Maple Syrup Boils Already Underway After Mild Winter

(KNSI) – Wildwood Ranch Maple Syrup is taking advantage of an early season. The trees began to run in January, and after some repairs to the vacuum tubing that collects from 1,500 different taps on the property, they soon had enough to do their first boil.

Shelly Carlson says they have never been able to start the first week of February before. Another boil is wrapping up today. Carlson says the syrup has a unique taste this year. “This year, we’ve noticed that the syrup is very light and light flavored. More like a vanilla, kind of cream soda type flavor.”

Carlson says as the season winds on, it becomes harder to tap the sap, but what does ooze from the trees will be darker and richer in flavor.

The business is located inside Kraemer Lake-Wildwood County Park in St. Joseph and is open to visitors. Carlson says a couple of formal events are scheduled in March. “We do have two open house days coming up in March, March 17th and March 24th. And there will be a sign-up sheet on the county parks website.”

She gives tours often, and people are most interested in the evaporator and its sweet smells, the pump house where the sap runs and collects in bulk tanks, and free samples, of course.

___