2021 Maple Business Short Courses (October-November)

UVM offers two online short courses for current and prospective maple producers this fall. Each course includes four classes (1.5 hours each), once per week, in addition to teaching assignments linked to the business planning tools and calculators available on this web page. Registration in now open!

• Maple Business Planning  This four-session course guides participants through key aspects of preparing a business plan. Each session covers concepts in strategic planning, analyzing risks, marketing and planning improvements. Students prepare sections of their own plan over the four-week timeframe of the course. Instructor: Mark Cannella (Extension Associate Professor). Registration Closed-Class is Full. Course Dates: 7:00 - 8:30 EST pm EST on Tuesdays: 10/26, 11/2, 11/9 and 11/16.

• Maple Financial Planning  This four-session course guides participants through the basics of financial statements and financial planning concepts. Topics included cash flow, balance sheets, sales forecasting and calculating cost-of-production. The goal of this course is to identify important numbers and where to find them in order to make powerful decisions for your business. Instructor: Mark Cannella (Extension Associate Professor). Registration Closed-Class is Full. Course Dates: 7:00 - 8:30 EST pm EST on Thursdays: 10/28, 11/4, 11/11 and 11/18.

2021 Webinar Series (August-December)

UVM maple specialists will teach online webinars focused on maple production, forestry practices and  business management. See the 2021 Maple Webinar Flyer here. Registration links will be available mid-June. All sessions are scheduled for Wednesday evenings. Registration for each event closes 48 hours prior to the event start time.

• Total Yields from Red Maple (July 21st), "Red Maple as Crop Trees" (article)

• Maple Start-Up Profiles and Financial Benchmarks (July 28th), video recording, slides

• Best Practices for Birch Syrup Flavor (August 11th), "Sustainable Birch Tapping" (article) , "Birch Sap and Syrup Trials" (article)

• Sugarbush Inventory Methods (August 25th), video recording, slides

• Sap-Only Enterprises (September 15th), video recording,  slides

• Binding Contracts and Legal Agreements (September 29th), video recording,  slides

• Maple Forests and Carbon (October 13th), video recording, slides

• Northeast Forest Land Taxes and Programs (October 27th), slides

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2020 Webinar Archive:

Maple Business and Forestry Series (August-December 2020) UVM maple specialists hosted a series of online webinars focused on business decision making and forestry practices. Slides and recorded sessions are posted below.

• Sugarbush Rental Rates  Wednesday, August 5th; 7:00pm EST (slides; video)
• Tapping Practices to Optimize Yield and Sustainability  Wednesday, August 19th; 7:00pm EST (video)
• Sugarbush Leases and the Sugarhouse Lease  Wednesday, September 2nd; 7:00pm EST (slides; video)
• Sap Yield and Tapping Stained Wood  Wednesday, September 16th; 7:00pm EST  (slides; video)
• Fall Tapping and Tap Hole Longevity  Wednesday, September 30th; 7:00pm EST (video)
• Forestry and Maple Panel Discussion  Wednesday, October 14th; 7:00pm EST (video)
• Tubing Systems and Forest Management  Wednesday, October 28th; 7:00pm EST
• Digital Entrepreneurship and Online Sales  Wednesday, November 4th; 7:00pm EST (slides; video)
• Sap-Only Enterprises  Wednesday, November 11th; 7:00pm EST (slides; video)
• Appraisal and Valuation of a Sugarbush  Wednesday, December 9th; 7:00pm EST (slides; video)