdf
continued into the twenty-first century.
This four-page guide provides tips for beginning maple
sugar producers. North American Maple Syrup Producers Manual, Second
Edition. 2006. Ohio State University. Available through
Maple Syrup Business Planning Guide. 2012. By Les Ober. Ohio State University Communications and Technology,
Ohio State University. http://aede.osu.edu/sites/aede/files/ Media Distribution
publication_files/Maple%20Syrup%20Business%20Plan- 216 Kottman Hall
ning%20Guide%20-%202012.pdf 2021 Coffey Road
This nine-page publication provides cost estimates and Columbus, OH 43210-1044
comparisons for various collection systems. 614-292-1607
This comprehensive manual on maple sugar production
Maple Syrup Production for the Beginner. No date.
contains contributions from twenty educators, researchers,
By Annie L. Davenport, Pennsylvania State University,
and maple producers from across the maple region.
and Lewis J. Staats, Department of Natural Resources,
Cornell University Cooperative Extension. http://extension.
psu.edu/natural-resources/forests/maple-syrup/resources/
Maple Sugaring Equipment and Material
maple-syrup-production Suppliers
This beginner guide provides an introduction to maple There are hundreds of maple equipment suppliers in the
syrup production. United States and Canada. Following are just a few:
Maple Syrup Production. 2010. By Jesse A. Randall. Iowa • Andersons Pure Maple Syrup –
State University Forestry Extension. www.extension.iastate. www.andersonsmaplesyrup.com
edu/forestry/publications/PDF_files/F-337.pdf
• Bascom Maple Supplies, Inc. –
This four-page article provides an educational overview
www.bascommaple.com/
of maple syrup.
• Leader Evaporator – www.leaderevaporator.com
Sugar House Design. 1982. By Grant D. Wells. University
of Vermont Extension Services. www.uvm.edu/~uvmaple/ • Lochs Maple and Fiber – www.lochsmaple.com
sugarhousedesign.pdf
• Maple Source – www.maplesource.com
This 27-page publication provides extensive information
on designing sugar houses. • Smoky Lake Maple Products –
www.smokylakemaple.com
Sugarbush Lease Agreement. 2003. By Larry Myott
and Gregory Rainville. University of Vermont. • Sugar Bush Supply Company –
www.uvm.edu/~uvmaple/sugarbushlease.pdf http://sugarbushsupplies.com
This is a sample of a sugarbush lease agreement. • Tap My Trees, LLC – www.tapmytrees.com
Sugarbush Management: A Guide to Maintaining Tree • The Maple Guys, LLC – www.mapleguys.com
Health. 1990. By David Houston, Douglas Allen, and
Denis Lachance. USDA Forest Service. www.nrs.fs.fed.
us/pubs/gtr/gtr_ne129.pdf Associations for U.S. Maple Producers
This 56-page guide provides comprehensive information • Indiana Maple Syrup Association –
on maintaining a sugarbush. www.indianamaplesyrup.org

www.attra.ncat.org Page 15
 • Maine Maple Producers Association – Cooperative Extension Websites
www.mainemapleproducers.com
Cooperative Extension offices provide a wealth of
• Massachusetts Maple Producers Association – educational resources related to maple syrup production
www.massmaple.org and sugarbush management, which can provide valuable
assistance to both the hobbyist and commercial producer.
• Michigan Maple Syrup Association – This publication was developed, in part, through information
www.mi-maplesyrup.com provided by the following websites:
• New Hampshire Maple Producers Association – • Cornell Maple Program –
www.nhmapleproducers.com https://blogs.cornell.edu/cornellmaple/
• Maple Syrup Producers Association of Connecticut – • Iowa State University, Forestry Extension, Maple Sugar
www.ctmaple.org Production – www.extension.iastate.edu/forestry/
forest_products/syrup.html
• North American Maple Syrup Council –
www.northamericanmaple.org • Pennsylvania State University Forest Resources,
Maple Syrup Production – http://extension.psu.edu/
• New York State Maple Producers Association – natural-resources/forests/maple-syrup/resources/
www.nysmaple.com maple-syrup-production
• Ohio Maple Producers Association – • University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Natural
www.ohiomaple.org Resources, Maple Syrup Production –
http://extension.umaine.edu/programs/natural-
• Pennsylvania Maple Syrup Producers Council – resources/maple-syrup-production/
http://pamapleassociation.org
• University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension,
• Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association – Maple Syrup – http://extension.unh.edu/Maple-Syrup
http://vermontmaple.org
• University of Vermont Extension Maple (includes
• Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Association – maple sugar operation projected income worksheets) –
www.wismaple.org www.uvm.edu/extension/maple

Maple Sugaring: An Introduction to Small-Scale

Commercial Production
By Andy Pressman and Sharon J. Burke
NCAT Agriculture Specialists
Published August 2017
© NCAT
Tracy Mumma, Editor • Amy Smith, Production
This publication is available on the Web at:
www.attra.ncat.org
IP526
Slot 552
Version 081717

Page 16 Maple Sugaring: An Introduction to Small-Scale Commercial Production