For the past 10 years, Jeff Leftwich picks a cold day in January and puts a few spiles in the maple trees in his front yard in Centertown and on his family farm in Sedalia. By mid-March, he has more than two gallons of syrup for him and his family.
"It actually makes more than me and my family can consume, so it's actually (stored) now in my freezer, as long as you keep it in the freezer it keeps indefinitely," Leftwich added.
When he learned how simple it was from Missouri Department of Conservation and found he had access to six maple trees, both soft and hard, he decided to give making the syrup a try.
At the California Adult and Young Farmers meeting Jan. 17, Leftwich presented the how-to's and answered questions from more than two dozen members.
"It's basically tapping your tree, boiling the sap and eating it; it's that simple," Leftwich said.
Nights when temperatures are below freezing and creep up throughout the day are best. When the tree "wakes up," sap will continuously drip like water into the buckets hanging below the spiles.
"In Missouri, the maple syrup season is around mid- to late-January; it only last about 6-8 weeks," Leftwich said.
After filling a few seven-gallon buckets, which he keeps in the freezer so the sap stays fresh, Leftwich is ready to cook. He said the sap is not sticky until cooked.
Since the cooking process takes the most work, Leftwich collects about 20 gallons first, filtering each batch through a coffee filter before he begins.
Outside in a fish cooker, he pours seven gallons at a time and boils it to remove the water. Syrup stage is achieved when the substance is 66.6 percent sugar and 33.3 percent water. He said the darker the syrup, the more flavorful.
"Maple syrup is expensive, if you buy it in the store but I can tell you it's about $20 to buy a can of propane and I'll go through that; so it cost at least $20 in propane to boil it off," Leftwich said.
Those who attended the meeting agreed the homemade syrup samples were about the best they ever had.
"I always thought it'd be neat to make maple syrup," Patty Tuttle, Clarksburg, said.
She added her family doesn't use store-bought syrup at home and Leftwich's recipe is much better.
At the end of the process, the syrup is canned in mason jars and ready for use. He said he lets family and friends enjoy the syrup free of charge. Last year, his family handed out the sweet topping as a Christmas gift.
"If you guys have access to maple trees, I recommend that you try it," Leftwich told the crowd.
The Young Farmers meetings are held 7 p.m. Thursdays at the California High School horticulture building. Organizer Dale Hodges is looking for more presentations to be held on interesting topics.