Anybody that has access to a few healthy, tappable (10 inch or bigger) maples can make maple syrup. Red, sugar, black, silver, Norway and several others can be used; however, sugar and black are the best. Maple sugaring can vary from extremely small scale hobbyist that only tap one or two trees to operations with more than 10,000 taps. As with all enterprises, the best way to get into sugaring is to start as a hobbyist or work at a larger operation. After you have learned the "business," your enterprise will have a greater chance of success.
Maple Syrup Terminology - list and definitions of terms used in maple syrup production.
From the Woods: Maple Syrup - A Taste of Nature (680K pdf) includes information on the maple industry and the basics of how syrup is produced. Requires Adobe Acrobat to download and read it.
New
Producers & Hobbyist
This
page gives first time sugarer a chance to learn the basics.
Beginning
Commercial
If
you have spent a year or two as a hobbyist and decide you like sugaring,
this page will allow you to "scale up" you operation to small-scale
commercial.
Virtual
Tubing Demonstration
Learn
the parts of an aerial tubing system.
Maple
Syrup Team
The
Maple Syrup Team consists of county Extension Educators who provide technical
asisstance and answer questions regarding maple syrup production.
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This publication is available in alternative media on request.
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