Maple Syrup

Alcona FFA Chapter Maple Syrup Production

The Alcona FFA Maple Syrup Production Facility started in 2005 when students in the Alcona High School AgriScience classes collected a small amount of sap and boiled it down to produce our first 12 gallons of maple syrup. That sparked our interest in the process and construction of the current Sugar Shack began that fall. AgriScience students, FFA members and community partners volunteered to help with the project. After a year and a half of hard work, dedication and donations from many individuals, local businesses and organizations, our facility was finally ready. The first gallon of syrup was bottled on March 15, 2007.

The Sugar Shack is attached to a 980 square food log cabin and consists of an Evaporating Room and a Finishing Room. In the Evaporating Room, sap is collected by FFA members and AgriScience students, is boiled down to produce maple syrup. FFA members and AgriScience students not only collect, evaporate, filter, bottle, market and sell the maple syrup we produce, but we also conduct tours of our facility and utilize the log cabin as a classroom and meeting location for FFA activities and community organizations.

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Michigan's Logging History

Michigan was first logged in the early 1800’s for white pine (Pinus strobes), the wood most in demand for construction in the nineteenth century, most of which were 200 years or older. The forests of Michigan were very prevalent with white pine in the 1800’s. Another major factor contributing to Michigan’s logging industry is the abundance of rivers and streams; which provided convenient transportation for logs to sawmills and lake ports. Within a twenty year period (1870-1890) most of Michigan’s trees were cut down. The trees we see today are not nearly as large or old as the trees the first loggers in Michigan harvested in the 1800’s.

Log Cabin

The log cabin was originally built at Sprinkler Lake educational Facility (located in Glennie, Michigan) by the Youth Conservation Corps in 1990. The log cabin was given to Alcona Community Schools later that year. During the 1990’s Alcona Community Schools used the cabin for PTA events such as book fairs and for storage purposes. Our FFA Chapter repaired the cabin by replacing the roof, adding trim, installing a restroom and conducting general repairs to update the log cabin. The cabin is currently available in the off season for use as a meeting place for school and community groups. If you would like to have your organization meeting in the Alcona FFA Chapter Maple Syrup Production Facility please contact the FFA Chapter.

Tapping and Collecting Maple Sap

We tap sugar maple trees because they have the highest content of sucrose or sugar in their sap. Other common maple trees include: Red maple, Norway maple, Silver maple and Crimson King. In order for sap to flow in trees freezing nights and warm days are required. This fluctuation in air temperature is vital to the flow of sap in sugar maple trees. During cooler periods when temperatures fall below freezing, suction (also called negative pressure) develops, drawing water into the tree through the roots. This replenishes the sap in the tree, allowing it to flow again during the next warm period. Although sap generally flows during the day when temperatures are warm, it has been known to flow at night if temperatures remain above freezing. For more information on how sap flows in a tree click here.

There are three different types of collection styles we use to collect maple sap:

· Bucket Collecting

· Bag Collecting

· Tube-line System that runs into a 50 gallon drum and is gravity fed

How to Tap a Tree

To collect sap from the various locations throughout Alcona County we use an old fire truck, aka “Clifford.” Clifford holds up to 1,250 gallons of sap between two bulk tanks located on the bed of the truck. In the areas where we use tube-line running into 50 gallon drums we pump the sap into the tanks. Students walk out to the trees to collect bag and buckets then bring them back to Clifford to be emptied in the tanks. We then transport the sap back to the sugar shack and pump it into our 1,000 gallon bulk storage tank. One tap will produce one gallon of sap per day on average, and one quart of maple syrup per year.

Evaporating Room

The finishing room is also an addition to the original log cabin. We pump the syrup out of our finishing pan into the filter press; which consists of three different chambers in which syrup is forced through filter paper and all debris and impurities are removed. After filtering, we pump the syrup into our canning unit. Syrup must be at least 180 degrees when bottling to ensure that all bacteria are killed and the syrup is food grade. There are three major grades of syrup; light amber, medium amber and dark amber. In the beginning of the season it is common for the syrup to be a higher grade and lighter because the sap has more sugar content and must not be boiled as long. In the past few years the Alcona FFA Chapter has produced an average of 200 gallons of pure Michigan maple syrup per year; however, in 2013 we produced a record high of 278 gallons!

Alcona FFA Sugar Shack Tour

During the maple syrup season, usually February through April, FFA members and the Advanced AgriScience Class at Alcona Community Schools provides tours to community members and classes. If you are interested in touring our maple syrup production facility please contact the Alcona FFA Chapter.

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