"GIVE US MORE" - DETAILS:

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In a short definition: Pure maple syrup is made by concentrating the slightly sweet sap of the sugar maple tree through a process of heating and evaporation.

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In the spring, as the days become longer and warmer (late February/early March), we prepare the sugar bush by clearing the snow and fallen limbs from access roads. We then set up our sap collection systems. While there is no set time to tap our maples, we watch carefully for the signs of “sugaring weather.” The milder daytime temperatures bring melting snows, while the nights are below freezing. This is the weather that makes the sap flow a.k.a the best time to tap our trees.

 

Tapping maple trees with tree-friendly “spiles/spouts” involves drilling smaller sap-carrying holes about waist high. Once the holes are created, a spile/spout is tapped into this hole allowing the sap to flow when temperatures rise above freezing. The sap then flows through the spile/spout and is carried by a tubing system to collection tanks. A typical tree will be more than 12 inches in diameter and have one or two taps. Each tap hole will yield about 10 gallons of sap, enough to make about a quart of maple syrup. It's important to only tap the trees that are in excellent health, while always making sure we aren't endangering the well-being of our maple trees.

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When the trees have been tapped and all the equipment is ready, we are set for the “first run” — the first time of the new season when the sap begins to flow. Typically, the sap is a clear, slightly sweet liquid containing about 1- 4% sugar. Prolonged periods of below freezing temperatures, days without freezing nights, or prolonged warm spells will stop the sap flow. When conditions become favorable again, the flow resumes, and another sap “run” begins.

 

Normally, our sugaring season only lasts on average of

4 to 6 weeks.

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In order to produce the finest quality pure maple syrup, the sap is held in large storage tanks (located in our sugar-house), then flows into our evaporator. Evaporators are level heated (wood or oil-fired) pans that have changed very little over the years. As the water is boiled off, the liquid becomes sweeter (more concentrated) and begins to move towards the front of the pan. This is where we see the boiling sap turn golden. The boiling sap temperature is checked frequently as to note when it reaches 7F degrees above water’s boiling point, it has officially become maple syrup. What was 98% water and 2% sugar is now 33% water and 67% sugar.

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Can you get any more awesome than that?!

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Finally, the finished boiling syrup is drawn off the pan, it is then filtered, and packaged. Depending on certain weather-related variables, 40 gallons of sap yield about 1 gallon of pure maple syrup. From this moment (to hopefully the next 6 weeks)

the sweet-smelling steam rising from the sugar-house is a sure sign to everyone around (and the curious bears) that the sugar-making season is in full swing! 

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