GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- A group of maple syrup connoisseurs are taking advantage of the sugarbush season by tapping maple trees in their own front yards.
Unseasonably warm temperatures are bringing the first signs of spring with the sugarbush season a full month ahead of schedule. Loretta Klimaszewski has been tapping trees in her front yard for nearly five years, a self-proclaimed breakfast junkie with a sweet tooth.
"I do this as a form of community outreach, and I always get permission from the neighbors," Klimaszewski said.
You may have seen her work hanging from trees near Belknap Lookout Park, maple trees fixed with a metal spout and a plastic bucket to catch tree sap, which will one day be turned into maple syrup. Michigan ranks fifth in the nation for syrup production according to the Maple Syrup Association.
Klimaszewski and her neighbors are now reaping the benefits of free maple syrup from their front yards.
"It's a peaceful thing to do and doesn't hurt anybody," said Jonathan Swets, another urban tapper. "The result's getting some nice maple syrup at the end of the deal."
The urban tappers say it takes roughly 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup. The boiling process burns off the excess water and the end result is delicious maple syrup. All you need is a drill, a metal tap, and a bucket to collect the sap.
Klimaszewski is now hoping to one day start her own neighborhood business.
