Maple Museum reaches out to youth

About 20 minutes south of the College campus, located on Route 7, sits the New England Maple Museum. The maple museum details the history of sugaring in America, beginning with Native Americans and ending today with the advent of modern technology to aid the process. It is one of the most comprehensive museums on maple syrup in the nation.

The New England Maple Museum website boasts “the most complete collection of sugaring artifacts in existence,” and it is not kidding. The entrance to the museum includes a well-stocked gift shop full of everything maple as well as everything Vermont. The museum itself flows chronologically, beginning with the Iroquois Native Americans, who first discovered maple sugar. Laura Goodrich, an employee of the museum, explained that the artifacts in the museum accumulated over the past 35 years.

“When people retire from sugaring they can’t bring themselves to throw their equipment away, so they give it to us,” she said.

Goodrich also noted that contributions to the museum help retired maple enthusiasts feel as if they are still able to make a difference and that the tools they have used their whole lives in their sugarbushes did not go to waste.

There are several key features that are unique to the museum. For example, at various stations guests can press a button that plays audio of real men and women who have sugared for their entire lives, divulging their expertise. There are also clips of songs and poems about maple syrup.

“[Our goal is to] get kids excited,” said Goodrich. “It’s hands on to stimulate them, get them interested in being involved.”

Along with the various displays, the audio also serves to show guests just how connected sugaring is with Vermont’s culture.

“It’s one of the few things we still make in the state,” said Goodrich, “We’re very proud of the fact that it’s our heritage.”

The museum includes a display of a modern evaporator, which runs water through the space to give a better visual of what the process was like. After making its way through the museum, the tour ends with a slide show accompanied by audio describing in detail what a regular sugaring season is like.

“Some people have not a clue in the world, but you’re pretty much an expert by the time you finish at the museum,” said Goodrich.

Although the extensive information provided by the displays of the museum are reason enough to visit, the owners have another motive as well. Goodrich explains that the museum serves not only to preserve the history of sugaring, but to inspire a new generation to take up the art.

“Most people don’t know a lot of the industry, and the museum helps to educate and make people more passionate,” said Goodrich.

The museum does its best to cater to all ages, but especially to the youngest.

“With all the modern technology now it’s hard to create new artisans,” said Goodrich. “Most sugarers are in their 90sby now. You have to get the youngest kids engaged.”

The new generation must be committed for the tradition to be maintained.

“We would hate to see something like that go,” said Goodrich. “We try to entice younger people to begin and make a life passion.”

With the interactive aspects as well as the vivid displays that show sugaring for all of its healthy hard work and adventure, the New England Maple Museum inspires younger generations to at least learn more extensively about sugaring every year.

“If a kid goes out and helps in a sugarbush, it will make all the difference in the world,” said Goodrich. “They get to see the end result and realize that it was something they produced.”

Although the museum cannot bring children out into sugarbushes to do work, it offers a close second. By seeing all of the equipment and having it explained in a fun and interesting way, Goodrich hopes a passion for sugaring is born. With that newfound interest, Goodrich thinks people will contact local farmers and go visit the sugarbushes themselves. In the gift shop, the museum has syrup from most local sugarbushes, and there are ways to contact those farms through the museum.

The industry is still very much family oriented, and there is hope that entire families will pick up the process with the help of education. Maple syrup in Vermont is a “mom and pop industry that is something to be proud of,” said Goodrich. The museum embodies that pride as well as the love of nature, as sugaring is one of the best ways to work with nature to get a product. The museum will continue to expand in the future. Goodrich explained that his work is based on the goal to spread a love for sugaring.

“We hope more younger people will take up the gauntlet.”