Since the only places in the whole world where maple syrup can be produced are the regions surrounding the Great Lakes, and since we homeschool our kids, I feel like we ought to take advantage of the opportunity to tap our maple trees. As I type this, we’re wrapping up our third year of boiling sap into syrup, and here are some things I’ve learned from the process:

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1. Good things take time. Sap has to boil a LONG time. A large canning-size pot full of sap will boil down to make about a 12.5 ounce bottle of syrup. Evaporating that much water out of the sugary goodness takes the better part of a day. You check it and add more sap, repeat for many hours, and wonder if it’s really working. (Oh, but it is, even if we can’t detect it with our eyes!). How many times in life do we dedicate hours upon hours of our time and energy for something, only to wonder if it was worth it? Sometimes in life it’s about the end-product – the syrup – but MANY more times in life, it’s about the hours of boiling – the character growth and refinement. What’s really happening, such as the development of the fruits of the Spirit, is definitely worth the time and energy.
2. Good things require attention. For all the time that it feels like nothing is happening, it’s easy to get distracted. It’s not like you have to stare at the boiling sap all day, but you want to be nearby so you can glance at it often. As mentioned in the previous point, all day the bubbles look the same, the color looks the same, and it doesn’t smell like syrup…until…it happens quickly! Suddenly the bubbles go from individual, disconnected bubbles to a thick layer of sudsy looking bubbles. The color rapidly changes from clear-white to golden, and the savory smell of syrup confirms what the eye has seen. After waiting all day, this step happens so quickly that it’s dangerously easy to miss it, and suddenly the day’s effort is a pumice-like block of char (see the pitiful photo below). You skipped right past the syrup and went to hardened lava. It’s a bummer, but it’s taught me to pay attention as the time draws near, and whew, that leads to clear Biblical references. It also serves as a visual reminder that too much heat and pressure can lead to burnout.

3. Good things are worth prioritizing. Like most things in life, the sap season comes at a busy time of the year. Doesn’t everything? Is anybody not busy? But I think a healthy level of busyness is what drives us to be productive. If I didn’t have an endless to-do list, I probably wouldn’t ever accomplish anything worthwhile. So yes, the sap start to run when we already have umpteen things on our plate, but it’s a short season so we’re able to rearrange our days to make it happen.
4. Good things aren’t always tidy. Like most meaningful jobs in this life, making syrup is messy. Thankfully syrup is very water-soluble, so cleaning the pot is pretty easy, but it’s still a massive pot that needs to be washed. At the end of the season, the metal taps, bags, and bag hangers need a cleaning. For a couple weeks, the contents of our family’s “Sap Bin” are spread all over the kitchen, hogging all our counter space. This year we were able to do a ton of the cooking over a campfire, which was way more efficient than using our propane grill, but the campfire led to a thick layer of soot on the outside of the pot. It’s so messy by now that I wrapped it in a trash bag before stowing it in the “Sap Bin.” But is there any good effort that doesn’t make life messy?
5. Good things take effort. Like most good things, the sap season requires hands-on time. The trees won’t tap themselves, the fairy won’t collect the sap and start the fire, and unfortunately, the maid doesn’t wash our dishes so I have to. It takes time. So do relationships, spiritual growth, and physical fitness. Getting out of debt, learning a skill, raising a family – it all takes hands-on time, and lots of it. That’s a big part of what I’ve learned from making maple syrup, because in the end, the time and effort are well worth it.

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If you’re interested to read about lessons I’ve learned from making syrup that pertain specifically to homeschooling, find my article “Maple Syrup From Our Own Little House” that appeared in the Wild + Free Scout Bundle, Volume 94.

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Comment below with life lessons you’ve learned from projects!