This is our first year to tap our sugar maples. We've only got six maples big enough to tap that I've identified so far (our forest is mostly oaks and hickories). I did my first boil yesterday using the sap from the first three trees we tapped--it's not much but I already consider this a victory based on the education I've gotten and the fact that we managed to create our own syrup. I learned a few things during this boil that I'll apply in the weeks ahead.

I don't know if anyone agrees, but the complexity in the flavor of our homemade syrup is striking. There's so much depth to it...just great.

Here's a video of my process: