This country life.... who's that tapping at my... tree?
Perfect country days... the snow is melting, the sap is running, the cusp of spring. We have tapped six maple trees and I solo collected about 40 gallons of sap yesterday on our first day. Have to start the sugar shack fires later today. That should yield one gallon of maple syrup. (Yep, it's a ratio of about 40 to 1, sap into syrup.)
On Saturday, Alan instructed Rebecca and Dan and a group of their wonderful friends up from NYC in the art and fun of preparing to make maple syrup.
How to, first three steps:
1. Drill holes in your trees,
insert spiles (the little faucets),
hang old fashioned metal buckets with spring-loaded roofs (to keep out debris and deter critters).
2. The sap starts flowing when nights are freezing and days are warm.
Listen to the dripping, faster than your heartbeat, on a sunny day.
Wait. Patiently. Check those buckets.
3. Pour the sap, overflowing from the bucket, into larger plastic containers -- and carry them over to the sugar shack.
More to come....
Posts
so that is how maple syrup is made!! WOW
ReplyDeleteNALA
Hi, Becca. Got your e-mail.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to reading more of your/your mom's posts here. Bring on that maple syrup -- yumm! :D
Deborah,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by and reading! I haven't been by your blog in a while, but I plan to soon... can't wait to see what's on your needles.
The syruping is going well and I already have elaborate plans for everything I want to make with it or eat it on!