4-H Maple Sugaring 101

From Sap to Syrup to Sales —
A three-week program open to Maine youth ages 12 and up

Not long after the New Year celebrations have ended and Maine hunkers down for several more weeks of winter, some farmers and landowners across the state turn their attention to maple sugar season. Depending on the weather, maple trees start to release their sweetness anytime between February and April and there’s a lot of work to be done to prepare for collecting the sap and boiling it down into syrup.

Maple Sugaring 101 is a 3-week program open to Maine youth ages 12 and up who are interested in learning about the entire maple sugaring process and who live in Somerset, Piscataquis, Penobscot, and Waldo counties. Participants will learn about forest management, tapping trees, transporting sap, using an evaporator, grading and storing syrup, and operating a maple sugaring business.

Each week, participants will learn about the process and connect with other young maple sugar makers through online meetings and in-person workshops led by Extension and University of Maine experts. Online meetings are scheduled for 6 p.m. on Wednesdays: February 22, March 1, and March 8. On-site workshops where participants can gain hands-on experience will be held Saturdays with the following schedule:

On-site:

Maple sugaring is very weather dependent. However, these dates are likely to be suitable for maple sugaring activities in many parts of the state.

  • February 25, 2023, at local sugar houses in each county
  • March 4, 2023, at University of Maine’s Thomas J. Corcoran Sugar House in Old Town and local sugar houses in counties
  • March 11, 2023, at the local county Extension office or other location suitable for creating value-added products (TBD)

Online, 6:00 p.m. on the following Wednesdays:

  • February 22, 2023
  • March 1, 2023
  • March 8, 2023

Registration is required, but there is no cost.

For more information or to register, contact your county office:

General questions about the program can be directed to Andrew Hudacs, andrew.hudacs@maine.edu; 207.581.8204.

For more information or a reasonable accommodation, please contact the person listed at one of the four local county offices above.

4-H is a community for all kids with programs that suit a variety of backgrounds, interests, budgets and schedules. In 4-H programs, kids and teens complete hands-on projects in areas like health, science, agriculture and civic engagement in a positive environment where they receive guidance from adult mentors and are encouraged to take on proactive leadership roles. Clubs can take a variety of forms, ranging from at home, in school, after school, in person and online. As a system, Cooperative Extension believes that diverse perspectives, values and beliefs help generate better ideas to solve the complex problems of a changing—and increasingly diverse—world.

In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine System does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability physical or mental, genetic information, or veterans or military status in employment, education, and all other programs and activities. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies: Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 Boudreau Hall, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5754, 207.581.1226, TTY 711 (Maine Relay System).