In late winter, several days before temperatures begin a freeze and thaw cycle, tapping of 1400 trees begins. We drill 5/16 diameter holes with cordless drills about 1-1/2" deep in mature Sugar Maple or Black Maple trees.
The raw maple sap is taken to Maple Acres, checked for sugar content (usually about 2%), transferred to storage tanks and then processed through the reverse osmosis machine. This removes a majority of pure water which we save for cleaning and also pumps the condensed sap into the overhead supply tank . The sap is then approximately 8% sugar which dramatically decreases the boiling time to make maple syrup.
Using a probe in the final syrup pan, an automatic draw-off controls the exit temperature of the syrup to 1/10 of a degree. The control must be adjusted by the operator for changes in barometric pressure. Generally, the syrup leaves the evaporator at 219 degrees Fahrenheit. Brother-in-law Ned waits to move the filled stainless kettle to the kitchen finishing area.