syrup in the city

photo courtesy nuanc via flickr

Spring (or maybe just a temporary reprieve) has come early to Boston this year. Yesterday marked my first day of gloveless riding, and I couldn’t have been happier.

Along with warm sun and snow-free streets, another sign that winter is wrapping up: maple sugaring. Tapping maple trees may be associated more with the backwoods of Quebec than with metro Boston, but there’s plenty of it around here. I’ve heard about several towns in the nearby suburbs that have been tapping their trees, but I’m most excited about the Somerville Maple Syrup Project right in my backyard. This is a great project that brings together Groundwork Somerville, the Friends of the Somerville Community Growing Center, Somerville Public Schools, and Tufts University. The sap has been flowing since early in February, and will be turned into maple syrup next Saturday, March 13 at a Boil Down at the Somerville Community Growing Center.

If you can’t make it to the boil down, keep an eye out for the syrup this summer at the Union Square Farmer’s Market, where it will be sold at the Grown in Somerville booth.

Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself talking about farmer’s markets. I’m sure we’ll have more snow before winter is really over, but for now I’ll enjoy the sunshine.

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