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What Is a Sugar Bush?

The term sugar bush refers to a group of maple trees that are used to make syrup. A group can be anywhere from 3 to 300 trees, depending on the size of the sugar bush. A sugar bush is usually located in close proximity to a sugar shack, which is where the syrup making actually happens. The maple trees in a sugar bush are considered mature and ready to tap when they reach 10 inches in diameter. Although there are many varieties of maple trees, most do not bleed their sap freely and are not good for sugar bushes.

Sugar Maples
- Of the more than 100 species of maple trees in the world, only 14 are indigenous to the United States. Although many of these fourteen yield sap, the majority of maple syrup comes from sugar maples because the average sugar content of the sap is 2 percent. Sap from other maple species has a lower sugar content, therefore more sap is needed to yield the same amount of syrup. Because of this, the majority of sugar bushes are made up of sugar maple trees.
Maintaining a Sugar Bush
- According to the U.S. forest service "most active sugar bushes have been passed down from one generation to the next." This is mainly because it takes a lot of effort to plant, nourish, and maintain maple trees. Often, the most difficult task of maintaining a sugar bush can be protecting and keeping the trees healthy. This depends largely on forest management decisions, such as where roads and trails are made, when to thin the trees in the sugar bush, when to control pests, and whether a site is suitable for growing maple trees. The health and productivity of a sugar bush will ultimately determine the productivity and success of a maple syrup operation.
Tapping and Collecting
- The process of producing maple syrup consists of four main steps: tapping, collecting, processing, and filtering. Maple trees should be tapped when the daytime temperatures rise above freezing, sometime in early spring. The tapholes should not be drilled if temperatures are below freezing because damage to the tree may occur. Tapholes should be made 2 to 3 feet above the ground, depending on the height of the container used to collect the sap in. The amount of sap collected varies from tree to tree and also changes due to weather conditions. The sugar content of sap also varies from tree to tree. Sap should be collected daily, if possible.
Processing and Filtering
- Anywhere between 20 and 60 gallons of sap are needed to produce one gallon of syrup, depending on the sugar content of the sap. In order to end up with syrup that is 66 to 67 percent sugar, which is the goal, a large quantity of water must be evaporated from the sap. The sap will turn to syrup when the temperature reaches approximately 7 degrees over the boiling point of the water. After reaching proper temperature, the syrup should be filtered to remove any gritty material that may have formed. Then the syrup should be canned hot in jars or bottles.

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