Is It Really True That Wyoming Is A Maple Syrup State?

10 years ago, the University of Wyoming put out a report that said the Cowboy State could actually produce maple syrup.

(insert eye roll)

10 years later, with the help of a grant, the maple syrup production testing is beginning.

On as recent episode of the University of Wyoming's Barnyards & Backyards: Rural Living In Wyoming, Carbon County Ag & Natural Resources Extension Educator Abby Perry and Albany County Agriculture & Horticulture Extension Educator Brian Sebade, made a presentation saying they are part of a grant with Utah State and Idaho State to tap maple trees to see how the syrup producing process will work in Wyoming.

Crazy, right?

Within the next couple years, Wyoming could be marketing our very own line of Maple Syrup.

If you take a look at the maple syrup bottle in your kitchen you'll see that the most likely it came from one of the most common producers that are on the eastern side of of North America. States like Vermont, Maine and New York are the top producers in the US, but Canada is where 71% of the worlds maple syrup comes from.

These areas are rich in Maple trees, which is the obvious source for Maple syrup. Each spring the maples are tapped to collect the sap, that is then turned into the maple syrup  you add to your pancake or waffle.

Needless to say, Maple trees are quite important to the maple syrup industry. So how can Wyoming be in that conversation? When you think of trees in Wyoming, Maple Trees aren't one that you really think about.

You Think:

• Cottonwood
• Aspen
• Ash
• Pine
• Chokecherry
• Oak

Another common tree you'll find in Wyoming is the Boxelder tree.

The boxelder trees are the ones you'll see those pesky boxelder bugs in the summer and the helicopter like seeds that fall every year.

The thing about this tree, that many don't know, is that it's actual name is the Manitoba maple (Acer ne-gundo L.), because of this, the sap that the tree produces each spring, can actually be turned into a syrup.

The boxelder is most commonly found on the eastern side of Wyoming, but can be found in 17 of the states 23 counties. Over the next couple of years, Sebade and Perry will be out tapping trees all over the state to find out more about syrup production in the Wyoming and doing presentations and demonstrations along the way.

During this episode of B&B Live! the science, process of how to tap a tree and make the syrup is discussed. It's extremely interesting and exciting to hear about what the future may hold for syrup production in Wyoming.