Maple Syrup

Sap boiling in the evaporator
Sap boiling in the evaporator

Late winter and early spring is maple season. The trees are still dormant; the temperatures rise above freezing during the day but drop back below freezing at night. With this fluctuation in temperature, the sap begins to flow as a vacuum is created.

The process includes the following steps:

  • Watching weather patterns to choose the best time to tap.
  • Tapping the trees and wait for the sap to collect in the buckets & bags.
  • Collect the sap, which is about 2% sugar.  This year our sap has been around 2.5% sugar.  We use a refractometer to test this.
  • Boiling the sap in the evaporator.  As the water begins to evaporate, the sap becomes darker.
  • The sap becomes syrup when it is 66% sugar. It can then be bottled.

Watch the maple syrup process.