The forest where the Maple trees grow is called a Sugarbush. When the sap starts flowing, Maple Syrup Producers tap the trees to collect it. It used to be done with a hand drill, a small metal spout and a bucket.
Today most Maple Sugar Makers use state of the art vacuum tube systems to collect the sap, but the boiling is still done the same way it has been for hundreds of years. Each tap produces on average 10 gallons of sap per year. That is, Sugar Maple trees that are about 40 years old and at least 10 – 12 inches in diameter, will produce that much sap. It takes on average 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of Maple Syrup. When tapped properly, the trees are not damaged. Some trees have been producing sap for Maple Syrup for over one hundred years.
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