Relevance
Vermont's maple industry has grown more than threefold in the last 20 years. This growth in an already established industry shows that individuals can join successful businesses or start their own although finding qualified employees to help run maple operations is consistently given as one of the limits on growth for existing businesses. Students who understand the latest research on sap and syrup production will be better prepared and effective sugarmakers to bring this traditional, non-timber forest product into the next generation. Currently, many of Vermont's regional career and technical education centers offer curriculums focused on various aspects of maple production. Some schools have fully integrated maple programs that include hands-on experiential learning with everything from sugarbush management and sap collection to syrup production and even marketing of maple products. Other schools may have a maple unit as part of their diversified agriculture and forestry curriculum.
Response
The Vermont Maple Career Development Event (CDE) was started in 2019 to bring research-based knowledge and teaching materials to instructors and students learning about pure maple syrup production and prepare students for a career in maple. University of Vermont (¶¶Òõ̽̽) Extension and Shelburne Farms partnered to host the 2022 CDE with support from FFA's state chapter at Vermont Technical College in Randolph Center, Vermont, in May. The purpose is to show the wide range of research-based knowledge and skills needed to achieve high yields of sap and produce high quality syrup. Students were tested on several aspects of syrup production from growing healthy trees to marketing. Topics were tree identification and tools for sap and syrup production, syrup grading, and tapping guidelines plus a general knowledge exam. An optional team event required teams to work together to properly install a lateral line and demonstrate that the system worked by conducting water from the end tree through a mainline.
Results
To date, more than 125 students from 10 different schools have participated in this first-in-the-nation event. This was the third CDE to focus solely on issues related to maple production. The inaugural CDE, which stemmed from ¶¶Òõ̽̽ graduate student Lynn Wolfe's master's degree project, was held at Shelburne Farms and attracted more than 50 students from eight schools. The COVID pandemic prevented in-person events in 2020. The CDE was modified in 2021 to allow for remote competition with interest remaining high enough to bring back the in-person event when restrictions allowed in 2022. Fifty students competed on nine teams from seven schools around Vermont in this year's event with the three teams scoring the most points overall earning prizes for their school ($2,000 for first place, $1,000 for second, $500 for third). An industrial equipment supplier, one of the largest suppliers of maple equipment in central Vermont, donated the prizes in the form of store credit. Mark Raishart, an instructor at Stafford Technical Center in Rutland, Vermont, commented that participating in the maple event is "Something all students should be doing whether they are in the Tech Center or not. This type of experiential learning is invaluable. It's the best way to do school, I think. Technical education acts as an economic engine because of its ties to Vermont's rural economy and working landscape." Together with Lynn Wolfe (now with Shelburne Farms), Mark Isselhardt, the ¶¶Òõ̽̽ Extension maple specialist, gave a presentation on the maple CDE to the New England Agriculture Teachers Summer Conference this year in hopes of cultivating interest in growing the program. As noted in the presentation, the value of this event is that the knowledge and skills needed to do well in the CDE provide students with an excellent foundation if they choose to pursue a career in maple, either as an owner/operator or as an employee of one of the many maple operations in the state.
Public Value Statement
Although maple is a growing business in Vermont, finding qualified employees to help run maple operations can limit the growth of existing businesses. Students with hands-on experience with sugaring who are well-versed in the latest research on sap and syrup production will be well prepared to carry on the tradition of sugaring in Vermont in the future.