See how weather affects maple syrup production and the ways Pennsylvania's Old State Farms prioritizes being kind to its trees.
Maple syrup producer, Joseph Burkett and his wife, Alethea, have come a long way since experimenting on a graveled driveway with a couple gallons of watery sap in the hopes of producing maple syrup just 20 years ago. Now, the couple operates Old State Farms — an 80-acre farm in northwestern Pennsylvania that produces between 1,200 and 1,500 gallons of artisan syrup per year.
With a steep reliance on near-perfect weather conditions in order to turn the tree sap into the magical maple syrup we know and love, Burkett is a true steward of his land who uses environmentally conscious tactics in order to be kind to his trees. We traveled to Emlenton to get an up-close look at the fascinating multi-step production process that turns sweet sap into the syrup that sits inside our pantries.
