Issue #92 Tapping in to the Taste of Spring

A birch sap harvest and signs of spring so far

And so finally, after months of darkness, spring is creeping ever nearer - fingers of green shoot upwards through the earth and birds and beasts rejoice at the coming of longer, easier days as the veil is lifted and warmth radiates from the sun. Woodpeckers drum, chaffinches spill forth flurries of shrill descending notes, a mistle thrush commands the attention of the whole of Nature from the top of a birch tree. It is only with the return of birdlife that you realise how quiet the winter has been.

Although I wait all winter for spring to come, I still find I am not quite ready for winter to be over. I will miss the potential for snow and frost, of which there is never quite enough and so I am left still wanting. And I will miss the emptiness of the valleys and the solitude that the off-season brings.

Spring is a season of tension; caught somewhere between winter and summer, it is capable of delivering both within a matter of days. It is a season of hope and yet trepidation. Will this be a good spring? A prelude to summer? Or just an extension of winter (like last year) with more daylight?

Our minds wander to thoughts of longer adventures, of camping, of swimming, of trips away. Although I have not surfed for 2 years, the longest since I began over 20 years ago, I start to think of the ocean and I can conjure the scent of neoprene wetsuits and salt water in my mind and breathe it in as if I were there. We will fix up our bikes and pitch our tents in the garden in preparation for the adventures we hope we will have.

Celandines, primroses and golden saxifrage are already here. Soon will be cuckoo flower, wood anemones and barren strawberry and with them orange tip butterflies, brimstones and bee flies. It is good to see familiar faces again.

But, what makes spring, spring? No doubt we all have different markers. Each year, our eyes and ears are tuned to subtle phenological signs that tell us the sap is rising in the trees and at just the right moment we head out with pots and bottles to tap the birch trees for a draught of Nature’s remarkable spring tonic. We have done this since I can’t remember when, before we lived in the woods even. A small cut into the bark, or a branch snipped as we watch the forming of a crystal clear drop of pure vitality. This is spring for us.

Some years we collect enough to make birch syrup or beer, others just enough for each of us to have a sip. The taste is ever so slightly sweet, cool and refreshing, with less flavour of tree than you might imagine. As you drink you can feel the vigour of spring spreading through your body, fingers tingling with new growth and roots spreading from your toes into the earth. There are many studies and articles extolling the medicinal virtues of birch sap, but the ritual and fun of tapping the sap each year is virtuous enough in itself.

After a morning of leaving our kettle hanging, this is how much we collected

This year we collect a good amount, and will perhaps collect a little more over the coming days. The tree does not seem to mind giving up a little of its lifeblood; no doubt they produce far more than is needed to compensate for damage sustained by wind or other beasts besides humans. I have seen many a dripping birch branch snapped by the wind, and watched woodpeckers puncture rows of tiny holes in the bark from which to drink, then followed by nuthatches, tree creepers and ants in abundance. In fact, this is the secret to knowing when the trees are ready to tap; watch the rest of Nature and you will soon find out all you need to know.

So, although astronomical spring is still a couple of weeks away, we have already tasted spring in liquid form and let the season into our hearts and minds with reckless enthusiasm. So far, it is living up to expectations; we have had a few warmer days working outside with jackets off and sleeves rolled up, birdsong filling the air and frogs and toads filling the ditches and ponds with life.

At the risk of getting ahead of ourselves, we are even planning to camp somewhere at the weekend…

PS: Here’s a bonus short video of our birch sap harvest, no music, just the sounds of spring.

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Well, that’s all for this week. Whatever spring means to you we hope you find it over the coming days and weeks - we’d love to hear about it so please do leave us a comment!

With warmest wishes,

Andrew, Emma and Benji

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