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  When
is maple syrup season?
Usually late February through March: the season is
determined by the weather. The sap starts to flow after
a period of several days when the temperatures are above
freezing during the day and below freezing during the
night. The season is over when daytime and nighttime
temperatures stop fluctuating so much.
How much sap can/do you get from 1
tree?
Varies from tree
to tree, between 2 and 20 gallons per tap hole (average
is about 10 gallons), depending on weather conditions,
the health of the tree, and leaf productivity the
previous summer.
Does CNC sell the syrup we make here?
No. We give a
bottle of syrup to each of the volunteers who help make
it. We also donate syrup to worthy causes in the
community.
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How much sap is collected in
Michigan?
Varies from year
to year. Michigan ranks 5th or 6th
in maple production, behind Quebec, Vermont, New York,
and Ontario depending on the year. Canada produces 70%
of the world’s maple syrup; the US produces 30%.
Can you collect the sap from any
maple tree?
Sugar maples (acer
saccharum) yield the most, and sweetest sap,
followed by black maples (acer nigrum). However,
any type of maple tree can be tapped.
Why
is maple syrup so expensive?
Maple syrup production is labor intensive. Also, a
sugarbush isn’t quite the same as a cornfield…
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How can I make maple syrup at home?
Don’t try this at home if your kitchen is wall-papered!
(The evaporating process will peel the paper right off
the walls.) You can boil the sap on the stove; expect it
to take several hours. Your yield will be a ration of
40/1—40 gallons of sap to 1 gallon of syrup. There are
several step-by-step instructions online; a good one is
www.wikihow.com/Make-Maple-Syrup.
How do you identify a maple tree in the winter?
Bark: rough, with vertical grooves, sometimes deep
enough to fit the side of your hand into. Branches:
opposite, like the arrangement of your arms on your
body. Buds: small, dark, pointed.
What happens if I tap an oak (or whatever) by mistake?
You don’t get much sap. Also, oak sap isn’t very sweet,
so it doesn’t make good syrup. People do, however make
syrup from birch sap.
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Does tapping hurt the tree?
No—and Yes. The tree will close off the hole—much the
same way your body heals a superficial wound. The tap
hole is a wound that is sealed, not healed, however, and
therefore represents a small amount of tissue that will
not be functional again for either nutrient/water
transport or food storage. And as long as the wound
remains open, it serves as an access route for diseases
and boring insects.
Why does CNC only hang 2 buckets on a tree?
For conservation reasons. Our purpose is educational,
not commercial, so we have no need to stress our trees.
What does the tree use sap for?
Sap is the tree’s “food.” Sap contains the sugars that
fuel the tree’s growth and maintenance needs.
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How long does it take to go from sap to syrup?
Varies, depending on the method you use. Typically,
about 6 hours.
How much sap does it take to make a gallon of syrup?
The ratio is 40/1—40 gallons of sap to 1 gallon of
syrup.
When do you add the honey?
Never! Maple syrup is 100% maple sap, cooked. That’s
all, folks.
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What is the composition of sap?
Maple sap is mostly water. It contains sucrose and
glucose, several minerals (most importantly, manganese,
zinc, and phosphorus; also potassium and calcium) and
vitamins (B5, B2, and Niacin). For a complete breakdown,
go to
www.mi-maplesyrup.com/Information/info_maplenutrition.htm
How much sugar is in the sap?
Sugar maple sap averages 2 – 2.5% sugar, varying from
year to year, from the start to the end of the sapflow
season, and from tree to tree.
Is it true that some trees are sweeter than others?
Yes. Some of the differences seem to be genetic; others
are due to environment—specific soil conditions, amount
of sunlight, etc.
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Where do you get the wood to stoke the fire?
We harvest wood from our property, cleaning up deadwood,
etc.
What’s the difference between grade A and grade B syrup?
There are specific government regulations as to how
syrup is graded. Generally speaking, Grade A syrup is
lighter, both in color and flavor. It is usually
produced earlier in the season, when the sap has a
higher concentration of sugars and therefore does not
need to be cooked as long (so the sugars are less
caramelized.) Grade B syrup has a more robust flavor.
Can
you substitute maple sugar for granulated or brown
sugar?
Yes, but it’s sweeter than either granulated or brown
sugar, so it’s not a one-to-one process. A little goes a
long way!
How long can I store maple syrup?
Unopened syrup can be stored indefinitely. Once the
container has been opened, refrigerate the syrup. If a
thin layer of mold develops on the syrup, it can safely
be peeled off and the syrup re-sterilized by bringing it
briefly to 180° (a brief, light boil). The syrup may
darken, but the flavor should not be affected.
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