maple sugaring

In our fast-paced modern society, it can be easy to forget the simple pleasures of working with our hands and being outdoors. Maple sugaring has afforded me that Joy, and a delicious and natural sweetener.

After a few seasons of sugaring, I can tell you that it is a very physical and time-consuming, but rewarding job. Now when I see pure maple syrup for sale, I can appreciate all that went into making it. And that is a big part of The Joy Project: slow down, expand the visceral experiences of being in nature, and hone some new skills.

Sugaring begins with the identification of the Sugar Maple trees. Unlike beekeeping, this endeavor is not possible unless you have access to 6 or more maple trees. You need to harvest 40 gallons of sap to create just one gallon of syrup! The boil-down needs to happen outside, or in a structure set apart from your house (a "sugar shack") due to the high temperatures and the resulting sticky condensation as the water in the sap evaporates.