The Sap is Running

"Sap's Runnin'" is a comment heard all over the state during this time of year. Our recent warm days and nights below freezing create the perfect conditions for pressure to build up in the sapwood tissues of our resident maple trees. The warm days increase the pressure within the tree forcing sugar rich sap upward toward the crown where it will be used to fuel the production of this year's leaves, flowers and fruit. Cold nights cause a decrease in pressure within the tree pulling water in through the roots and setting up the next day's sap "run". The sugar within the sap was produced the previous year through photosynthesis within the now decomposing leaves, then stored for the winter in the tree's roots. In a way, when you sample some real maple syrup, you could say you are tasting some of last year's sweet sunshine.

Trees and the Maine Forest students tap a campus maple.

Maine is the third largest producer of maple syrup in the United states although our production here in the U.S. is dwarfed by that in Canada who produces 75% of the global supply annually. I worked each spring as a high school and college student collecting sap and producing maple syrup at Snell Family Farm in Buxton and enjoy passing on this springtime tradition to my students today.

The sap began running as soon as the spile was inserted into the tree.

We recently tapped a couple of sugar maple (Acer Saccharum) trees right here on campus at T.A. While there are no wild sugar maples large enough to tap in the T.A. Forest, there are two large specimens growing right on campus that were most likely planted decades ago. Nearly any species of maple can be used to make syrup but sugar maple is preferred due to its higher sugar content and fine flavor. Sugar maples generally produce syrup at a 40:1 ratio. This means we will need to collect about 5 gallons of sap in order to produce a pint or so of syrup, just enough for an ice cream party. It will take hours of boiling to remove the excess water and achieve our tasty reward. Stay tuned for a post detailing the boiling process.

A sap collection bucket hangs on an old campus maple.