A Maple Syrup Boil-Down in the

“Quaker Community Forest”

April 2, 2011

Dunn County, Wisconsin

The Site

Located in the western hills of Wisconsin, the “Quaker Community Forest” is home to a variety of flora and fauna, including Sugar Maples!

Tapping the Trees

Springtime arrives! Time to tap the Maple Trees for their sweet sap.

First, Ralph runs a plastic tube from the tank to the tree…

Tapping the TreesThen he drills a hole into the tree…

Tapping theTrees

…And then removes sawdust so that it will not clog the line.

Tapping the Trees

Finally, he inserts the tap.

From Tree to Tank

If the line is too short it must be spliced to a longer line

From Tree to TankSplicing and connecting…

Into the Tank

Once all the connections are made, the sap flows through the tubing into a collecting tank

Boiling the Sap

Sap is poured from the tank into pans that sit above a roaring wood fire

Boiling the Sap

Moving the sap from pan to pan helps concentrate it. Foam is skillfully skimmed off the top to keep the syrup clearer.

Cooling the Syrup

After ladling the hot syrup into a Mason jar, snow is a great cooler.

The Crew

Maple Syrup Aficionados

Thanks

Thanks to Cynthia and Ralph for sharing the process!

Text & Photos: M.Moga 4/2/2011