West Virginia taps into the maple industry [Video]

BRUCETON MILLS, W.Va. (WBOY) — The Mountain State Maple Days celebrated the end of its seventh year at dozens of sugarhouses and businesses on March 16 in support of a growing maple-making community in the state.

Heasley Homestead was established almost a decade ago, a retirement hobby Heasley said took on a life of its own. The idea to start tapping maple trees and making maple syrup came from a student, according to owner and operator Keith Heasley, a retired professor.

”Good college student, he’s out of his apartment building tapping a maple tree in the front yard,” Heasley said. “I said that’s cool, and so I think I started tapping that next year.”

On special days like the Mountain State Maple Day, Heasley and his team give dozens of tours to hundreds of visitors explaining the process from obtaining the sap from trees to transporting it through lines where …