Sap Runs Like Water in Farmington Hills' Heritage Park

Maple sugaring is underway at in Farmington Hills, and on Wednesday, the sap was running like water.

Carol Fink of the city's said temperatures in the 60s, following a very cold night, brought the clear liquid up from the bottom of the park's maple trees. 

"The weather has been so unpredictable," she said, "that Mother Nature is doing it on her own time ... It's gushing out of the trees. I'm blown away."

Taps have been placed in several trees on the property, including 100-plus-year-old maples located near the park's Visitors Center. Fink uses an antique hand drill to create a hole in a tree about two inches deep, clears the hole and then uses a hammer to tap a spigot into it. A bucket hung on the tap collects the sap, which has a mildly sweet taste and is slightly sticky to the touch. 

But first, she said, "I always thank the tree." 

Families are invited to the Nature Discovery Center on Mar. 24, 1 p.m.-3 p.m., to learn how to do maple sugaring in their own backyards. If the sap has stopped running by that time, Fink said, there will still be "how to" instruction that includes boiling down the collected sap to turn it into maple syrup. 

The fee is $8 per person or $25 per family, and pre-registration is required. To learn more or to register, call 248-477-1135.