Maple Syrup Making at Amma Canada Farms

Enjoying a sweet gift of Mother Nature

Maple syrup making is a Canadian tradition and one of the earliest signs of Spring, arriving when the Earth is still blanketed in snow. When daytime temperatures are above zero degrees Celsius and nighttime temperatures are below zero, maple trees send sugary sap from their roots to the leaf buds at the tips of their branches, preparing the buds to grow. There is a short period of around 4-6 weeks in the early spring months the maple trees can be tapped to collect the flowing sap. A small hole is drilled in the tree, and a tap called a spile is inserted into it. This sap flows, drop by drop, from the spile into a collection bucket. The maple sap is clear, colourless, and very slightly sweet. Canadian Indigenous peoples call this sap sweetwater, and drink it in the Spring as a tonic to cleanse and refresh the body after Winter. The collected maple sap boiled down over an open fire for many hours to make golden brown maple syrup. It takes 40-50 L of sap (and a lot of patience) to make one litre of maple syrup!

On Saturday, March 7, volunteers met on the Amma Canada property to set up pails and hoses and tap fourteen sugar maple trees. Every Saturday thereafter, volunteers collected 100-200 L of sap, and boiled it in large pots over wood fires in the shelter of the shed. Helpers took turns chopping wood and stoking the fires. Once most the water had evaporated and the volume was much reduced, the boiled-down sap was moved inside so that the final boil could happen over the stove. During this finishing step, the temperature of the liquid was carefully monitored: once it reached 104°C, the maple syrup was finished! The syrup was strained through a filter to remove any debris, and bottled in 250 mL jars. Over the last three weeks, Amma Canada volunteers have made about 9 L of maple syrup. That's 360 L of sap boiled! The sweetness of this activity doesn't just come from the tasty syrup produced, but also from spending hours in outside together, feeding the fire, and feeling grateful for each others' company and for Mother Nature's gifts.

View Slideshow of Maple Syrup Making at Amma Canada Farms

If the sap is still running, there may be one more maple syrup making session this Saturday, April 4. Please check with Mohan Sookdeo or the Farming WhatsApp by Thursday, April 2, to confirm participation in this fun outdoor activity. For more information, please email ammatoronto@ammagroups.org

Om Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu