About Us
The roots of the Blue Earth Valley Trading Company began three years ago while making maple syrup and honey as a hobby. Kevin Mattick, lifetime resident of Mankato, MN, started tapping just a couple of maple trees around his parent's house and making syrup in a steel cooking pan on a outdoor bonfire pit. He was immediately hooked, began training at various maple producer workshops across the country and started expanding his plans to turn his hobby into a business. At the same time, Kevin was trying his hand at beekeeping with the aim of producing honey and beeswax.
The business quickly grew into a family affair. Kevin's parents, Neil and Pam Mattick, both grew up on farms in southern Minnesota and were eager to support him in his goals. They helped him reach out to farmers and landowners in the surrounding Mankato area for locations to tap maple trees and create new bee apiaries for producing honey and beeswax. Kevin also enlisted the help of his two brothers, Jason and Travis, as work hands and later with assistance creating his website and design work. During this time, Kevin was able to expand his production capabilities and began selling his products at local farmer's markets.
In 2013, Kevin reached out to the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation (SMIF), whose mission includes helping new entrepreneurs. Through SMIF, Kevin received mentoring and financial assistance to finally bring his business dreams into reality. The Blue Earth Valley Trading Company became a fully licensed producer in Minnesota during 2014 and launched this retail website in November of the same year.
The future plans for the Blue Earth Valley Trading Company include diversifying the maple, honey and beeswax products we carry. Our mission also includes being an informational resource for aspiring maple and honey producers. We will keep our blog updated with news, recipes and others resources related to our industries.
Please take the time to visit and follow our social media pages in order to keep informed:If you live in the greater Mankato area and would like to contact us about the Blue Earth Valley Trading Company producing maple syrup or beekeeping on your property, please email us at blueearthvalley@gmail.com. We would also love to hear your feedback on any future products you would like to see us produce.
Oh, and our name? The Blue Earth Valley Trading Company is based in the Mattick family's hometown of Mankato which is seated in Blue Earth County, MN. A leading local story maintains the city was meant to be named 'Mahkato', the Dakota word for 'Blue Earth'. The name came from the blueish clay deposits early settlers found along the rivers in the area. The name seemed a natural fit for our company as our products are derived from this legendary blue earth surrounding the Mankato area. Kevin will also tell you that the Blue Earth River is one of his favorite kayaking spots in the state and was one of the first places he began and continues to collect maple sap for his business.
