By KAREN MADORIN
You don’t have to travel far to learn something new.
During spring break a decade ago, my husband and I jaunted to Courtland, Kansas, to explore the Jamestown Marsh area. I expected to see migratory birds, including eagles, cranes, ducks, and geese, and hoped to visit Pawnee Indian Village Museum to study more about early residents of this region. My to-do list included antiquing and photography.
One thing I never expected was discovering a maple tapping/syrup making operation. In fact, I thought this was a New England-only activity, never realizing Kansans produce local maple products.
Along Highway 36, trees clearly realized spring’s official arrival was days away. Tiny buds turned toward the sun. Robins hopped about still dormant yards seeking a full belly.
Upon reaching our destination, we noticed unanticipated seasonal scenery. Scores of maple trees sported not only reddish bud clusters, but blue and silver buckets adorned their trunks. After cruising each street to confirm our suspicions, we agreed someone had tapped local maples.
After arriving at Snow Goose Lodge, the mystery deepened. We spied a sugar shack—a small hut containing a wood-burning evaporation unit—with a wood maple leaf cutout labeled, “Republic County Maple Guys.”
Lodge host Jim Elliott, participant in this spring ritual, simmered maple sap as we drove in. After we met him, he answered one question after another. He explained you tap the trees under certain conditions: day temperatures must be above freezing and night temps below, adding the operation typically has a two-to-three-week collection window. We’d timed our arrival perfectly.
Jim and his business partners-- two youngsters--tapped trees, collected sap, reduced it on a specially designed wood-burning contraption, condensed it further on the stovetop to golden brown, thick syrup they bottled to sell at local farm markets.
Savoring the kitchen aroma as the well-tended stockpot bubbled made me eager to return as soon as their product hit the market.
Wanting to know more about maple syrup production in Kansas, I researched an article about these entrepreneurs and their efforts.
According to the Republic County Economic Development site, that year marked their third year of production. Each season, with the aid of local maple tree owners, the team increased efforts enough to collect approximately 600 gallons of sap, which rendered about 12 gallons of syrup. The article focused on value-added agricultural products.
Even more than goods to sell, the value-added human product Mr. Elliott offered his business partners impressed me.
The lessons these young men learned about identifying trees, negotiating with landowners, tapping trees, collecting sap, converting raw material to consumable syrup, and marketing offered personalized education for all involved. Those lads learned practical math, cooking, food safety, writing, reading, creative thinking, entrepreneurial and people skills that surpass anything textbooks provide.
Their chance to see opportunities beyond expanding markets and services and connect rural youth to local resources and use those contacts to create expertise created successful entrepreneurs who will grow our state.
What began as a simple getaway for us turned into a bucket full of possibilities.
Seeing three Kansans turn a natural resource in their yards into not only an agricultural venture but also a skill and character-building effort offers hope that utilizing such assets creates sweet business deals as well.
Karen Madorin is a retired teacher, writer, photographer, outdoors lover, and sixth-generation Kansan.