As part of this project, a team of volunteers taps a swath of maple trees on the Tufts University campus beginning in late January, collecting sap over a number of weeks, and storing it at a local business (in recent years, Somerville's Aeronaut Brewing Co. has generously provided freezer space). We boil it all down into real, true 100% hyper-local maple syrup at the annual Maple Boil Down in March. At this event, youth and adults alike have a chance to learn about tree anatomy and physiology, experience the process of making fresh maple syrup first-hand, and even get to sample the sap as it's boiling.

The Maple Syrup Project has always challenged and informed our perspectives about the roles and functions of urban trees, in a way that engages Somerville residents both young and old. And it is an exciting outdoor activity that adds a bit of community warmth during the winter months, a time when many residents do not ordinarily consider using Somerville?s open spaces. The Growing Center gives thanks to all the maple trees, who each year give us such a sweet treat. May we learn to live in gratitude and in the spirit of reciprocity with the natural world for the many gifts she gives us.

And in an acknowledgment of the land, Tufts University recognizes that it is located on colonized W?pan?ak (Wampanoag) and Massachusett Tribe traditional territory. The Somerville Community Growing center sits on Massachusett Tribe Traditional territory.

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For more information on this project, visit https://www.thegrowingcenter.org/maplesyrupproject.