Late winter brings a special season of change when the earth is caught between sleep and new life.
All summer long leaves make a liquid sugar, called sap, that feeds the tree. In winter, the tree stores this sugar deep underground in its roots to keep the sugar from freezing. When the days grow a little warmer in January or February, roots start taking up water from the soil again. Although this process takes place in all trees, it's the sweet sap of Sugar Maples that we are after. So, when the time is right, the trees are tapped and buckets hung.