Spring in Minnesota is prime maple syrup season, when we in the north woods get sugar (maple sugar, that is) from trees. The classic up north cycle of springtime freeze-thaw, with daytime highs above freezing but nighttime lows dipping below freezing, causes that “white gold” sap to flow. It’s the perfect time to shake off your winter blues and spend some time in the forest. Check with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources or the
the Minnesota Maple Syrup Producers’ Association to find a “sweet spot.”
How To Make Maple Syrup
1. Any maple tree will work but a large Sugar Maple will produce the most sap.
2. Add a spile and bucket to each tree you want to collect from.
3. Collect sap, the sap flows the best when highs get into the 40’s and the lows are below freezing. Try and collect several gallons to make your own home made maple syrup.
4. Boil it down and boil it some more, it take about 40 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of maple syrup. Look for a nice deep brown color as you boil down.
5. Finish the syrup by storing your syrup on a bottle and kept in the fridge, or for long term storage you can use mason jars and canning techniques to seal your syrup for future use.