Last week, the Oneida County Event Center hosted an Agricultural Extension Office class on tapping maple trees for syrup.  The class was led by extension educator Bracken Henderson, whose area of expertise is horticulture.  As he was quick to point out, however, he has not been harvesting sap from tress for very long, though he is enjoying learning the process.

The class, part of a series of educational courses made available to the public through the extension office, was designed to bring an awareness of the process of using local trees for syrup production to residents who might be interested.  

A number of people were on hand to learn the basics of the process, as well as to try out the equipment and receive a set of taps and sap gathering buckets and lids.  

  Henderson began by running through a list of the most commonly used trees for syrup production.  While the majority of them were obvious varieties of maple tree, the largest surprise was that one of the most prevalent trees in the area is also technically a maple tree—the Box Elder.  When asked how he felt the flavor compared to that of standard maple trees, Henderson responded, “It may sound odd, but I actually like it better.  It has a richer flavor.”

The process for tapping trees is relatively simple, but does require some specific tools, as well as patience.  Henderson explains that anyone interested in tapping their own trees will need a drill with a 5/16” drill bit, a tap to reach the interior sap, and a bucket for collecting the product.  A lid is also necessary for the top of the bucket, as bugs, leaves, dirt, and other material can find its way in without one.

The window for tree tapping is more related to temperature than anything else.  As Henderson explained, “What you need in order to effectively tap a tree is a day time temperature above freezing, and a night time temperature below freezing.  The bigger the shift in temperature, the better for the overall flow.”  For this reason, later February and March are generally the most productive times for syrup gathering during most years.  Any trees on private property are fair game for the harvest, with the landowners’ permission.  Trees which are located on public and federal property require a permit.

The reduction process can be fairly time intensive.  Depending on the specifics of the sap itself, the final product might be one quarter or less of the original material.  In order to bring the sap to a syrupy consistency, the “tree water” requires that it is boiled down until the temperature reaches seven and a quarter degrees over the boiling temperature.  Henderson strongly suggests performing the initial part of the boiling process outdoors, as doing so indoors can create a number of problems.  Henderson advises that the wider and shallower the boiling pan is, the easier the process will be.  

The process also calls for filtering of the tree water before it becomes the boiled product.  Bacteria, residue, and other small elements need to be filtered at least once before being processed.  Unlike honey, tree sap is not naturally sterile.

Those in attendance were given the chance to try drilling and tapping a tree brought in for just such a purpose.  After being taken through the process, most expressed a desire to try it on their own, once the weather let up a bit.  

A number of questions were asked about the finer points of tree tapping.  It was explained that for most trees of the size likely to be found in the area, only one tap at a time is recommended.  Moving the tap to different spots on the tree is recommended to promote good production.  The tree itself is not being harmed in the process of tapping.  “The trees are used to a certain amount of boring or damage—it’s part of their natural life.  You can think about it as similar to the effects of a woodpecker,” Henderson said.  When asked about the potential for a market for local syrup, Henderson explained that it was unlikely to be more than a small batch product.  

“And you’re not going to want to sell it when you’re all done,” Henderson laughed.  “It’s precious when you make it yourself.”