In this article you will find 10 awesome ways my tribe and I used the sap from maple and birch trees this spring. As an unschooling mom I take every opportunity to get in nature, get curious and have fun with my son. This year we have the opportunity to build a permaculture garden and forage food on 300 acres along the Canadian Shield – because we have an internet connection, we also have the opportunity to share our journey with you.

When I was a kid growing up on Georgian Bay, we knew when the sides of our dirt roads became lined with maple syrup buckets it was time for Papa Joes. I have been thinking about my Papa Joe a lot since we got to this property. He was something to watch – he smiled, included us kids, was outside on the farm every morning at the same time, went to church every Sunday one day a year he invited the community to his sugar bush where he would fry up potatoes in maple syrup, pour it on snow to make taffy and I am sure spiked some drinks for the grown ups too, because it does make a tasty whisky infusion.

I remember walking out there with him on nice days, riding in the bucket of the tractor on the fun days and pooping in the cold snow on the desperate days. The moment I hopped out of the car onto the land were homestead on now, I smelled the maple and I knew I was exactly where I needed to be with my son.  Below you will find our 10 super awesome ways we used maple and birch sap (water) this spring.