Starting Saturday afternoon and lasting through Tuesday evening, I took a bit of time all for me. I planned to do only things that would make me happy and to worry about no one else. Stop number one on my itinerary was to visit “Uncle Rick’s” sugar shack. I’ve known for some time that Rick boils sap every year, but I had never been able to fit it into my schedule to visit his operation. Saturday would be the last day he planned to boil – and the first day of my vacation! Perfect timing.
Rick collects sap from trees on his property and on properties within a mile of his house. Katie and I rode along and helped empty the buckets. The sap was flowing fast.
Lots of critters enjoy the sap, including moths and beetles. We rescued a couple.
Rick also stopped the truck to rescue a wooly bear.
Back at the shack, Rick filters the sap to remove insects and chunks of bark and who knows what that may have fallen into the buckets despite the lids.
The bit that looks like a metal bucket tapers in and has a paper filter in the bottom.
The wood stove provides heat under two giant rectangular tubs.
As he pours sap into the larger of the two, he moves rubber bands along a series of nails to help him remember how many gallons he started with.
(The “Anderson” sign comes from Gordon Anderson from whom Rick acquired most of his equipment.)
Before moving the sap from the large tub to the smaller for the final boil, he filters it again.
The resulting syrup is liquid gold. Katie and I enjoyed testing it.
Thanks, Rick, for an educational and fun afternoon!
A Passion for Nature 
Is that maple syrup? It is expensive to buy in Scotland as a small bottle costs over 3.00 GBP.
Yes, Jane, it is maple syrup. It is expensive here, too, though probably not as expensive as in Scotland – where I assume it must be shipped from US or Canada. Ours goes for $35-$45 per gallon here in the US.
My local supermarket sells Vermont Canadian Maple Syrup at 2.95 GBP for 250g which works out at 11.92 per kilo.
I can see why it is so expensive as it is quite labour intensive.
I won’t grudge paying the high price now as I know how it is produced.
I’m not sure that I’d call hauling buckets of sap a “vacation,” but I’m glad you got to have your version of one!
To each her own, eh? Sort of like the concept of vacationing on a dude ranch!
What a fun day! Real maple syrup is the best.
I love it. Funny, I was raised on the fake stuff – and margarine instead of butter. Now, it’s gotta be the real stuff – and real butter!
Our family has a sugar shack too. Sugaring is an annual rite of spring, drawing family together from across three states to help. It’s fun to see how your uncle does it; I liked the idea of the rubber bands to keep count of the gallons.
Great macros, too – especially that first one with the falling drop.
🙂
There are many rites of spring! For example, tonight is probably going to be a great night to watch the salamanders hike to their breeding pools!
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