Maple Syrup Products
Sugar Maple trees are only native in North America, and are very common in the Adirondacks. Sugaring season occurs in the late winter or early spring, when nights are cold and days warm. Sap is harvested by tapping the trees and collecting it into buckets, or through plastic tubing leading to a central collection vat. The sap is then boiled to produce syrup. To make hard candy, the sap is cooked longer and poured into molds. Area Mohawks use male syrup in their longhouse ceremonies: Native Americans taught the white settlers about harvesting sweetness from the trees.
