Maple syrup is known for its translucent amber color, and the smooth, saccharine flavor is as singular as it is indescribable. Maple is also an excellent natural alternative to refined white sugar in your cooking and baking, and it is a welcome addition to your morning coffee or tea. There is nothing quite like the smell of warm pancakes with butter and maple syrup in the morning.
Maple syrup is a reduced form of xylem sap from maple trees. Throughout the cold months, starches build up in the trunk that convert to a sugary sap. This sap can be tapped and boiled down to maple syrup though a surprisingly simple process. At Sprouting Farms, we have eleven trees tapped that are already producing sap, and we are excited to show off the end product when the time comes.
If you are interested in sourcing your own maple products, the first question to ask is, “Do I have maple trees ready for tapping?” If there are healthy sugar or red maple trees on your property that are at least a 10″ in diameter, you are good to tap. Next, you must decide when is the best time to tap your trees. Depending on the climate of your area, the window could be anywhere from mid-winter to early spring. A good rule of thumb is to tap whenever temperatures reach below freezing at night and above freezing during the day.
You’ll need a couple of tools to tap your tree, including a drill, maple tap, hammer, bucket, and lid (all parts are pictured). Many of these items can be purchased together in a maple tapping kit. Once everything is gathered, you are ready to begin!
Drill a hole 1.75-2″ deep into the trunk, about chest level high.
Insert a maple tap into the hole and then lightly hammer it until it will not go in any further.
Attach a bucket to the maple tap
Secure a lid covering the tap and bucket to keep out leaves and debris
Let it drip!
Don’t worry if sap doesn’t immediately come pouring out of the tap; it takes time. Before you know it, the bucket will be filled with sugary goodness. The sap should then be refrigerated and cooked down within a few days!
Happy tapping!
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