It is the best time of year in New England- maple sugar season! The sap is flowing and folks are boiling. There's a sweet scent in the air as steam rolls off the roof of sugarhouses everywhere. All my life, early Spring has brought with it the sensations of sweet, sticky syrup. I worked on a syrup farm when I lived in Vermont and often spent late nights boiling with my best friend's family. However, this tradition is in serious danger due to climate change and global warming. In order for the sap to flow, temperatures need to be freezing at night and in the 40s during the day. Spring is getting warmer and warmer each year, meaning the sugaring season is getting shorter. Once the sugar maples start showing buds, you have to stop tapping or the tree will get robbed of important resources to keep it healthy during the growing season. I remember the first year I worked on the syrup farm, we could only boil for 11 days compared to the 29 boiling days two years prior. Trees also need to be around 40 years old in order to be tapped. We need to protect our forests so the trees have a chance of living that long. I truly cherish the unique energy around sugaring and look forward to this season every year. I hope that it can stay resilient and thriving even in the face of a changing climate.
Oh my gosh, one of my favorite classic Vermont things to do is visit the different sugar shocks on the open house weekend!! I am so intrigued by your experience working at a syrup farm. What a cool experience!