Maple Syrup – ephemeral

Front Yard Sugar Maple Syrup Co. est 2011
An Ames based, community supported maple syrup operation

I have been a bit of a drifter for the better part of the last decade. That means I had to make the choice to be able to pick up and move my endeavors with me, or abandon them. This reality, through necessity, created a unique business model and a good way for me to meet the neighbors.

It was 2011. I had learned about making making maple syrup from a new friend who was the naturalist for Hartman Reserve Nature Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa at the time. Come to think of it he is responsible for fostering several of my interests including beekeeping and primitive skills. Armed with enough knowledge to get started I tapped the trees at my then partner’s parent’s home and we boiled sap on her stove. The gas bill was well over 100$ and the steam coated the walls of the kitchen in a film of sticky sugar. Lets just say that there were improvements to be made.

Late winter, in whichever town I was in at the time, I would drive around and take mental note of the locations of large, open grown black and sugar maple “yard trees.” When the time to tap came around I would approach homeowners and with a simple ask, see if they “would be willing to trade sap for syrup.” Basically, I offer them a jar of maple syrup made with their trees sap, in exchange for letting me process the lion’s share for myself.

Root to Rise Farm owner Kate Solko helps with the harvest annually

A lot has changed from the days filtering syrup through wool socks and firing with scrap wood in my professors backyard; but the same do it yourself and community based feeling is there. Last year (2023) there were over 20 landowners that participated in Front Yard Sugar, and over 60 gallons of maple syrup produced. I look forward to continuing to grow the operation and the community involvement.

Links to stories

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/mma/front-yard-sugar-maple-syrup/vi-BB10OQq9

https://www.amestrib.com/news/20200229/business-is-sweet—and-sticky—for-ames-maple-syrup-service?fbclid=IwAR3HVyks7eK8cAdTB3QjQT1hQsGiZxLGYE5yF9xpn7jJ4VuxYdcnlPIAqW8

New labels by Ames artist Matt Pickering

How to get involved…

Give me a call or send an email and we can talk! I prefer to tap sugar/black maple trees due to the high sugar content of the sap they produce, but most hard maples will work, and even soft maples are desirable if your home is located on the 2024 route. If you are not sure what you have, I can come by and talk with you. By participating you will receive: