By Haley Schanne, 2016-2017 Chesapeake Conservation Corps Member
Spring has sprung and as the days get longer and warmer, Irvine’s trees begin to blossom and grow new leaves. But just a few months ago, there was not a leaf to be found on our Red Maple trees, but there was something sweet inside!
Students during the month of February experienced the complex process required to make their favorite sweet and sticky topping for their pancakes and waffles: maple syrup! Starting from how the Native Americans first discovered the sweet flavor of tree sap, to the modern-day evaporators and complex tubing and drilling, students followed the journey of maple sap to maple syrup and maple sugar. They even ended the day with a taste test to see if they could tell the difference between pure maple syrup and maple-flavored syrup.
Below are some photos highlighting all of the chilly winter fun the students had while on our Maple Magic school field trip. The next time these students have pancakes, they’ll be sure to remember their special day among the trees!
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- Tasting Tree Sap
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- Learning how to Tap Trees
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- Evaporating Sap into Syrup
