My Amish neighbors let me know that the sap is running from the maple trees if we wanted to make syrup. Ervyn loaned us four tree taps and today at noon we went out and put them in. I told LaVern that I had read somewhere that it takes 10 gallons of sap to make a quart of maple syrup. If I got 5 gallons I would be happy. He just came in the house (2 1/2 hrs later) and reported I had 2 gallons already. Yup. The sap is running! Lizzie Ann Miller and Mariam Shetler cook their sap outdoors, usually near the trees they have tapped. It is a long, slow process and the first cooking results in lots of humidity as the water evaporates from the sap. This is my first year so I am sure I will be running over to Lillian's for advice. She did all of hers indoors last year on her wood cook stove and I remember syrup cooking for days. She said she wasn't going to put up any this year as she did 3 gallons of syrup last year!!!!! I had to chuckle as both our Countryside and Mother Earth News magazines came this past week and they each had an article about home maple sugaring. Just in time for the running of the sap!!
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