Maple Syrup Tapping in Connecticut and New York

Here in the Northeast, we are surrounded by one of the most beautiful landscapes in the country. Did you know that Connecticut and New York are abundant with sugar maples? While sugar maples contain the highest sugar content, we can also tap red, silver, and Norway maples. Are you interested in making maple syrup at home? With as little as three trees we can help you tap your own trees.

When is Maple syrup season?

In our region, maple syrup season typically runs from February to mid-March, depending on the weather. In order for the sap to flow daytime temperatures must be above freezing while nighttime temperatures must be below freezing.

Identifying Sugar Maples

Not sure how to tell a maple from an oak? Our experienced team of maple syrup farmers can help you identify the best trees on your property for tapping. Here are three quick and easy tips to identify what a sugar maple trees look like:

1. Maple leaves have 5 lobes that are typically 4” apart in diameter.
2. Sugar maple trees have bark that is a grey-brown color and varies in texture depending on the age. Younger trees have smoother bark while older bark tends to look “shaggy”.
3. Since Maple trees lack leaves in winter, we use opposite branching to identify maple trees.

How is maple syrup made?

Before tapping a tree, we verify it is at least 10” in diameter since tapping a tree smaller than that can cause it harm. Trees with a trunk diameter ranging from 20-25” can support two taps, and those greater in diameter than 25″ can support three taps. Three taps is the maximum limit.

After a hole is drilled into the tree, a plastic tube is inserted into the hole, joining the tree to an enclosed bucket for sap collection. Gravity causes the sap to flow down the tube into the bucket where it is collected and transported to be processed. We visit each maple syrup tap on a regular basis for a period of 4 to 6 weeks to collect the sap and transport it to our Redding sugar house for boiling.

How To Store Maple Syrup

Since the sap itself is only 2% sugar, it takes roughly 10 gallons to make 1 quart of maple syrup. With the right bottle, maple syrup will keep in your kitchen for up to two years!