Wait. Does sugar come from a bush?

My all time favorite event at Spring Valley would definitely have to be Sugar Bush. It's an event that they hold to show the sugaring process of making maple syrup out of sap. Did you know that maple syrup is made out of the sap that flows in trees? It is basically another reason why trees are awesome.

Since I was like... 14 I volunteered at the Sugar Bush festival. I started out mostly doing the puppet show for young children. I did this for like... 5 years! It's a cute little show that teaches kids about how trees are tapped for sap. I loved doing it, but after awhile, the thought of moving puppets around on a stage and memorizing the dialogue did not sound exactly appealing anymore. So, I graduated to the interpretation stations out by the cabin and food tents.

I fell in love with the boil down station and have done it for quite a few years. I did it again this year! Luckily, I was able to apply for travel and it was granted. So this year, I relived my station again!

The evaporator that the sap sits in

Basically, my favorite station involves putting the raw sap, straight from the tree, into an evaporator and boiling off about 75% of the water. Sap is primarily water, and in order to get the color and taste that we all know, it needs to be boiled off.


We do that at Spring Valley by using a wood burning stove with an evaporator on top, as seen here. That chamber in front in where the wood is put in to keep the fire going.

Part of the interpretation is to discuss the different grades of maple syrup. Aaaand, here is an awful picture of me showing the different grades. Yikes!


Throughout the weekend, we had tons of visitors (I think upwards of 1500 people) come and learn. Here is me telling this little girl what I was doing!

I know, I know, another awful picture. I'm no good good at candid shots :)

So, all and all, it was a pretty awesome weekend! I love Sugar Bush and can't wait for it next year!!!!