Maple Steam Facials

This has been the week of Maple Syrup for Dann and I.  On Tuesday evening we went over to our friend's house and helped collect sap and boil syrup.  I feel like we did so little when you consider all that goes in to syrup - collecting the sap and then boiling down around 40 gallons of sap to get 1 gallon of syrup, but what fun to play the little part that we did.  Hopefully next year we will be much more involved with helping them!

Our friends get maple syrup "the old timey" way we learned - over an open fire in the back yard.  Personally I think this is a relaxing way - visiting with friends around a campfire smelling sap boiling into syrup - what a sweet smell.  I kept tipping my face over the steam in an attempt to get a facial.  I do thing spas are missing out on tapping this glorious steam!  Yum.... 

On Saturday we visited several Sugar Shacks in our area to see the process in action on different scales.  The above picture is from Kirsch's Sugar Shack.  The Kirsch family farm has four generations involved and uses a much more modern process.  The photo above was capturing a look at the "sheeting" process.  When the sap begins to fall off the spoon in elongated drips - ie a sheet, it is syrup.  Below is a photo of the syrup being removed from the system. 

Some of the little known "facts" we learned on our tours (mind you I have not validated any of these facts):

• Approximately 40 gallons of yields 1 gallon of syrup
• Wyoming County NY is the 2nd largest Maple Syrup production in NY state, 2nd to Lewiston County (Adirondak area)
• Much of the syrup sold as "Vermont" maple syrup actually comes from NY
• If a producer waters down their syrup and tries to sell it as "pure" maple syrup, the home crafting producers will show up and "do mischief" to the perpetrating farm.

Our haul for the week includes a quart of syrup from our friends, maple syrup mustard from Kirsch's Sugar Shack, maple sugar from the George family - oh my the baking that will happen...., and from Fly Away Farm we bought maple sugar candy to take to our friend Kasey's 3rd birthday party.  We gave the kids the candy around 7pm  just as the cake was wearing off and before they headed home and to bed.  The parents were so pleased with us!

Maple Weekend continues today and next weekend.  If you haven't gone, please do!  These producers are so welcoming and generous with their time and knowledge during this incredibly busy time for them.