You can’t tell the story of Georgia Mountain Maples without first talking about the wind. For years our family studied and researched the possibility of using the Georgia Mountain to generate clean, renewable energy. We saw the wind as a valuable resource that could serve our greater community. Eventually we decided the plan was doable. In 2005 we began the process of getting approval and permitting for the Georgia Mountain Community Wind Project (http://georgiamountainwind.com). The power generated by the four windmills that line our ridgeline comes directly into the substation, and powers most of Milton (up to 6,000 homes). It’s creating more power than was originally predicted.

In another sustainable effort, Georgia Mountain Maples is utilizing the excess water drawn out of the sap during the reverse osmosis process.  Thousands of gallons of pure water that were once considered an unused byproduct of this process are now being put to good use.  Some of the H2O is recycled to help clean our equipment, but the majority of it is being used in a beverage called Tretap.  One of our sugaring neighbors had the idea 13 years ago to reuse this water and bottle it.  He thought it was very wasteful that most of this water was not being used and it just went down the drain.  Georgia Mountain Maples is now part owner in Big Barn Grazer’s, the company that is making Tretap.  We feel the same way as our neighbor did, what a shame to dump thousands of gallons of H2O down the drain.  Look for Tretap products in your local convenience stores and your local Hannafords.

Georgia Mountain Maples also pays a premium for our electricity, as we purchase cow power through Green Mountain Power Company.   And our Tornado Evaporator is powered by Natural Gas.  There are only a handful of rigs, of this size, in the country that are powered by Natural Gas.

We believe there’s a way of doing things, and there’s a right way. We’re committed to running our business the right way. Georgia Mountain provides our family and community with a place to live, work, and play. It’s our duty to take care of the mountain, and use its resources in a responsible manner. If managed properly, maple trees can remain productive for generations. But healthy trees need a healthy forest home. We work year-round to maintain our woodlands— all 2,000 acres of it — and all of our taps.

Community

Sugaring is rewarding work, but at the end of the day, we do what we do because of the people in our lives. When we set out to build Georgia Mountain Maples, our mission, along with making high-quality maple syrup, was to do meaningful work with our friends and family.

The Georgia Mountain Maples team is made up of brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts and uncles, neighbors, and friends. We all work hard, and we work hard together. It’s the Vermont way of life, and thankfully, it’s all we’ve ever known.