Sweet facts about Mother Nature's nectar

Here are some sweet facts about maple syrup:

+ Maple sap is 98 percent water and two percent sugar. Typical maple syrup is about two-thirds sugar and one-third water.

+ Weather conditions affect sap output, but under normal conditions the average tap can yield upwards of 10 gallons of sap in a season. Only about 10 percent of the sap produced by a tapped maple tree is actually collected.

+ For each quart of maple syrup produced, about 10 gallons of sap must be boiled.

+ A maple syrup production farm is called a "sugarbush."

+ The U.S. and Canada are the only syrupproducing countries in the world. Pennsylvania ranks fifth in the U.S. for maple production.

+ The maple season may last for four to six weeks, but sap flow is usually the heaviest during a 10- to 15-day period just after the season's midpoint.

+ Maple syrup has the same calcium content as whole milk. It's rich in vitamin B and minerals such as calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron. Each tablespoon of syrup contains about 40 calories.

+ Warm, sunny days and cold nights are ideal conditions for syruping.