Sap Tap Rap

Well it's official...close to a hundred maple trees have been tapped and it's just a matter of time until our buckets are full of sweet, sweet sap. For the next couple of weeks, we are going to constantly be checking the buckets to ensure we collect some quality maple syrup.  

We might have had some problems on the way...

Like we said, a couple problems...

But eventually we got the hang of it...

Mmmm....

Bzzzzz

The bees have been ordered! We purchased our bees from a local beekeeper in Stanley, New York, and we will pick up 4 nuclei colonies of bees in May from her apiary.  The bees are Carniolan-mix bees, which means they are cold weather resistant and will (hopefully) survive next winter!  The above picture is of the same variety of bee, which are well-known for their resistance to mites, cold-weather adaptability, and their gentle nature (yay!)

First Post

This is the beginning...

This is Ithaca College's Natural Resources and Ecology class's blog.  We are in the process of growing, collecting, and harvesting non-timber forest products: mushrooms, maple syrup, and honey.
Follow us on our adventures... 

"Bee on the watch for updates!"