Where does maple syrup come from and where did it get its name? Most of it comes from areas in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States. These are places where winters are cold and the hardy sugar maple trees grow. Since the syrup is made from the sap of maple trees, that is how it got the name of maple syrup.
Sugar maple trees are not the only source of maple syrup. Black, red and silver maple trees are also sources, but the greatest amount comes from the sugar maples. Many natural groves of these valuable trees (called “sugar bushes”) are as much as 100 years old and are all the handiwork of the Creator and not planted by men. The Indians long ago discovered how to get the sweet sap from the trees and were kind enough to help the white pioneers learn how it is done. For many years they had cut sharp holes at various places through the bark. The rich, sweet sap would promptly flow down the tree trunk into wooden or deerskin buckets tied under the holes. This is essentially what has been done ever since - only now more modern equipment is used.
The sap is still collected in late winter or early spring - often while deep snow is still on the ground. This is when the days become warmer but the nights are still cold. This daily rise and fall in temperature starts the sap flowing in the trees.
How is the sap collected? Workers bore a hole about 3 inches deep into the tree trunk about 3-1/2 to 4 feet from the ground. Then they hammer a small metal spout into the hole. A bucket hangs from the spout to collect the sap that drips out of the hole.
Buckets full of the collected sap are taken to a “sugarhouse” where it is boiled until most of the water in the sap evaporates. Pure maple syrup remains, and this is packed in glass or metal containers and shipped to points all over North America, as well as exported to other lands.
Sad to say, something is causing many of these groves of maple trees to die. Let’s hope they will find a way to save them, so we won’t have to eat our pancakes and waffles in the future without that delicious maple syrup!
These trees didn’t “just happen.” As the opening Bible verse tells us, they are a visible part of God’s wonderful creation in which He took much pleasure, as we are told in Revelation 4:1111Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. (Revelation 4:11): “For Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.”
MARCH 13, 1994
ML-03/13/1994