Maple Syrup Facts

It takes approximately 40 years for a Maple tree to grow 10 inches in diameter, which is the minimum size that can be tapped for syrup

It takes approximately 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup.

Maple Candies are made by boiling the sap longer to evaporate more water and controlling the crystallization process during cooling.

Vermont is the largest producer of Maple Syrup in the United States

In 2000 Vermont produced 460,000 gallons of maple Syrup

Vermont's law requires syrup to be free from preservatives or additives

  
How VT Maple Syrup is Made

     In Vermont, sugaring weather usually starts around the beginning of March, and normally lasts for about six weeks. We look for weather that alternates between freezing and thawing.

     The sap is collected by drilling one or more tapholes into the trunk of a Maple tree. Each hole is fitted with a spout which conducts the sap into a bucket or into plastic tubing. A freeze will draw water into the roots from the soil and cause a small suction to be present in the wood. When the wood thaws, the sap is under pressure for a while and sap will emerge from the taphole.

     The more common method today, and also the Adams' way, is to collect sap with a network of food grade plastic tubing that brings the liquid down to a large collection tank. It arrives cold and clear at the tank in the sugarhouse. Dave and family will spend many hours maintaining the system during the sugaring season.

     Once the sap arrives at the sugarhouse, it must be boiled as soon as possible. The boiling takes place in an evaporator, which consists of rectangular stainless steel pans that sit on a large base called an arch, where the heat source is located. We use the traditional method of burning wood in the arch to create the heat for boiling.

     In the evaporator, the sap follows a winding path through the pans as it boils and becomes denser and closer to finished syrup. Special float valves allow more sap to continually enter the pan as the water is evaporated from the sap, and this keeps the sap level just right for efficient boiling. When it reaches the end of the pathway, and is at just the right temperature and density, the sap has turned to pure maple syrup. Now we open a valve to draw off a batch of this maple syrup from the pan.

     Once a batch of syrup has been drawn off, it is checked for the proper density (sugar content) with an instrument called a hydrometer. After this, the syrup must be filtered. Now the syrup is color graded, to determine which of the Vermont grades (Fancy, Medium Amber, Dark Amber, or B) will be on the label. At this point, Dave will usually fill a stainless steel drum with the hot syrup, to be stored and then opened later for repacking into small retail containers.

     Visitors are always welcome during the sugaring season. Call ahead to see if we are boiling, and come on out and have some sweet fun.