Maple syrup is a one-ingredient food. Only one thing goes into making it -- the sap of maple trees collected in early spring. Every year in late January, the University of Illinois-Extension Dixon Springs Agricultural Center in southern Illinois welcomes hobbyists and those interested in making their own maple syrup to a workshop where they can get up close with the sweet treat.
Maple syrup season: short, sweet window of opportunity
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The sugar maple has the highest amount of sugar, but the sap from other varieties of maple, such as silver maple, red maple or even box elders, also produce a similar taste.
At the Dixon Springs Agricultural Center, boiling sap is a two-step process, with the first boil done outdoors over a large stainless-steel boiler. Once the syrup is reduced, it goes inside where it is boiled on a stovetop for closer observation until it reaches a 67 percent sugar content.
When harvesting sap, a bucket can be hung directly on the spile or premade kits are available for purchase. For larger operations, plastic tubing can be installed that leads to a five-gallon bucket and lets gravity do the work.
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Due to the significant impacts of drought on forage production in 2026, forage supplies may be tight this winter.