NikonGear'23
Images => People, Portraits, Street, PJ & Cityscapes => Topic started by: Ian Watson on March 09, 2023, 03:52:31
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Today we had the pleasure and the privilege to visit a farm that produces maple syrup. It is currently the season for sap to rise in sugar maple trees and so it is the time when these trees are tapped.
In the first photograph we meet Laura. She is of the fourth generation to produce maple syrup on this farm. She conducts tours during this season to explain how maple syrup is produced.
We begin with a discussion of when trees are old enough to tap. Forty years is usual, but how do we know their age? Cutting them down to count the rings is not exactly an option ;D Well, the rule-of-thumb is to stand against the tree and wrap an arm around it. If one can touch one's other shoulder then the tree is too young.
Once upon a time, buckets collected the sap. These days lines transport the sap from individual trees to "main lines" under gravity. The latter feed to a tank with a little help from a vacuum pump.
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We are now in the pump house. All the sap accumulates here. It passes through a simple filter before accumulating in the big tank. When the tank is full enough the load is pumped straight to the sugar house for processing. This happens approximately every three minutes!
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The trees heal from being tapped. Much like we do from a deep cut. The result is an area around an old tap, perhaps an inch or so across, that is like a scar. It is not suitable for a new tap. Here is Laura pointing to some on an old tree.
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The local wildlife likes to chew on the lines. In particular, squirrels, coyotes and deer. So the lines need to be inspected and repaired. Here we see some lines kept to demonstrate the damage (not easily seen in these photographs, granted) and some antique muskrat traps.
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The sap contains 2% sugar. When it enters the Sugar House it undergoes reverse osmosis filtration and reaches 10% sugar. The evaporator is like a winding river. The sap is gradually heated as it makes its was to the hot end where it is evaporated to 66%. Much weaker and it ferments. Much stronger and the result is crystals in the bottles.
The grade of maple syrup has nothing to do with the evaporation. If certain bacteria have the chance to work then they convert the initial sugars into other sugars. This results in the different grades, or opacity, of maple syrup.
The penultimate photograph here shows samples from the entire production from 2022.
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The evaporator is like a winding river of maple sap. It winds closer and closer to the heat. Laura's husband keeps a close eye on the final product and adjusts the equipment accordingly. The fire is fed every seven minutes to keep things consistent. Laura's husband is helped by her father. The latter asked, "Would you like to photograph the fire? Be quick!" It was hot enough that I checked the front of my lens for damage!
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Very interesting reportage, thanks for posting. We have some birch sirup production areas in Fairbanks, quite extensive systems, covering a whole hillside, but I have only seen the outside collection systems.
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Very interesting photo documentary Ian, nicely built-up !
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great story about a product I knew, but never cared how it was treated before consumtion.
I like your unobstrusive reporting
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Thanks! Very nice images/series ;)
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What a super series of photos and background story.
I love maple syrup but bet I've never tasted anything like this stuff.
I've also tried tapping birch trees for sap (the raw sap had a really subtle taste - almost no taste)
After a lot of effort, I then found a place in London selling cans of Birch sap, so guess its a big commercial operation somewhere.
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Great story and pictures, Ian thanks for showing!
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Ian, thank you for sharing an interesting experience.
I do like the flavor of sugar maple, but the species is more familiar to me as one of the most popular material for the necks of various string instruments, from violins, mandolins to electric guitars (also called Hard Maple).
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Ian, thanks for sharing that interesting story and great photos.
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Thank you Ian, endearing images and interesting story.
Thanks for sharing it!
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Yes, Ian, thanks for the series.
Sugar cane is grown here and about 50 years ago I photographed a family making cane syrup in their backyard. Small operation--a few relatives and neighbors and one mule walking in circles driving the device that squeezed the juice out of the cane. I wish I could find those photos today.
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Thank you all for the kind words. I am glad that you enjoyed it.
Colin, a treat at the end was a sample of the syrup made that day. It was heavenly!
Akira, maple is a great wood. I have some furniture made from it.
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It occurs to me that the series needs a photograph of one of their products to end it. So here is a sinfully addictive maple sugar candy.
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Do they offer mail order on these? ;D
It occurs to me that the series needs a photograph of one of their products to end it. So here is a sinfully addictive maple sugar candy.
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Yes ;D
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Sugar cane is grown here and about 50 years ago I photographed a family making cane syrup in their backyard. ... the device that squeezed the juice out of the cane.
Dogman, your comment reminded me of seeing the Sugar Cane Wallah using a similar machine in Hyderabad, back in 2012.
Oh, also drinking a glass of the juice by Maracas beach in Trinidad (unsurprisingly, it was exceedingly sweet!)
(https://pbase.com/celidh/image/149102424.jpg])
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Same type of machine I remember except that one was set on its side and the power was provided by the mule. I've seen them more recently powered by the farm pickup trucks, again just going round in circles like the mule.
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Very informative Ian thank you!
I don’t remember if I ever taste maple syrup I’ll check local shops