Try tapping a tree to make syrup

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There’s nothing more delicious than pancakes with maple syrup – unless it’s pancakes with birch, walnut or linden syrup!
That’s right, syrup doesn’t have to come solely from maples. Local residents are discovering the joys of tapping a variety of trees for sap, and then boiling that sap down to a sweet syrup.
Is it easy? Yes. Is it time-consuming? Yes! It is worth it? Frogtown resident Chris Stevens thinks so. A master gardener and chef, Stevens recently hosted a tree-tapping workshop, demonstrating the how-tos to a group of interested neighbors. The group, known as the Tree Frogs, have long been involved in planting free trees in the Frogtown neighborhood. Members were ready to learn how to harvest syrup from local trees.
One key to a successful tapping is timing, Stevens explained. Temperatures need to be above freezing during the day, and below 32 at night. That small window of opportunity usually opens in early to mid-March, but can last as long as the whole month. You’ll need some basic equipment, and you’ll want to be prepared to monitor a boiling pot of sap for a couple of hours. About 40 gallons of sap are required to produce 1 gallon of syrup – that means 39 gallons of water have to boil off before you can enjoy your pancake syrup!
Intrigued? Want to try it yourself? Google “University of MN and Minnesota Maple Series” for easy but detailed instructions. If you’d like to get in on neighborhood tree tapping, pruning, planting and more, consider joining Frogtown Green’s Tree Frogs. They are a friendly group, responsible for planting more than 500 free fruit and shade trees in neighbors’ yards.
Frogtown Green is a volunteer-powered initiative to build green beauty in the Frogtown neighborhood. We plant trees, cultivate gardens and work toward a healthier environment. If you’d like to know more, our website is frogtowngreen.com and our phone is 651-757-5970.

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