AMES, IOWA (October 15, 2026) — Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has released a publication designed to help beginning and experienced producers prepare for the syrup season ahead. The four-page guide, “Maple Syrup Production,” is available for download from the ISU Extension Store.
Making maple syrup is labor-intensive, and success often depends on decisions made well before the first sap flows. Iowa’s season runs from mid-February through early March. Newcomers can use the fall to identify maple trees large enough to tap and begin gathering equipment, while experienced producers typically start preparing their gear in January.
Guidance from tree selection to bottling
The guide walks readers through each stage of the process. Key points include:
- Choosing the right trees: Sugar and black maples produce sweeter sap than silver maples or boxelders, which can mean far less time boiling.
- Tapping with care: Learn how many taps a tree can handle based on its size and how to place them from year to year.
- Boiling sap into syrup: Become familiar with how hobby producers can get started with a flat pan over a hearth of concrete blocks, as well as how modern evaporators work.
- Handling sap and finished syrup: Sap is perishable and best processed within 24 to 48 hours and involves filtering and bottling the finished product.
“Whether someone is interested in tapping a few maple trees in their backyard or exploring maple syrup production as a business opportunity, this guide offers the information needed to get started,” said Emma Kerns, forestry field specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach.
“Beyond the finished product, tapping trees and making syrup gives Iowans a chance to spend time outdoors, learn more about their woodlands, and experience one of the unique benefits our forests have to offer.”
For more information, download the publication or contact Billy Beck at wjbeck@iastate.edu, Emma Kerns at erkerns@iastate.edu, or Julia Baker at jaclymer@iastate.edu.
