Maple Syrup

The sap has started to run a little earlier this year due to the warm weather we have been having.  Knowing the process and all of the work it takes to make one bottle of syrup I don’t think I will ever take maple syrup for granted again.  We sell Wild Country Maple Syrup in our store because they are a local operation that has over 320 acres of maple trees.  Each February they begin the work of tapping their maple trees in preparation for the sap season; this is not an easy feat since there are over 12,000 taps to be set.  When the temperatures warm up, usually in April, the sap begins to run.  It follows a tube from the tree into the sugarhouse where it is made into syrup.  It takes 30-40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup!  If weather conditions are perfect then up to 13,000 gallons of sap may be collected in a 24 hour period.  In order to get a good amount of sap flowing the daytime temperatures need to be warm and the nighttime temperatures should still be below freezing.  If a storm front is moving through with sleet and snow then it is even better for collecting sap.  After the sap is collected there is more work to be done;  the syrup must be made, packaged and distributed before we can taste the delicious flavor on our pancakes.