The Finished Product

Thursday was a long day of boiling but with a sweet reward when all was said and done. I got our mini evaporator set up just below my classroom window first thing in the morning. I teach freshman chemistry during first block and this process provided a great teachable moment. The timing of the boil could not have been more perfect as we are currently learning about classifying matter and separating mixtures. I presented them with a 5 gallon bucket full to the top with what looks like water. It took a little convincing but they eventually believed me that around 2.5% of the bucket was actually sugar! After a bit of brainstorming, their experiment was in place. Maybe, by boiling the sap, we can remove the water leaving the sugar behind? Perfect, it was out the door to start our boil. I can't lie, it was a little anticlimactic after dumping the cold sap into the pan and standing there for a few minutes staring at a lifeless pot. I can't wait to show them the finished product first thing Monday morning.

Raw sap just after collection earlier last week. (Photo by Julie Vail)

Before long it was second block, my Trees and the Maine Forest upperclassmen were arriving, and the pan was rolling. At this point in the boil, the sap was still very dilute but their was a faint yet familiar smell rising from the steam. We had a great time standing around the pan in the ice cold breeze talking about the ins and outs of maple production.

Steam rises from the pan during our first boil of the year. (Photo by Julie Vail)

Over the course of the day, the sap level in the pan would drop and more would be added. Slowly, the sap began to darken and the steam began to smell sweeter and sweeter. Sometime around the end of third block I was able to bring what was left inside to finish boiling in my classroom. People were following their noses into the room to find the source such a sweet aroma. I was bottling finished maple syrup just as the final bell rang. Stay tuned for a post detailing the finishing process.

Our first batch of syrup this season.