For many at Old Sturbridge Village, the first whiff of spring isn't the aroma of spring flowers - it's the smell of wood smoke and maple syrup, a sure sign that the sap is rising and spring is on the way.

On weekend days in March, see maple sugaring as it was done in early 19th-century rural New England in OSV's working sugar camp.

See the entire sugar-making process, from tapping the trees to "sugaring off," and learn why maple sugar was more commonly used than maple syrup in early New England. 

Learn about how maple sugaring has changed over the years on a Maple Sugaring Timeline Tour while taking a walk through history with the different techniques are demonstrated along the Woodland Walk. See demonstrations of the traditional Native American methods, early 19th-century New England, 20th century metal buckets, and contemporary tubing.

Costumed historians will also cook period foods made with maple products by the hearth at the Village’s Freeman Farm.

See a slide show.

Did you know?

• Production of maple syrup is one of only a few agricultural processes in North America that is not a European colonial import.
• Maples are usually tapped beginning between 30 and 40 years of age. Maples can continue to be tapped for sap until they are over 100 years old.
• Once temperatures stop fluctuating between below freezing at night and above freezing during the day, sap stops flowing.