sugaring time

 

Rocky River Metropark Reservation is having sugaring time and demonstrate to park visitors. When the French and the English came to North America, the Indians of the northern woodlands would collect the sap of certain maple trees, reduce the water to have syrup and sugar. To-day, more than three quarters of this gathering and cooking activity occurs in southern Quebec. By map, northeast Ohio is the geographic center. Locally, Geauga County and its county seat, Chardon celebrate its production.

Here a boy is fitted with a yoke an two [empty] wooden buckets. In generations past, the sap collected would be carried in such fashion. Metal buckets replaced wooden ones, and hosing, and plastic bags have replaced metal buckets. Before holes were drilled trough the bark, and short wooden, later metal taps would be inserted in the outer sap wood. In the days of late winter, and early spring, before leaf budding, and especially on days with greater temperature differentials sap would flow up and down. Some would drip through the taps. The sap would be boiled, until 1 part in 40 remained. Outdoor cauldrons were replaced with large evaporating stoves, housed in cabins built for them.

notice the steam leaving the sugar house (cabane à sucre)