BY LINDA McGURK
Indiana Correspondent

NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — The National Cornbread Festival in South Pittsburgh, Tenn., is the poster child for how local foods can be successfully branded and used to boost economic development in rural America.

Now a Hoosier entrepreneur is trying to recreate South Pittsburgh’s success in the tiny town of Medora in southern Indiana: Meet Tim Burton, founder of Burton’s Maplewood Farm and the National Maple Syrup Festival.

“It would be great if we could get the same attendance that the National Cornbread Festival has achieved. Within five to seven years, I think we could reach 50,000 to 60,000 people,” Burton said about the festival.

He recently shared a story about his sugar camp and the National Maple Syrup Festival with a group of extension educators in Noblesville, as an example of a successful local food venture that could become an engine for economic growth.

“Our vision is that the festival will overflow into the community. Not only will it have a local impact on Medora, it will have a regional impact as well,” he said.

Burton and his wife, Angie, bought their 28-acre farm in 1999 and started producing maple syrup in their sugar shack three years ago.
“We were looking for something we could do as a family and liked the social aspect of it. It’s a lot of fun, and we were intrigued by the product. Making maple syrup has become a lost art,” Burton explained.

The couple started going to farmers’ markets in Chicago and their thick, sugary syrup was soon discovered by chefs at several high-end restaurants. Today most of the 2,000 gallons of maple syrup bottled annually under the Burton’s Maplewood Farm brand is sold wholesale.

Last year the Burtons decided to take their operation one step further by creating an annual event in Medora centered on maple syrup. They were also looking for a way to raise money for the Heads Up Foundation, a nonprofit that supports children with cranio-facial abnormalities.

In March 2008, the National Maple Syrup Festival was born. Despite being hit with a blistering snowstorm on its opening day the event attracted about 2,500 visitors over two weekends. This year, the number grew to 5,000, attracting visitors from as far away as Pennsylvania, Virginia and South Carolina.

Burton said a great deal of networking and reaching out to other Indiana producers were key to realizing the plans for a festival. He also capitalized on the interest in local foods and promoted the Indiana brand.

“All of us Hoosiers have to realize that we shouldn’t take for granted how people outside our state view Indiana. We have this wholesome image here and other people want a piece of that,” Burton said about Indiana foods.

“We need to promote our Hoosier heritage and upbringing, and take it to market.”

Burton also had some advice for other communities eyeing local food systems to aid in economic development: “Local foods and supporting local producers is something that’s become very popular. I would encourage any community to be creative in developing a destination point, whether it’s a festival, a community event or starting a farmers’ market.

“It doesn’t even necessarily need to be in the community – it could be community leaders getting together to create a cooperative that takes local products to market in metropolitan areas. People in those areas are willing to pay a premium price for homegrown produce,” he said.