Turning the Taps On Northern Style

I woke up this morning and the light was just right.  There was a smell in the forest that said it is time....time to tap.  I have long awaited this time in my new northern home.  Last year at this time, it was supposed to be the launch of my foraging career.  However after days of rooting through boxes in the garage in a vain attempt to locate my sap buckets, I finally asked John about their whereabouts.  After a long awkward silence, he proclaimed that there was not room for them in the horse trailer when we moved.  Seriously John!?!  You could not find room for sap buckets all tucked one inside of the other!?! Then he proclaimed that people do not make maple syrup in the north because there are no maple trees.  Doesn't matter I sniffled back.  Those buckets and I had history. I could have, would have, planted flowers in them if I had to....Yes I know, a little nonsensical.  Still I had made maple syrup with those buckets for most years during our time on the farm in Kirby.  I still feel sad when I think of my buckets and John and I don't discuss it much because on my part.. I miss my buckets... and on his part he fears I might actually follow through on my threat to ship some of his items down the road to auction like he did with my buckets.  But as with all new beginnings, I moved on and got new buckets, and it turns out I do not need to plant flowers in my new buckets. Tapping season has sprung out here and I can feel it in the air.  It is time to turn on the taps northern style.  That means....tapping birch trees.

Despite my years of experience with the maple trees, this is going to be a new and interesting experience. Birch Syrup is coveted out here and it is typically only available in the fancy smancy restaurants.  I am told that while it is sweet like maple syrup, it has earthy tones as well...whatever that means.  I will let you know if I am successful in making some.  And the making of it will be a little different as well. The maple trees in Kirby were all nestled quite close to our house.  My tapping line out here is 2 kms long and for some of the buckets I need to whack my way through the undergrowth to get there.  I am also going to have to be much more aware of the critters this time.  That point was driven home as I was trudging off into the forest with my sled full of supplies when I saw a flash of orange fur on the roof of the house and became alarmed it might be our resident cougar.  In fact, it was our resident Willie Nelson.  I did keep my eyes looking high in the trees for the rest of my route and as a consequence I am still scraping moose poop off my boots.  I am also going to have to collect alot more sap this time around as it takes twice as much birch sap to make one gallon of syrup then it takes for maple sap.  And then of course it takes alot longer to boil down. Supposedly it is a bit of a different process and like most things in my life I will learn by fire...literally.

Ahhh...new seasons, new places, new adventures. It took me a couple of years to understand my maple trees in Kirby.  Each tree preferred a different side and a different height for hanging the buckets.  I know it will take me some time to get the hang of my birch trees out here too but I am looking forward to getting to know them and to enjoying that sweet nectar of spring.