Caitlin Castellini Photography
Our Story
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The owner and chief operator at Bourdon Maple Farm, Don has over 30 years experience as a sugarmaker and has turned a love for the land into a sustainable seasonal business.
Don Bourdon
The operation started as a hobby when he and his brother were boys, collecting from 200 buckets every spring. After college, Don expanded the size of the business and eventually turned it into a 10,000 tap sugaring operation, using the latest innovations in maple technology.
Don is a graduate of the University of Vermont where he studied Economics and Political Science and got his masters in Natural Resources Planning. Don spent 31 years working for the Two Rivers Regional Planning Commission in Woodstock while managing the sugaring business seasonally. He is also known globally for his work in Stanley steam car restoration and boiler-making, and he participates in Stanley tours nationally.
Don previously served on the executive board of directors for the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association as well as being a Windsor County Director and is committed to keeping up with the newest technologies, research, and best practices for his maple business.
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The head of operations, sales, and marketing at Bourdon Maple Farm, Meg joined the team in 2012 before her first year of college at the University of Vermont and fell in love with maple sugaring.
meg EMmons
Working seasonally through college, she joined the team full-time in 2016, and Don taught her everything he knew about the maple industry. Now, she manages our crew and day-to-day operations in the sugarbush, working throughout the fall and winter to prep the sugarbush for spring. Growing up on a local farm, Meg is no stranger to hard work. Her degree in Ecological Agriculture and minor in Food Systems at UVM, along with her work in the food industry at her family farm-to-table restaurant have given her insight into value of locally produced food and in the importance of local, sustainable partnerships and community.
Meg serves on the board of the Windsor County Maple Producers Association along with Don Bourdon and is also involved in the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers Association and the Two Rivers Regional Planning Commission. She is dedicated to supporting all sugarmakers in the industry and building strong community within our local food system.
Caitlin Castellini Photography
Our Crew
Our crew is a hardy bunch of New Englanders who love sugaring as much as we do, braving the elements every day to help us make Vermont's best maple syrup.
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Caitlin Castellini Photography
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Caitlin Castellini Photography
our commitment
TO TRADITION
Maple and agriculture are deeply rooted in Vermont's history. From its beginnings in Native American culture to its continued innovation in current day farming practices, maple syrup is in our blood. It's a way to keep close ties to the land that sustains us and is the culmination of years of hard work, discipline, and shared learning that has made maple what it is today.
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- Vermont Maple Syrup -
TO THE LAND
As stewards of the land, we care about the health and sustainability of our forest. Our land is conserved in the Vermont Land Trust, which looks to preserve Vermont's rural working landscape. We also maintain a state-approved forest management plan to ensure that we are utilizing the land in a way that is in alignment with both our agricultural goals and the continued ecological health and resilience of our forest. This plan, along with sustainable tapping practices ensures that the land is viable for future generations.
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TO QUALITY
We are committed to making 100% pure Vermont maple syrup, combining hard work and sustainable management practices with innovative technology to make a product that we are proud of. We have committed to organic standards through Vermont Organic Farmers, which promote excellent forest health and the highest food safety standards in the sugarhouse and beyond.
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