Community Chronicles – Maple Tapping

Megan Ernspiker securing bucket around tree to catch maple sap in. Photo by Tabitha Elmore-Young

Tabitha Elmore-Young

Gimlet Reporter

On last Saturday’s cool evening, Michigan native Megan Ernspiker who now lives just north of Brownsville was seen tapping her three sugar maples in her front yard. “While any maple tree will produce sap, Sugar Maple is the best, but you should tap it before it buds.” Ernspiker said during an interview. Her trees are producing around six gallons of sap a day altogether, she also stated that it normally takes around 40 gallons of sap just to produce one gallon of maple syrup.

“When the temperature is warm the tree sends its sap up towards its branches, but when the temperature drops the tree sends the sap back down towards the roots. When you tap the trunk, it creates a leak for the sap to run out while it descends back down.” Ernspiker Explains.

Megan has been boiling her sap down to make syrup, although when asked if she would be selling it Megan stated that she was only making syrup as a hobby. She only has about half of the sap she needs to make a complete gallon. Megan reflected on her childhood stating that she could remember when her parents tapped their maples as a child back in Michigan.