Maple syrup producers across Kentucky opened their farms to visitors over the weekend as they started to tap trees to harvest the sticky, sweet commodity.
The statewide event, known as Kentucky Maple Day, gives producers in the Bluegrass State the chance to show community members exactly how they craft the artisanal product during its peak production time.
Kevin Colston first visited a farm for Maple Day nearly five years ago. Now, he and his family run Colston Farm and Kitchen, where they produce their own maple syrup alongside grass hay and baked goods. Colston said he’s happy that people can come and learn the ins and outs of syrup on a local farm, the way he did.
“We're here to help. We just want to help promote maple syrup in Kentucky, and hopefully one day [the industry in Kentucky] will be big enough, kind of like the northeast,” Colston said.
According to Kentucky Today, there are currently around 100, predominantly small, farms producing maple syrup across Kentucky. But researchers with the University of Kentucky believe there’s a pathway for major growth in the state’s syrup trade that could facilitate economic growth in the commonwealth.
Along with educating the community, KY Maple Day is a way of supporting farmers still selling some specialty products from last season.
Jesse Adams, a western Kentucky beekeeper, said the opportunity to support local farmers in a trade mostly dominated by large companies got him out of the house this weekend.
“It was a big motive for me to support any local business, [in] any way I can. And being here today just is proof that if we participate in [the local economy by supporting] the local farmers, they can beat the big guys,” Adams said.
February is a big month for syrup producers in Kentucky, and state agriculture officials recently designated it Maple Syrup Month in the commonwealth.
As the month goes on, there will be more opportunities for Kentuckians to learn about the farming practice, including a second KY Maple Day for those interested in visiting farms around the state on Feb. 21.
