Vermont's Largest Tree Tapper Won't Sell Syrup

Published April 20, 2015 at 12:45 PM EDT

Michael Argyelan, CFO of Sweet Tree Holdings, shows off a maple syrup evaporator at a new processing plant in Island Pond. The out-of-state company is planning to produce value-added maple products that Argyelan says won't compete with local producers. (Charlotte Albright/Vermont Public Radio)

Island Pond, Vermont, is home to only about 900 people, but it could become the maple sugar capital of North America. A company called Sweet Tree has bought about 7,000 acres in the Northeast Kingdom village and tapped 100,000 trees this year.

The thing is, they don’t want to make the stuff you pour on pancakes. Charlotte Albright, from Here & Now contributor Vermont Public Radio, explains why.

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Charlotte Albright, reporter for Vermont Public Radio. She tweets @VPRAlbright.

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