We have 8 maple trees on our small property, so we decided to tap them for maple syrup this year. A dear friend showed us last year how it is done. While Adventure Academy Dad was at work CG and SA and I raided his tool room at the back of the barn for a drill and bit.
He had purchased some buckets and taps a few days earlier for us. We began to drill and tap the trees 4 1/2 feet above the ground perfect for a child to view. We did three and it was a beatutiful sunny day. The sap began dripping as soon as the taps were in. CG checked them each hour that first day.
The next morning we checked our buckets and emptied them into a large pot. We filtered the sap with a coffee filter and food mesh strainer. We set up a spot on our porch and bought an electric double burner. We were all excited that we had a place to cook our sap.
We had to watch it very carefully (I burnt the first batch :( ) When it started to darken we would taste it, Yummmm!. When it tasted sweet we filtered it again into a metal bowl. After it cooled we poured it into a sterile mason jar. I have to say this was and is fun to do with the kids.
And probably worth its weight in gold!!! What a fun project!
ReplyDeleteIt is very expensive that is why we wanted to try to make it ourselves.
DeleteThis sounds wonderful - does it taste amazing?
ReplyDeleteIt does!!!!
DeleteWow! Great job! We would love to do this, but I don't think we have any sugar maples! Just lots and lots of birches and pines! LOL
ReplyDeleteI don't think our trees are Sugar Maple, any Maple will do. I have read that birch can be used as well I think. It is fun and the kids like it.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a great experience for the children (and you!) It must be so satisfying harvesting such a valuable commodity right in your own back yard. There's a book I love called Ox Cart Man that includes the tapping of maple trees and cooking of the sap in its beautiful and simple story of old world homesteading. Your children might enjoy it! :) Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for that information, I just checked online and our Library does have it. I think the kids will enjoy it.
DeleteOh, how fun!! We go to a state park with they have a demonstration annually, but have never tried it on our own. Thank you for sharing at Sharing Saturday! I hope you will share with us again this week!
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