You may not have believed Punxsutawney Phil earlier this month when he predicted an early spring. But when you get three nice days in a row with daytime temperatures above freezing, you can be sure the sap will begin to run in the maple trees in the northeastern USA and Canada. That time will soon be upon us.
Though an extended cool early spring is painful for those awaiting heat, it is prime for syrup producers. Highs in the 30's or 40's (F) and night time temps that drop below freezing are ideal to keep the sap flowing. As soon as the temperatures really warm up and the Maples bud, it's all over.
Boiling down syrup takes patience. 40 gallons of sap boils down to 1 (that's one) gallon of syrup on average. Much fancy equipment is needed to produce large quantities of syrup, but you can make syrup in your back yard if you have even one good sized sugar maple tree and a kid or 2 to make a memory with.
At any hardware store worth it's weight, you can buy sap taps and buckets with lids, and a candy thermometer for checking your final product. You'll need an auger to drill a hole in the tree at shoulder height. The taps just push in to the hole with a light tap of a hammer, and have a hook to hang the bucket. Put a lid on it, so no rainwater or bird poop gets in. If you can wrap you arms around your tree, it can take 1-2 buckets. If it takes 2 people to hug your tree, you can place 3-4 taps. Do not tap trees less than about 12" in diameter.
Now you need a load of firewood and a fire pit in the backyard. Jerry-rig a stand strong enough to hold a big strong pot. If you can dig up some scraps of sheet metal and lean them against the sides of the fire, you can concentrate your fire's heat
and also keep from torching your arm hair. Kids love having a fire going, so keep a supply of hot dogs and marshmellows on hand for spring's earliest wiener roast or "snow picnic" as we used to call them.
You'll boil sap all day. When it gets some thickness and some color to it you can finish it off in your kitchen. If you prefer your syrup lighter - or "amber" rather than "dark", you can remove the 'impurities' by beating an egg with a little milk and stir this mixture into the hot 'almost syrup'. The egg/dairy mix will capture the impurities and boil them to the surface. You simply skim all the yuck off with a spoon. Then use your candy thermometer to determine when the syrup is finished. Pour into clean canning jars, screw on lids and store in a dark cupboard. They will self seal.
Do not try to make syrup from sap in your kitchen unless you have a VERY small amount of sap. It creates much too much humidity and may convince your wallpaper to fall off your walls.
The first run of sap is the sweetest and therefore takes the least amount of boiling time. So prepare early and be ready. You can tap early, you just won't get a run of sap until the tree is good and ready to give it to you.
Yes the ice and snow will still be all around. We'll all be proclaiming Phil wrong once again, but you and your kids, like all syrup producers, will be in on the big secret... It's spring!
In Allegany County NY we're lucky to have Cartwrights' Maple Tree Inn in Angelica just up off the Short Tract Road. They are only open Feb 10 - April 10 and make their own syrup on the premises. Needless to say, crowds come from miles around.
Of course, pancakes with hot buttered maple syrup will be available at the Catbird Griddle pancake stand first at the Main Street in May Festival in Angelica May 7th and at Community Lawn Sales May 14
Then at the Angelica Farmers' Market every summer Saturday starting June 25, 10-2
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