Maple Sugaring Team!

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Prescott Farm is dedicated to providing year-round environmental education programs for all ages and a place in the Lakes Region community that encourages curiosity, discovery, fun, and connection to the natural world. Since 1997 we have helped awaken an appreciation for nature and concern for the environment in thousands of program participants with a wide range of programs designed to preserve and pass down knowledge and skills that encourage an understanding of the natural systems that sustain us all and respect for the environment.

Maple sugaring is one of the oldest New England traditions and is one that we continue to carry on here at Prescott Farm. The Maple Sugaring team takes responsibility for the sugarhouse and the syrup production during the month of March when the sap is running. They directly support Prescott Farm’s mission of education and assist educators during the Tap Into Maple programs. Along the way, volunteers learn the skills needed to identify maple sugar trees, tap, and process the sap into syrup!

• Open sugar house: Unlock door, open windows, open ceiling vents, take screen cover off boiler, check for debris, open sap valve to boiler, collect firewood, start fire
• Collecting Sap: Collect sap, put sap in reservoir, check reservoir valves
• Program: Prep 1 bucket before each program (refer to bucket content sheet), put sap in boiler, hand out samples, boil water, keep fire going, pack down snow on trail to sugar house
• Closing Sugar House: Turn off sap valve outside, drain remaining sap from tube and turn off sap valve inside, close stove door, cover boiler with screen, close ceiling vents, close windows, fill out timesheet, close & lock door, hide key in hiding space
• Data collection: conditions report, collection of basic data including measurements of temperature, snowpack, weather conditions, sap running