Maple sugaring

Once upon a time, as legend has it, there was an Indian chief and his wife. One sunny morning in March, the chief retrieved his tomahawk from a tree where he stuck it the night before and went off to hunt. Later, looking for water to make soup for dinner, the chief’s wife saw a mysterious liquid coming from the tree. She tasted it and found it was like faintly sweet water. Not one to be wasteful, she used this liquid to make the soup. When she and her chief tasted the delicious, syrupy concoction, they retraced their steps to find out how it happened and this, as legend has it, is how maple syrup was created.Times have changed, but the tradition that began in that Indian camp continues today. The concept is rather simple. Sap comes out of the maple tree with a 2 percent sugar content. By vigorously boiling the sap, water evaporates but the sugar remains in the solution. Concentrating the sugar content to about 66 percent produces syrup. Continuing to evaporate the solution increases the sugar concentration to the point where maple candy can be made.As an educator, I am always looking for techniques and subject matter that are diverse and multidisciplinary and that get across science concepts.By participating in the production of maple syrup, students learn a myriad of concepts. Natural science subjects include photosynthesis, tree identification, forest ecology, renewable agriculture and tree physiology. Physical concepts include temperature, boiling, steam, density and pressure. Maple sugaring also exemplifies math, social studies, geography, climate and of course, history — tracing the evolution of the sugaring industry through time.Sugarmakers are busy now. The temperatures are right and the sap is flowing. The description of a person considered a “sugarmaker” is wide ranging. On one end of the spectrum are the sugarmakers for whom maple syrup is a business. Often installing thousands of taps, these folks employ cutting edge technologies such as sun-resistant tubing, reverse osmosis machines and vacuum pumps to maximize their production. Done right, this is an excellent form of sustainable agriculture that serves to produce income from our forests while saving and managing them for birds and wildlife to use as well.On the other end of the spectrum are the “backyard sugarmakers,” typically families who tap a few trees and boil down the sweet substance on their kitchen stove for use with pancakes or waffles at their own kitchen table. Anyone interested in becoming a backyard sugarmaker should beware: The maple bug will get you and before you know it, your 30 taps in your back woods will increase to 300 or 3,000!In addition to being a time-honored activity and rite of spring, maple sugaring time is another way to get people outside to enjoy what nature has to offer. At the Sharon Audubon Center, we have been lucky enough to have been able to buy a brand new evaporator this year through the generosity of the Housatonic Audubon Society. In addition, all of our tubing for our 450 taps have been redesigned. Our sugarhouse is open to the public during boiling (look for the “Boiling Today!” sign), and, if you and your family would like to experience the history, science and taste of sugaring, come to the Audubon Center Saturday, March 16, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. for MapleFest. Scott Heth is the director of Audubon Sharon and can be reached at sheth@audubon.org, (subject line: Nature Notes).