Branon Family Maple Orchards in Vermont: History, What It Makes, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Branon Family Maple Orchards in Fairfield, Vermont, is a certified organic, family-run maple operation across about 4,000 acres in Fairfield and Bakersfield. Tom and Cecile Branon sold their dairy herd in 2001 and built maple into a full-time business; Farm Progress reported 78,000 taps for one winter. In 2025 Cecile Branon received a Lifetime Achievement honor from the Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame.
| Location | Fairfield and Bakersfield, Vermont |
|---|---|
| Founded | Branons bought a Fairfield dairy farm in 1984; full-time sugaring after the dairy herd was sold in 2001 |
| Sectors | organic maple; value-added maple products; bulk syrup |
| Scale | About 4,000 acres; 78,000 taps reported by Farm Progress for one winter |
| Why it is elite | Large-scale organic maple producer; 2025 Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame honoree (Cecile Branon) |
| Ownership | Sixth-generation family business |
| Official website | Branon Family Maple Orchards official site |
History of Branon Family Maple Orchards
Cecile and Tom Branon bought a Fairfield dairy farm from Tom's parents in 1984. In 2001 they sold the dairy herd as the industry shifted, and sugaring, which began as a side diversification, became the full-time business. The family now includes sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren.
The business became a Vermont Retail and Grocers Association member in 2014. In 2013 it built a 10,000-square-foot sugarhouse with two evaporators and added solar panels. In 2025 Cecile Branon received a Lifetime Achievement award for decades of service to the maple industry.
What Branon Family Maple Orchards Grows and Raises
The operation bought 1,300 acres in Bakersfield and later a 2,000-acre parcel there. Farm Progress reported 78,000 taps for that winter, some up to 18 miles from the home farm, with about 80 percent of core mainlines buried to keep sap cooler. About 10,000 taps are rested each year, and reverse osmosis concentrates sap before boiling.
The farm is certified organic and kosher and carries the Vermont Audubon Bird Friendly sugarbush certification. About 6,000 gallons of syrup a year go into products such as maple cream, barbecue sauce and vinegar, and the rest is sold in bulk. These figures come from the 2016-era Farm Progress report, so current numbers may differ.
How Branon Family Maple Orchards Makes Money
Bulk syrup
The Farm Progress story says most syrup is sold in bulk, which provides volume sales.
Value-added maple products
Maple Buffalo Sauce, Maple Grilling Sauce, Maple Bourbon Vinegar and Maple to Go! pouches add margin.
Sugarhouse gift shop and open house
Products are sold in the sugarhouse gift shop, and the farm has taken part in Vermont Maple Open House Weekend.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Branon Family Maple Orchards
Convert a dairy exit into a new enterprise. The Branons used land, buildings and labor they already had when they moved from dairy to maple, and expanded stepwise.
Add value to a bulk commodity. Moving a share of syrup into sauces, vinegar and pouches captured more margin than selling only barrels, and organic and bird-friendly certifications help justify the price.
A family that grew from a dairy barn to an organic sugarbush with buried mainlines deserves a place in the Vermont hall of fame, and one of them has one. At farm.FM we write farm satire, farm humor, ranch humor and farm jokes, and we promise not to joke about the sap lines getting tangled, though we are very tempted. The Branons keep Vermont's reputation for maple deliciously unbroken.
Part newsroom, part radio dial, farm.FM bills itself as America's first satirical farm site and plays Tractor Tunes, its country music for farmers. Browse a farm.FM writer's back catalog to see the style.
How to Contact Branon Family Maple Orchards
Website: https://www.branonmaple.com/
The official domain was listed by the Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association (vermontmaple.org). We did not copy address, phone or email because we could not confirm them on the official site. Confirm sugarhouse hours before traveling.
Branon Family Maple Orchards Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- Branon Family Maple Orchards - Official site
- VRGA member spotlight - History, acreage and products
- Farm Progress feature - Independent coverage of taps, expansion and markets
- NBC5 Hall of Fame report - 2025 Vermont Agricultural Hall of Fame honorees
- Vermont Maple Sugar Makers' Association listing - State association sugarhouse listing
Branon Family Maple Orchards FAQ
What is Branon Family Maple Orchards?
A sixth-generation, family-run organic maple business in Fairfield and Bakersfield.
How many taps does it have?
Farm Progress reported 78,000 taps for one winter; check with the farm for current numbers.
Is it certified organic?
Yes, and it also has kosher and Bird Friendly sugarbush certification.
Who was honored in 2025?
Cecile Branon received a Lifetime Achievement award.
Branon Family Maple Orchards shows how a Vermont dairy family can build a large organic maple operation. Browse more in our guide to Vermont farms.