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Discover Nature (Missouri Department of Conservation)

Discover Nature: Maple Sugaring

KBIA | By Kyle Felling
Published February 11, 2020 at 1:11 PM CST
5 children huddle around a metal bucket under a spile, or tap draining sap from a maple tree to be turned into maple syrup.
The time-honored tradition of harvesting sap to make maple syrup can be an easy way to get out and discover nature in the winter, while adding a fresh touch of sweetness to your next meal.

As temperatures freeze and thaw in late winter, one of the sweetest harvests awaits in the Missouri woods.  This week on Discover Nature, tap a tree, and collect a treat.

    

 

Freezing and thawing temperatures cause increased sap-flow in living trees. By drilling a small hole in the side of the tree, you can harvest its sap, and cook that down to make syrup. 

 

You can tap most any deciduous tree this time of year, but sap from sugar maples contains the highest sugar content.  A tap, or “spile” works like a spigot for taking sap from the tree and directing it into a bucket – you can buy them, or make them yourself.  

 

With a bit that matches the size of your spile, drill a hole about 1.5 to 2 inches into the xylem, or water-carrying layer of wood on the tree.  Hang your bucket on the end of your tap.

 

When the bucket is full, bring home your harvest and heat the raw sap.  As water evaporates, sugar remains, and at about 219-degrees Fahrenheit, you’ve made maple syrup!  

 

Run it through a cheesecloth or commercial filter to remove impurities, and then consider canning for a longer shelf life.  

 

Learn more about maple sugaring with the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) online activity guide, and find places near you to get out and discover nature this week with MDC’s online atlas. 

 

Discover Nature is sponsored by the Missouri Department of Conservation.
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Arts and Culture Discover Nature
Kyle Felling
Kyle Felling’s work at KBIA spans more than three decades. In 2025, he became KBIA and KMUC's Station Manager. He began volunteering at the station while he was a Political Science student at the University of Missouri. After being hired as a full-time announcer, he served as the long-time local host of NPR’s All Things Considered on KBIA, and was Music Director for a number of years. Starting in 2010, Kyle became KBIA’s Program Director, overseeing on-air programming and operations while training and supervising the station’s on-air staff. During that period, KBIA regularly ranked among the top stations in the Columbia market, and among the most listened to stations in the country. He was instrumental in the launch of KBIA’s sister station, Classical 90.5 FM in 2015, and helped to build it into a strong community resource for classical music. Kyle has also worked as an instructor in the MU School of Journalism, training the next generation of journalists and strategic communicators. In his spare time, he enjoys playing competitive pinball, reading comic books and Joan Didion, watching the Kansas City Chiefs, and listening to Bruce Springsteen and the legendary E Street Band.
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