Sweetness

It doesn't take long for the trees to figure out that Spring is here.  A few warm days with cold nights and the sap starts running. The maple trees are tapped and buckets are filling fast. The driveway is lined with mature walnut trees, and they have all been providing sap along the blue sap lines. The lines can be seen in the photo background.  The lines lead to a large tub in the little barn.

This is the third year for this home-made humble evaporator. It's constructed from a steel barrel lined with insulation and firebrick.  Some large metal catering trays, various pipes, elbows, a couple of valves, and lots of firewood.  It may look a bit rough but it works! Sap goes into the top pan, drips into the lower pans topping up the evaporating sap. 

When the sap has been reduced enough, it's cooled and frozen, and when there are enough batches stored in the freezer, it's finished into the sweetest yummiest maple-walnut syrup you have ever tasted!