It is maple syrup here in New England. Actually it has been so for the last couple of weeks. More specifically, it is maple syrup season at the Bogie household. A little (very little) maple syrup has been made here, on our very own property. I've seen how others do it, and found that they have to put way too much time and work into it. I have found an easier way.
Yesterday, I filled all the bird feeders (don't see the connection do you? Just hang on for a moment). One of those bird feeders happens to hang from a maple tree that is next to the Wonderful Spouse's shed. I have had a bird feeder on that tree, in the very same spot for a decade or more.
The bird feeder on that tree is round, with a squirrel cage enclosing it, and has a metal plating cover. The feeder itself is not too large, big enough to hold about 2/3 of a gallon of mixed bird seed (I use a milk jug to transport the seed to the feeder), but the caging around the feeder means the top is about 8" in diameter.
I took the bird feeder off the tree, and not paying much attenion, removed the cover. My fingers stuck to the top a bit and I was annoyed that birds had messed on it. Upon further inspection, I realized there was a dark amber liquid on it. I looked at the tree, above where the feeder hangs, and saw that it was weeping sap from a ways up. I couldn't tell exactly where it was coming from, but there was a line of sap coming down the tree alright - and that line stopped about where the birdfeeder hangs.
Looking at the top of the feeder, the sap was clean - it had obviously just been deposited that day (I fill that feeder every 3 days, so know it hadn't been there very long). Of course, I had to lick my finger, and sure enough, it had a nice maple syrup taste.
The wind and the sun had done the job of removing most of the moisture so I didn't even have to go thru the process of boiling the sap down to make the syrup. It was pre-made for me; nice and thick as syrup should be.
I wonder if I can patent the process and sell it. Can you imagine forests filled with bird feeders instead of sap lines and buckets? But then again, it would be a lot of work scraping the syrup off the lids, so maybe it isn't the best get-rich-quick scheme in the world!
Your woodpeckers probably enjoy the little bugs that become trapped in the goo.
I've only made maple syrup once, but that's enough that I can attest (with you) to its being a LOT of work. A finger lick isn't really enough. I enjoy pancakes with the maple syrup that you sent us at Christmas. Not often, of course, because it can trigger low blood sugar attacks; but, every once-in-a-while.
Posted by: Cop Car | March 20, 2005 at 10:18 AM
Ewwwwwwwwww Bogie!! I can't believe that you put something that had been on the top of a bird feeder in your mouth!
Posted by: Buffy | March 20, 2005 at 09:58 PM
One of our friends makes maple syrup every year (except this one). Maybe one of these days she will get a sugar shack made up instead of boiling it over an open fire pit.
Buffy - Gotta live dangerously every once in a while!
Posted by: bogie | March 22, 2005 at 04:27 AM