There is nothing like the taste of sap fresh from a tree. Until last year I hadn’t tasted it since I was about 9 years old. My Grandpa would walk me and my little brother over to the tapped maple trees across the street. He carried an old plastic bucket to collect sap. My brother and I each brought along a brightly colored Tupperware cup for tasting. Later we’d watch our grandparents boil the sap down in a giant pot over a fire. Then my grandmother would store the homemade Maple syrup in Mason jars so we could enjoy it all year long.
Those are precious memories for me. I was thrilled to be able to share the experience with our son last spring Barkhausen. From sap to syrup, Barkhausen staff showed us each step of the process. As you can see in the video, he had a chance to do all the things I did as a child and more. They’re offering the program again this year. It’s affordable family fun with lots of hands-on moments. Even better, it’s an easy way to get out in nature and learn a little bit about our state’s history and culture. For more information, checkout Barkhausen’s Facebook event here. And if you don’t have kids? Go anyway. It’s not *just* for families. There were many childless adults there with us.
Do you have memories of collecting sap in the spring?
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