School work during maple syrup season | ncpr news

School work during maple syrup season

by Todd Moe (Weekday Morning Host and Producer) , in Canton, NY Apr 05, 2017 —

North Country School Ninth graders Spencer (glasses) and Benji (red and black buff) load firewood into the evaporator with Farm Manager Katie Culpepper. Photo: Becca Miller.

It's a busy season at North Country School and Camp Treetops near Lake Placid. Besides studying indoors, the students are helping with a favorite early spring chore - tapping maple trees for sap, and then boiling it into sweet syrup.

It's not unusual for the students to help with outdoor work. The boarding school has a working farm and a large garden.

The sap has been flowing fast and steady, according to ninth grader Spencer Darwall. He's graduating in June, so this is his last season in the sugar house.

He spoke with Todd Moe as his classmates were out in the woods collecting buckets of sap.

School work during maple syrup seasonTodd Moe

Fourth grader Tyler checks buckets for sap at a tapped tree. Photo: Becca Miller

Fourth grade students carry sap buckets through the sugarbush to the collection tank. Photo: Becca Miller