![]() ![]() That is, the lower elevations and more southern regions of Massachusetts usually start their maple seasons before the higher elevations and more northerly areas. The gentle geographic progression is a reverse of the fall foliage season. As a result, sugarhouses often start and stop boiling at different times due to local climatological factors. Prolonged periods of either below freezing temperatures or days without freezing nights will stop the sap flow. For the first time each season the sap will drip into a bucket or slowly start to flow down the tubing system towards a collection tank. These must alternate and be in long enough series to allow the sap to move in the trees. When the trees have been tapped and all the equipment is ready, the sugarmaker is ready for the “first run,” that exciting time of the year when the sap first starts to flow, sap flow requires freezing nights and warm (but not hot) days. These amounts vary greatly from year to year, and depend upon the length of the season, the sweetness of the sap, and many complex conditions of nature, such as weather conditions, soil, tree genetics, and tree health. The average amount of syrup that can be made from this ten gallons of sap is about one quart. This is only a small portion of the tree’s total sap production and will not hurt the tree. Throughout the 4–6 week sugar season, each tap hole will yield approximately ten gallons of sap. A healthy sugar maple can provide sap every year for a hundred years or more. If proper tapping procedures are followed, tapping will not endanger the health and vitality of the tree. Trees that are in poor health or have been defoliated by insects are often tapped less, or not tapped at all. ![]() The sugarmaker has a feeling of respect for his trees and knows they must take care of this tree which provides for them. Larger trees may take as many as three or four taps, but only if they are healthy. The hole is usually placed about waist high on the tree, and not near previous tapholes. It usually takes about forty years before a tree will reach tappable size. The maple tree must be a least 10 inches in diameter and in good health before it can be tapped. If a plastic tubing system is used to collect the sap, a plastic spout, which is connected to the pipeline system, is tapped into the hole in the tree. A cover is put on the bucket to keep out rain, snow, and debris. If buckets are used to collect the sap, a metal spout or “spile” is tapped snugly into the hole, and a bucket is hung from a hook on the spout. ![]() Tapping involves going from tree to tree in the sugarbush, drilling holes into the wood which carries the sap. When the sugarmaker feels the time is “right” they will start to tap trees. This is the type of weather that makes the sap flow. Mostly what the sugarmaker is waiting for is the arrival of the time of year known as “sugar weather,” when the nights are below freezing and the days are mild.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |