Thursday, April 14, 2011

Maple Sugaring

Do you like maple syrup? Do you know how it’s made? If you live in or near New England, you’re in luck! Why? It’s maple season! Freezing nights and warm days makes the sap in maple trees flow. Maple producers are collecting this sap and boiling it down to make thick, sweet maple syrup and other maple treats!

Did you know you can go to a sugarhouse and watch how maple syrup gets made? Let your grownup know that you’d like to go and check it out. Be sure to have an adult help you research maple sugarhouses to find the ones closest to you.

Here are some common questions:
• How and when is maple syrup made?
• Can all maple trees produce syrup?
• What is "sap"?
• Does it really take a lot of sap to make a little syrup?
• How long can maple syrup be stored and used?
• How is sap collected?
• What is the difference in "Grades"?
• How do pure maple and blended candies differ?
• How is maple cream produced?
• What is "sugar-on-snow"?
• How long can maple syrup be stored and used?

After you visit a sugarhouse, how many of these questions can you answer? Did you have fun? Leave me a comment. I’d love to hear about your adventures!

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