Maple Syrup

The process of making maple syrup and maple sugar was discovered generations ago by relatives of the Anishinaabe, who continue the tradition in Carlton County today. This process has also spread to countless other people and has become an important and valuable activity in the local area, and throughout much of eastern North America.

The methods of collecting the maple sap and turning it into sugar and syrup may have changed slightly over the years, but the fundamentals of the process remain unchanged: when spring temperatures get above freezing, it’s time to open up the sugar maple trees and get to work. Click through the items below to find out how people harvested and processed sap in the past, and discover how you can join in this tradition today.