Spring Time Things to Do

Visit a sugarbush near you...it is a great family outting

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Petawawa Research Forest

Maplefest at the Petawawa Research Forest Sugar Bush

 

Tap your own Maple Trees and make your own Maple Syrup.

We make syrup each year with about 15 maple trees in our back yard and that gives us over 4 litres (1 gallon of Syrup) after we boil it down.  You can do it even if you have even one large or a couple of trees at least 10" round.

Basic Steps - Mid February -Mar

 

  1. Select Maple Trees:
    1. This is easier done when leaves are on the tree, then mark them so you will remember.  The Red, Black and Sugar Maples are the best for tapping.
    2. As the temperature warms you will notice the Red, Black and Sugar Maples branches starting to grow and turn red and buds start to enlarge.
      1. http://www.oplin.org/tree/fact%20pages/maple_red/maple_red.html
      2. http://www.oplin.org/tree/fact%20pages/maple_sugar/maple_sugar.html
      3. http://www.oplin.org/tree/fact%20pages/maple_black/maple_black.html
  2. Get Materials
    1. Maple sap spouts (one for each hole)
    2. 7/16 Drill bit and Drill
    3. Plastic or Metal Pail and a cover  (We recycle large plastic ice cream containers and add a wire handle.  We tried tin plates for lids, but they did not last after a strong wind, harder plastic lids worked better.)
    4. Large containers to hold sap until boiled (water containers 20 liters/5 gallon)
  3. Tap Trees and start collecting sap:
    1. Drill holes in tree with drill about 1 1/2 in  deep about  waist height.
    2. Hammer spout into hole
    3. Hang Pail from Spout and Cover
  4. Gather Sap
    1. At least once a day (more when cool nights and warm days) check pails and gather sap from pails.  Store in large container in cool/refrigerated place.
    2. Stop gathering sap if it is not clear or temperature gets too warm.
  5. Boiling sap to make maple syrup
    1. Boiling sap will take quite a bit of time as it will reduce 40 to 1, so it is often best out of door is you have much sap. 
    2. Boil in large cast-iron pot over open fire or large flat metal pan. (We have lately been using the Propane Turkey Fryer pot it worked quite well.
    3. Keep at gentle rolling boil, skimming off foam, add more sap as it boils down.
    4. When complete the temperature will be 7 degrees F above normal boiling (watch carefully as the boiling temperature rises and the sap becomes darker)
    5. Strain while hot through wool or other filter and bottle in sterilized bottles while very hot.

 

Here are some resources to help you

http://www.theheartofnewengland.com/LifeInNewEngland-BackyardSugaring.html

http://www.essortment.com/howtomakemapl_rxql.htm

http://www.mi-maplesyrup.com/Activities/activities_homemade.htm

http://www.umext.maine.edu/onlinepubs/PDFpubs/7036.pdf

http://www.hub-uk.com/cooking/tipsmaplesyrup.htm

 

  
           
           
     

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