If you've ever wondered about the journey from the maple tree to your table, you're not alone. The process of making maple syrup is a labor of love, deeply rooted in tradition and nature's rhythms. Here’s how it all happens:
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Tapping the Trees: During the early spring, when the temperatures hover above freezing in the day and below freezing at night, sap begins to flow in maple trees. Farmers carefully tap these trees by drilling small holes and attaching spouts to collect the sap.
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Collecting the Sap: The sap flows into buckets or through tubing systems that transport it to sugarhouses. The sap is clear and tastes slightly sweet, but it’s mostly water, so it needs to be boiled down.
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Boiling the Sap: Once gathered, the sap is boiled in large evaporators to remove the water content, concentrating the sugars. The process can take hours, and it takes about 40 gallons of sap to make just one gallon of syrup!
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Filtering and Bottling: After the sap has reached the desired consistency, it is filtered to remove impurities, and it’s then ready to be bottled. The syrup is graded based on color and flavor, with darker syrup having a stronger taste.
The result? The purest form of sweetness you can find, with all the natural goodness of Vermont's finest trees.