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Anyone who lives anywhere near Hebron or has visited the Maple Festival is bound to know Wenzel’s Sugarhouse.
Yesterday, Ron Wenzel invited me to not only visit the barn where the magic happens, but also learn more about the maple syrup making process. Weather can have a massive impact on production and significant temperature swings can negatively affect the amount of sap Ron is able to collect during the three-month window (February to April). Ideal temperatures are between 35-40 degrees during the morning and between 20 -30 degrees in the evenings.
The color of sap comes from the evaporator and the longer it stays in there the darker and more caramelized it becomes. On average it takes 55 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup. Ron has been making syrup since 1988 and while my visit was technically off season, I do plan to come back when production is underway and assist him in the process!
