A Mini Lesson in Maple Syrup Making

With the hubby gone all day today, I wanted to do something and I didn't know what. I really didn't want to go to New Dublin nor did I want to do something by myself. Tara texted me asking if I wanted to go to a craft show. While I was searching for more information about the craft show, I stumbled upon several maple syrup hike/pancake breakfasts. The one at 1000 Islands Environmental Center in Kaukauna offered a free hike and was even on way to the craft show. I made the suggestion and Tara agreed.

It turns it out it was a self-guided hike.

When we got to 1000 Oaks, we headed for the sugar shack where they were making "maple syrup". It turns out that the maple syrup season was very short this year and they only harvested 1/3 of what they normally do. To demonstrate the process, they were boiling water instead of maple sap. They explained how to make maple syrup from the sap. It was very smoky in the sugar house and we didn't stay very long.

A short ways down the path from the sugar shack was another lesson in making maple syrup. This technically was the first step in the process. They showed us how to tap a tree for sap. It was quite easy. You take a hand drill, drill a hole 2-3 inches deep (or to the yellow on the drill), tap in the spigot, and hang a milk gallon on the spigot. I tapped my first maple tree. Too bad the sap season was over. Maybe next year, we'll tap Tara's maple tree.

Tapping a Maple Tree

We continued our hike through 1000 Islands. We did not find anymore maple syrup lessons but did enjoy a few ducks and geese along the raging Fox River.

I was disappointed that the maple syrup hike was just 2 stops and we really didn't learn much or see much of the process. I did enjoy tapping a tree. I have a feeling the mild winter and early spring played a role in the maple syrup process and if the trees were still producing sap, we would have had a more in depth experience. Next year, maybe we can see the whole maple syrup process.