The Hands-On Ranch Book by Mary Heffernan

Author:Mary Heffernan [Heffernan, Mary]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Youth--Nonfiction;Handicraft—­Juvenile literature;Life skills—­Juvenile literature;Sustainable living—­Juvenile literature;JNF070000;JNF054030;JNF033000
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2023-07-27T00:00:00+00:00

Making Maple Syrup

Drilling

The first step is to get out into the woods to drill holes for taps called spiles. Picking a spot to drill can be one of the trickiest things to do. Old holes are considered to be a healing wound on the tree, so it is important to find a new drilling location each time.

After a hole has been drilled in about an inch, it will be ready for a spile, which acts as a slide for the sap to run out. Attach a bucket or bag to the hook on the spile to collect the liquid.

Collecting

As the sun shines and the days warm, the sap will begin to trickle out of the trees. It may not seem like much comes out, but in a good, solid season, one tap will average ten to fourteen gallons of sap. Empty the buckets or bags into a larger collection barrel until it’s time to cook the sap.

Cooking

Sap creates a LOT of steam, so it’s best to cook it outside or in your garage, not in the kitchen. Have an adult help you with this project.

Choose a wide pan or dutch oven to use. Pour sap into the pot and set it on the heat source—you can use an outdoor propane burner or camp stove. Bring the sap to a boil. As the water evaporates, make sure to always keep a few inches of sap in the pot. Continue adding sap as it boils down.

Once the water in the sap is boiled off, you will have maple syrup. Maple syrup boils at a higher temperature than water. Using a candy thermometer, check to see if the temperature is 7.1 degrees above boiling (about 218°F).

You can set up a large pot on the stove for a small batch, but you still want to make sure to consider the sticky, sappy steam it produces.

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