Bullitt County is 30% covered by natural forest--252Mha in total. In fact, from 2000 to 2020, Bullitt County experienced a net increase of 0.64% in tree cover.[1] Needless to say, most Bullitt County residents and landowners have access to trees. While some may only have one tree in their front yard, many landowners maintain at least a part of their properties in natural forest or partial tree cover.

As residents of Bullitt County and surrounding counties seek options for farm diversification, interest in backyard, small-scale maple tapping is growing, with some even interested in commercial-scale production. Especially in the case of farmers, maple tapping can provide a viable commercial enterprise in the winter due to lower labor demands during the 4-6 week peak maple syrup production window. However, anyone with a maple tree can make syrup.

Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum) trees tapped with simple tube and bucket method for small-scale production of maple syrup.

In November 2022, before the 2023 maple tapping season began, the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service in Bullitt County hosted a class for the public to learn about backyard maple tapping. During the class, everyone left the classroom to visit the Bullitt County Cooperative Extension demonstration sugar bush on the property where the Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR) Extension Agent has displayed several options for small-scale tapping including single buckets or jugs and multi-tree tubing systems for more efficient sap collection. Attendees learned the basics of installing taps in trees by trying it themselves followed by a lecture on basic identification of tree species, the anatomy of trees, the physics of sap flow, and best practices for tapping trees, boiling sap, and finishing maple syrup.

Attendees were surveyed and reported a a wide variety of reasons for attending the class and aspiring to tap maple trees. One person simply stated, “I like hiking and nature;” while another said, “I believe investing in agroforestry and educating landowners about agroforestry can help families keep land forested.” Some suggested they just love maple syrup for its delicious flavor, while others reported their affection for syrup’s companion foods: pancakes, biscuits, and waffles. Some stated they were hoping to expand their self-sufficiency, diversify their farm and garden products, or practice permaculture. Some were seeking out a natural sweetener that is less processed than white sugar. One attendee said, “We already garden and can our vegetables, so maple syrup is just another option to enjoy the bounty of nature!” Whether the class attendees were seeking independence or sweet treats, profit or simply a new hobby, everyone left the class reporting an increased knowledge of and excitement towards the subject. Everyone also left with a single tree tapping kit including a bucket, tube, and tap to use the following winter.

Participants got hands-on experience tapping maple trees.

Interestingly, due to the novel topic and the use ads on Facebook and Instagram for marketing the class, only 21 of the 41 attendees reported having ever previously attended an extension program before which marks a huge success in attracting new clientele to Cooperative Extension Service programming in Bullitt County. Out of the 18 women and 23 men in attendance, only 4 people had ever tapped maple trees previously; although, 10 had experience with honey and 3 had previously produced sorghum syrup. In a post-class survey, 34 of the attendees reported that they would likely try tapping maple trees this winter, with 35 reporting confidence in their ability to tap trees because of knowledge gained from the class.