Syrup Making Part One
It's that time of year, the maple sap is flowing! Harvesting maple sap and turning it into sweet maple syrup is a fairly simple process, with rewarding results.
The sap usually begins to flow in February, when the day temperatures are above freezing, and the nights drop below.
What Trees to Tap
First, we'll need to find some suitable trees. Identification can be difficult this time of year, so I'd recommend bringing a good guidebook with you.
Sugar maples are best, but any type of maple will work. In my area, I found mostly Silver maples and Box Elders, sometimes called Ash Leaved maples.
Ways to Tap a maple tree
There are several ways to tap the tree. You can purchase taps like those pictured on the left, or if you want to be really bushcrafty, you can make your own. I made the one pictured on the right from a burdock stem. Cut it to size and hollow out the soft center with a twig or awl.
My method is pretty simple. A few feet up from the base, I drilled in about two inches with a 3/8 bit. Next, I ran a clear plastic tube from the hole to a plastic jug. The tube will need to fit very snugly in the tree. I like this method because it minimizes any foreign debris from getting in the sap.
I'll tap a few more trees and check on them daily.
Stay tuned for part 2.