MONTPELIER, Vt. -
Maple syrup... Vermont's claim to fame is in its busiest season.
We checked in with sugar makers all across the state, and many of them are almost done tapping.
The weather always plays a big part.
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Behind the scenes of your favorite breakfast topping... Nestled between the maple trees... miles and miles of a tubes, that will ultimately connect that sweet treat to your plate.
"Best stuff in the world, right?" "Absolutely it is," Burr Morse told me, 7th generation sugar maker and owner of Morse Farm in Montpelier.
Tubing is drilled into each tree, a vacuum suctions the sap, and it gets dumped into a tank.
"With the right equipment, you can really kind of have a good season no matter mother nature throws at you," Tom Morse said, 8th generation sugar maker.
So even though you can still tap on a frigid day, when the conditions are right..."40's during the day. 20's during the night," Morse said. Maple is flowing... "a lot of times our tanks are overflowing, because it just runs that fast," Morse said.
On average, 3,200 trees are tapped each season. In one area alone, there are 500 and that should make about 250 gallons of Vermont maple syrup.
"Sugaring is a strong 95 percent nature and weather and a weak five percent man," Morse said.
I checked in with a handful of other maple makers... many of them, like Morse are almost done tapping. He started earlier than ever this year... at the beginning of January. And although it would take "a crystal ball," Morse said... things are looking up from last year. Over in the Sugar Shack, Morse was already in the process of making maple cream.
"It's, it's sinfully good," he said.
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Syrup has been flowing, and everyone is hopeful for a good season, but last year's lack of winter weather and quick spring warm up depleted the reserve.
Many sugar makers' only made a third of their usual amount.
Morse ran out of fancy grade, but this winter he's making more of it!
"I know right here at our place, we're really getting low on maple syrup and we need production to start," Burr Morse said.
Morse says there's a slight chance the shortage could raise prices.
He sells about 6,000 gallons each year!
