Jack Wallinga tapped his Maple trees earlier in the spring. On Wednesday March 26 Wallinga gave a presentation at the Sutherland Library giving information about collecting tree sap and turning it into delicious real maple syrup. South O’Brien’s early outs brings 15-20 kids to the Sutherland Library after school for something new and interesting. Last week was Jack and the Maple Sap and about 18 kids enjoyed it!
Collecting sap is most successful in early spring when Mother Nature’s overnight and early morning air is frosty but warm during the day. That weather pattern causes the tree to circulate its sap to the futhest reaches of it’s branches, nourishing the buds as they get ready to become leaves.
Tapping is simple. Drill into the tree truck and insert a pipe or hose. Place a pail to collect the flowing sap.
But sap is not syrup. The sap has to be boiled to remove some of the water. Heat converts the water to steam that evaporates and leaves a reduction – syrup. The earliest sap harvests produce the darkest syrups.
Jack showed what the tapping and collecting looks like with pictures of his own tree. He brought a sample jug of syrup.
The kids were comfortable in the bean bags and had a lot of questions for Jack.