Jake and Kaitlin Benoit, high school sweethearts, both grew up in Vermont and were rooted in lives of agriculture at a young age. In 2020, they began the Benoit Family Maple Barn on their 20-acre Richford, Vermont home, where they currently have 800 maple tree taps.
The Benoits cook their maple syrup in the traditional way on a wood-fired evaporator, which reduces the water content of the sap and thickens it until it becomes maple syrup. But they don’t just produce maple syrup. They also carry maple sugar, sprinkles and crumbles, which result from cooking the sap longer. The only difference between the three is the size of the granules. While the maple sprinkles and crumbles can be used as toppers on ice cream, yogurt and donuts, the maple sugar can be used as a 1:1 sugar substitute.
The maple cream, which is a Benoit Family and customer favorite, is made from maple syrup that has been beaten until it becomes creamy. The Benoits suggest drizzling it on toast, cookies, scones, waffles, pancakes and fruit, but the possibilities are endless. In addition to the maple cream, their most popular product is the maple popcorn.
Outside of the Benoit Family Maple Barn, Jake has his own plumbing business, while Kaitlin works as a nurse. They operate a self-serve, open daily, year-round farmstand where they sell their maple syrup and other goodies, including farm-fresh eggs from the Benoit family hens. Visitors write their name, products bought and total payment in a notebook and then leave cash or check in a locked box. They may also opt to pay through Venmo on their website, which anyone who cannot visit the farmstand in person may also purchase products for shipping.
It’s safe to say that their farm is a true family operation, as their three children love to help out with tapping trees, taking care of the chickens, and gathering eggs. The Benoits plan to expand on their property and taps this year, bringing them to 1600 taps in total for the upcoming sugaring season. Their long-term goal is to have between 5 – 10,000 maple taps and continue selling their Benoit Family Maple Barn products through their farmstand and online shop.
AUTHOR
Ashley is a writer and teacher living in Florida. When she isn't reading or writing, you can find her in the kitchen experimenting with a new recipe, on the yoga mat in downward dog, or lost out in nature with her family.
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