By Seth Kannberg
Although we typically think of winter as a hibernation period for agriculture, this is actually the perfect time to take part in the time-honored tradition of maple syrup production unique to the northeastern United States, including Ohio! Cold nights and warm days during late winter and early spring create ideal conditions for sap flow. By tapping maple trees—especially sugar and black maples with their high sugar content—hobbyists and producers alike can harvest sap to boil down into maple syrup or other treats like maple sugar and cream. Just a handful of maple trees in the backyard can produce more than enough syrup for an entire family.
Tapping begins in earnest when trees are dormant and weather conditions alternate between freezing nights and mild days. Trees must be at least 10 inches in diameter, and only food-grade, sanitized equipment should be used for sap collection. Plastic bags or buckets are popular collection tools, with spouts inserted into pre-drilled holes 1.5–2 inches deep. Sap should be collected quickly and kept cool to prevent spoilage and darkening.
The sap is then boiled down using an outdoor heat source until it becomes syrup, which is defined as sap with 66% sugar content. This can be a lengthy, hours-long process depending on equipment and sap quantity. Once boiled, syrup is filtrated while still hot through wool or synthetic filters to remove any impurities. It must then be hot-packed (at temperatures in the range of approximately 180–185°F) into sterilized containers to ensure shelf stability. When properly sealed, syrup stores well at room temperature; once opened it should be refrigerated or frozen.
Though the many steps required may seem intimidating at first, backyard syrup production is easy to learn and an enjoyable, delicious experience. On November 6th from 5:30 pm until 8:30 pm in the conference room across from the Portage County Extension Office at 705 Oakwood Street, Suite 101, Ravenna, OH 44266, the Ohio State University’s forestry specialists Jim Downs and Jake Nicholson will be teaching all the basics on Backyard Maple Production. Our class will cover how and when to tap, how to handle and boil sap, and how to manage your trees. The class has a fee of $20 to cover the cost of two taps and the necessary tubing you need to immediately start tapping your own trees! To register you can call our office at (330) 296-6432 and letting us know you’ll be showing up. Please register by November 2nd.