Second Thoughts About Maple Syrup

When winter gets a little long in the tooth and we have had our fill of the ice, snow, slush, colds, and dirty vehicles, we begin to long for spring. We start to wonder what the yard looks like and if there really is some grass under all that white? After all, we have not seen bare ground since November except for our one brief thaw. Are the morels beginning to wake up, getting ready to make their appearance? Maybe I’m getting a little ahead of myself but it helps to have something to look forward to! Last year, about this time, I wrote a column about the temptation to produce my own maple syrup. My wife quickly brought me to my senses with a dose of reality. Making maple syrup, we learned, is a very long and involved process but results in a delightful tasting product that is hard to beat. It is like comparing homegrown tomatoes with store bought. There is just no comparison. Several Sundays ago we were slipping and sliding down the road to church. After the service, we had a gathering in the church basement to share some coffee, snacks and conversation with our friends and neighbors. Our friend, Peter, and his daughters were there. Peter was the one who sparked my interest in maple syrup last year. During our chat I asked if he would soon be starting on this year’s harvest. I mentioned that I would be willing to lend a hand if I could be of some help. He surprised me by announcing that he was going to start tapping trees that very day and asked me if I could be there by three. He said, “By the way, bring your snowshoes.” Not only do I not own a pair of snowshoes, I have never been on a set in my life. At three o’clock sharp I rolled into Peter’s drive eager to start. This was an opportunity for me to gain some hands-on experience at making maple syrup. I brought along my drill, hammer, pliers, and a bucket to tote everything in. Dressed in my Carhartts, gaiters, and hunting boots I was ready to go to work. As I exited my Jeep, their 95-pound Rottweiler, Natsu, came barreling out of nowhere to check out the intruder. Luckily for me I must have smelled like a friend rather than foe. Without wasting any time, Peter and his daughter, Caitlin, helped me strap on their extra pair of snowshoes and we gathered buckets, covers, and splines and headed for their grove of maple trees. The process of tapping the tree is really quite simple. Using your power drill and a one-half inch bit, you simply drill a hole on the south side of the tree about two feet above the snow. The hole needs to be about 2 inches into the tree to accommodate the spline (spout) which is tapped into the hole. After completing this task, a bucket is hung on the spout and a cover installed to keep out debris that falls from the trees. Working together we tapped and hung 40 buckets that afternoon which we considered a good start. Warm sunny days and cold nights cause the sap run. By the end of the day, we found that some of our buckets already had about a cup of sap in the bottom. We only have 300 gallons to go! Getting out into the woods on a beautiful afternoon and tromping around on a pair of snowshoes was just what I needed. It’s a sure sign that spring is just around the corner. I’m looking forward to following the entire process through to completion. Pure maple syrup is wonderful when drizzled over some good vanilla ice cream.

 

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