Sweet Harbinger of Spring was originally published in the BFEC Newsletter, Vol. 14/No. 2, Spring 2010.
Sweet, sticky harbinger of spring and pancakes, maple syrup has a long and rich history in Ohio. With production rivaling Vermont itself, maple syrup has been a rite of the season here since pre-colonial times.
Native Americans slashed through bark to collect the sap, often letting it partially freeze before boiling it with hot stones dropped into hollowed out log containers. More pragmatic than the modern pancake aficionado, they would often process the sap through the syrup stage into easily stored sugar crystals. When European colonists arrived, they observed this process and brought their own technologies to sap harvesting. The traditional tap and hanging bucket employed today has seen very little adaptation since their time.
While the grand old sugar maples that line Laymon Road near the BFEC have been tapped in tradition for generations, a new group of sap-seekers ventured out with drill and bucket this year. In the melting snow and days before spring break, a group of fifteen Kenyon students embarked on what would become a crash course in ancient food science. Three of them, left behind by spring-breakers, would prove especially adept in their studies.
The sixteen taps they placed on twelve trees filled quickly and often. Almost 75 gallons of sap were collected in less than two weeks. The collection process tested both stamina and persistence as multiple trips up one of the preserve’s steepest hills was involved in reaching most of the taps.
In the words of Matt Riley '10, “Once break started, Jamie [Katz], Joey [Johnston], and I were pretty overwhelmed by the amount of sap we were receiving. For a while we were experimenting with different methods of transporting it from the trees and we were making about three trips a day just to keep up.”
Keep up they did, both on the collection front and in processing the raw sap. Using an open wood fire, an enormous pot and plenty of patience, Matt, Jamie and Joey have reduced over half of the collected sap into delicious maple syrup. Impressive when you consider the sap-to-syrup ratio is 30 or 40 to 1. Having tested both the finished product and an outstanding granola made with it, I can tell you without reservation that the three seniors have figured out exactly what ratio delights the palate.
Beyond giving pancakes purpose, the experience has meant more than some home-brewed calories. In Matt’s words: “It's one of those rare and exhilarating joys to be presented with the overwhelming bounty of nature. We recognized that as something special. Things have fortunately slowed down since and we're looking forward to hosting an ‘un-tapping’ event when students return from break, complete with plenty of pancakes.”
We have no doubt the un-tapping party will be appreciated by all. Hopefully the seniors will share their secrets with the next generation of maple tapsters before graduation!