Maple syrup production has existed in Kentucky for hundreds of years.  However, over generations the production of maple syrup on farms and homesteads seems to have been lost throughout the Kentucky, as very few woodland owners in Boone County still practice it today.  Although only 36% of Boone County is wooded, maple trees are a fairly common street tree and are regularly used in suburban landscapes across the county, giving maple tapping opportunities for homeowners on even small acreage lots.

Over recent years, members within the community have shown an interest in maple syrup production as a way to sustain woodlands within the county but still practice local food and homesteading trends. In 2022, Boone County Cooperative Extension partners with University of Kentucky (UKY) Extension Forestry, UKY 4-H, Boone County Arboretum, Boone County 4-H and FCS, as well as McGlasson Farm to provide impactful programs to provide local maple syrup to consumers, explain why maple syrup is worth the cost, demonstrate techniques to homeowners to produce their own syrup as well as other products, and train UKY Agents across the state potential programming options.

These programs were presented throughout the month of February which was fondly called "Maple Month".  Programs included, UKY Agent Training, KY Maple Day, and Maple Production field trips with local high schools:

UKY 4-H Maple Syrup Training - Collaboration with UKY Extension Forestry and UKY 4-H as well as other agents throughout the state.  The training was presented hybrid style (virtually and in-person) with Boone County Environmental and Nature Center as one of the host field sites.  Agents were taught potential programs, how to tap maple trees and turn the sap to syrup, learn equipment and cooking options.  At least two agents has already implemented a program in their county and another county has already purchased supplies to implement the program in 2023.  Both agents who presented this year had close to 20 attendees from their county.  This type of reach would not have been possible without the excellent teamwork of specialist and agents throughout the entire state of Kentucky.

KY Maple Day - Collaboration with Boone County Arboretum and McGlasson Farm.  This was the 3rd annual year for KY Maple Day across the state and the 2nd year that Boone County has actively participated.  In 2021, McGlasson Farm opened its door to celebrate the occasion giving tapping demonstrations, opening their sugar house and selling a variety of maple products (which quickly sold out).  About 100 participants joined the first year, with a slight increase in 2022.  In 2022, Boone County Arboretum and Boone County Extension partnered to celebrate KY Maple day by offering educational opportunities to the community to present demonstrations and hands-on learning opportunities as well as try a variety of maple products courtesy of Boone County 4-H and Family Consumer Science, just under 100 participants attended.  Many attendees used the information gained to start tapping this year, while some plan to start in 2023 so they could better plan for supplies needed to reach their goals.  In some cases, it made some participants realize they weren't interested in making their own but better understood the higher price point of pure maple syrup and are now more willing to pay those price from local producers.

Maple Production Field Trips - Collaboration with Boone County Extension 4-H Agents, Gina Ligon and Christy Eastwood.  Three schools attend Maple Production Field trips at the Boone County Environmental and Nature Center as part of their curriculum.  Approximately 70 students attended and learned the basics to local maple syrup production.  The program included three stations, Tree ID, Boiling Sap and Syrup, and Cooking with Maple Syrup.  The program is designed to help students understand an additional source of income to their family farms, woodlands or other future plans.  6-8 students expressed an interest is trying maple tapping in 2023 to sell and one school has decided to purchase equipment for 2023 to keep students fully engaged in the process and allow them to experiment with it as a class.

Each program had its own unique impacts. In total, around 185 participants learned about maple syrup production throughout "Maple Month".  A total of 17 taps were installed at the Nature Center, with 4 different set-up demonstrations producing approximately 4-6 gallons of syrup.  Syrup produced at the Boone County Environmental Nature Center was used in a variety of educational programs and is still being used in recipes, for presentations, and future community programs.