Buckets

This set of pictures is an attempt to show my maple syrup production system and explain the steps and processed used to produce the golden liquid sunshine. I am located in Central Ontario, Canada near the village of Cambray.

 

Sap from Sugar and Black Maples is collected in buckets and boiled down to produce pure Maple Syrup. This is a family tradition that is close to 80 years old, and I leaned this from my grandfather as I grew up on the family farm. I typically install 200 pails in the sugar bush and finish 100-120 litres of syrup in an average year.

 

I expect to start tapping in early March when a more consistent weather pattern with daytime temperatures above freezing and nights are below freezing. Ideally, days in the 5-10C range and nights around -5C will produce a good sap run. The season typically lasts for 4-6 weeks and is quite variable as the weather fluctuates. The season is usually broken up into shorter runs as the spring weather reverts to more wintry conditions before warming up again.

 

Done