“During the first full moon in June, when the signs of the zodiac were favorable, there were sapping parties. A black birch was felled, the inner bark scraped off and mixed with sugar for chewing. An then the braver ones dared a wild ride on a sheath of bark the length of the skinned tree.”
—Way Down Yonder on Troublesome Creek written by James Still
A few years ago I found a video from WBIR’s The Heartland Series showing a family who at that time still held with the tradition of going on a birch sapping trip and taking that wild ride Still mentioned. You can see it below.
Sidney Saylor Farr describes the method her family used to harvest birch in the month of June in her cookbook More Than Moonshine.
Snacks to Pass the Time – Sidney Saylor Farr
In early June, Mother and Aunt Mossie used to take all the children and go birch-sapping. It was an annual event we looked forward to each spring. Mother always said birch sap was the very best if taken during the first new moon in June. We always looked for a tree that was at least twenty-four inches in diameter-a smaller tree would die if you removed too much bark. (Father always cut the bark and stripped it away in a complete circle around the trees which he wanted to kill in order to clear new ground for a patch of corn.) We carried buckets, spoons, a hatchet or long sharp knife when we set out.
BIRCH-SAPPING
Select a tree at least 24 inches in diameter. Using a hatchet or sharp knife, cut a square or rectangular outline in the bark. After the patch is outlined take a flat knife and insert it under the bark all along the edges. When the piece has been loosened so that you can get your fingers under the edges you can strip it from the tree. Use a large tablespoon to scrape the fiber from the inside of the bark (do this a soon as each piece is taken from the tree). Drop the long strips of sappy fiber into a pail in which you have put clear, sweet, spring water. Getting it into the water quickly will keep the fiber from turning dark. When you have enough for your purposes, add 1/2 cup sugar and let the mixture stand for an hour or so in a cool place. Drain off the liquid and you have a delightful summertime drink. The birch pulp can be eaten also.
You may remember Matt and I tapped a birch tree to drink the sap as a spring tonic earlier this year. A few year’s back we used Farr’s direction to make a tasty drink.
My family never went birch sapping nor do I know anyone who did, but I sure like the excitement it caused for the Saylor and Coffee families.
Last night’s video: Keeping Decoration Day Alive in Appalachia.
Tipper
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This was a very interesting video and the setting in Paint Rock is not far from us in North Alabama!!!
I just got in from planting another row beans and one of okree. Guess what I notice when I first went out this morning. Yeah you guess it! 2/3s of my corn has been pulled up and left laying on the ground. I’m pretty sure it is either crows or bluejays. It’s not like they have taken away a little time and energy from me although I have little left of both but there is pain involved. I live in pain but have to bend over and plant or replant seeds hurts me when I do it and later.
There are laws protecting marauding birds but who is protecting me from their antics. It has to be me!
So now I off of here. I have to go replant. It’s getting late in the season to be planting anything!
By the way I planted silver queen this year. Maybe crows or bluejays like it too.
The only thing my dad showed me about birch trees was to break off tiny twigs and chew on them. I thought it was so cool back then. I haven’t tried it in years. I miss my dad so much.
Dad would take us birch sapping sometimes but it wasn’t an annual tradition. He also would not girdle the whole tree. I’ve sure I’m posted this before but to this day when I’m around any sweet birch I’ll get a twig to chew on. I just wonder if there is anybody in this wide world that collects and uses sweet birch sap as a regular thing. Are all the expensive Birch Beer soda pops synthetic flavoring?
I do remember Mother saying they would take a piece from the sweet gum tree to chew on:)
Oh my goodness, yes my family always did recognize Decoration Day. Down in NE MS I have gone to Decoration Day at old pioneer cemeteries, one in fact of my line is the Kennedy Chapel, high on a hill there. Been taken there since I was a child. Another one not far from town is a Masonic Cemetery where my Parents, Grandmother, many, Aunts and Uncles were laid to rest. My Mother was very talented with flowers and always made the saddle-back decorations on her parents, and siblings headstones. She always took thin wire to run down from the saddle back frame on both sides to a sticks in the ground, which did really keep them secure cause the wind always blows across a cemetery. She said when she was young they made crepe paper flowers and took real flowers to decorate. Of course, when my Parents were young they had the dinner on the ground too.
Now they also have Homecoming down south and for our family they go early Oct.
I was raised in Illinois near the Wisconsin border and I didn’t see families there decorating their families headstones like we do. I now live in SC PA and I don’t see a lot of it here either. They do decorate for Veterans Day.
I enjoyed reading the story and comments and the video. I find it interesting on all the many traditions of folk depending on where you live – some not even very far from one another. Same here in Canada.
I’ve chewed sweet gum sap and even pine sap but have never tried birch sap.
Watching the video it sure looks like fun.
I liked that video you shared. Watching those smiles and children dearly loved made my day. It reminded me of what I think your sweet family would be like. I am especially struck by the tradition and more than that FAMILY time. Not one of those wonderfully loved people will ever forget that day of sapping and fellowship one with another. I had a kid ask me what I wanted and I said “memorize and recite John 3:16 for me and just come sit and hold my hand.” Mexico and boats and busy busy and so important at work she is. I’m still waiting I’ll have you know. Does it break my heart? Sure, cause she wanted me to tell her something she could buy and send and be done with her old ma. And so goes the way of the world-stuff means more than fellowship or the Lord… be glad all of you that have love. You’re richer than any Shockafeller who will ever be! Secret- I wish it was me at the birch sapping with the rich and fine Coffee family. They got it ALL I think….
This is for Robert Hutchins, I am going back a couple of days to Ed’s muscadine-tart cherry jelly post. I just bought a quart jug of 100%, not from concentrate muscadine juice at Food Lion grocery store. I think it was 3.99 and located with the grape and other juices but was easy to overlook.
I have often mentioned in past comments of how important family and time spent with them is to me. Outside of my salvation, nothing is more important or valuable to me than the time I have spent in my life with my own wife, children and grandchildren. I was blessed to have spent a lot of time with my own family and both mine and my wife’s extended family, it was always pure joy and happiness anytime I could be with them. Now the memories of this time spent with them is the most valuable thing I have ever accumulated in my life, even though these memories sometimes cut at me like a knife. How well I know at 71 years old, you had better do it while you can, the time will come when you will no longer be able to. It may come sooner than you think.
My comment for Robert may look like I posted it with this reply
I’ve never done Birch Sapping. I remember watching you and Matt tap the birch tree and you reading about it in the story of Sidney Saylor Furr. If my people did it they must have stopped it by the time I came along, but I never remember hearing any stories from them about Birch Sapping. I enjoyed watching the video of the Coffee family tradition of Birch sapping. Families really did know how to make work fun in those days. Great read and video today Tipper, thank you.
I’ve never done or even heered tell of birch sapping before I read it here previously. I do know that this time of the year is when most trees turn aloose of their bark and it peels off a lot easier. So if you need any peeled poles or tan bark, now’s the time to do it.
Until watching your video earlier this year, I didn’t realize the sap from birch trees could be consumed. Guess maple trees aren’t the only ones with treasure within.
I have never done or knew anyone to do anything like this. My Daddy showed me how to skin a small place on a sweet gum tree and let the sap form a ball that I could chew. I would sometimes do this.