Top 10 Fun Facts About Maple Syrup from Farmer Doug

Farmer Doug (Douglas Worple) and his wife, Becca, run Golden Dog Farm in Jeffersonville, Vermont. They make award-winning organic maple syrup, honey, and more, but the real draw is their “Golden Retriever Experience,” where visitors get swarmed (lovingly) by a pack of happy goldens. It’s Vermont at its finest—sweet, scenic, and covered in dog fur.

With maple sugaring season in full swing, Farmer Doug took a break from boiling sap to share some of his favorite maple syrup facts—because around here, we take our syrup pretty seriously.

#1
It Takes a Lot of Sap – It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make just 1 gallon of maple syrup! Picture a bathtub full and that’s about what you need!
#2
Maple Trees Need to Be Mature – A maple tree must be at least 40 years old before it can be tapped for sap. So if Maple Syrup continues to grow in popularity, it will take a while for supply to catch up to demand!
#3
Sap Flows in the Spring – Sap is the energy a tree needs to create buds for leaves, so it only runs in the Spring as the trees emerge from dormancy and get ready to blossom. The best time to collect sap is when the days are above freezing (32°F/0°C) and the nights are below freezing. This temperature swing creates the perfect pressure for the sap to flow.

#4
Canada Dominates the Market – About 80% of the world’s maple syrup comes from Canada, with Québec producing the vast majority. Vermont Produces the Most in the U.S. – making over 2.5 million gallons annually!
#5
Maple Syrup is Valuable – A barrel of Maple Syrup is worth about 20X more than a barrel of crude oil. In 2012, thieves in Québec stole nearly 550,000 gallons of maple syrup worth over $18 million, making it one of the biggest food heists in history!
#6
Grades Are About Color and Taste – Maple syrup comes is graded based on color and flavor, from Golden Delicate to Very Dark Strong.

#7
Maple Syrup Can Be Used as an Antiseptic – Indigenous peoples used maple syrup and sap to treat wounds because of its natural antimicrobial properties.
#8
You Can Drink Maple Sap – Before it's boiled into syrup, maple sap is a clear, slightly sweet water that’s often enjoyed as a refreshing drink.
#9
Maple Syrup Doesn’t Freeze Easily – Because of its high sugar content, maple syrup has a much lower freezing point than water, making it hard to freeze solid.

#10
Maple Syrup is Good For You – Well, at least as good as a sugar source can be. A quarter-cup of maple syrup contains 100% of your recommended daily allowance of manganese, as well as significant amounts of riboflavin, zinc, magnesium, calcium, and potassium.
PLUS a bonus fun fact that is near and dear to Farmer Doug's heart!
#11
Maple Syrup is Safe For Dogs – Manganese and zinc are good for dogs’ immune systems too. All things in moderation though. Dogs can’t over indulge on Maple Syrup as too much sugar is not good for them either!

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Pure Maple Syrup Graphic T-Shirt

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Maple Open House Brunch

On Sunday, March 23, 2025, as part of the Spring Maple Open House Weekend, Golden Dog Farm will host The Maple Open House Brunch (aka the M Brunch), which includes:

Maple Sugarhouse Tour
Music
Mansfield’s Best Friends (aka the Butternut Goldens and the World Famous Golden Retriever Experience)
Morning Meal with Maple Syrup
Mimosas

Learn More

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