Maple syrup production begins in late winter or early spring when temperatures rise above freezing during the day and drop below freezing at night. This temperature fluctuation causes sap to flow from sugar maple trees. Farmers tap the trees by drilling small holes and inserting spouts to collect the sap in buckets or through tubing systems. Once collected, the sap is transported to a sugarhouse where it is boiled down to remove excess water. This process concentrates the sugars, transforming the sap into syrup. It typically takes about 40 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of maple syrup.